Registration fees at SC Dept. of Motor Vehicles go up January 1

BLYTHEWOOD, S.C. – Vehicle owners in South Carolina will see some changes at the Department of Motor Vehicles starting January 1, 2018. One of them is an increase in vehicle registration fees.

South Carolina lawmakers passed the roads bill to help generate money to fix roads and infrastructure in the state. The first phase of the bill added 2 cents per gallon at the pump. The second phase includes drivers of hybrids and alternative fuel vehicles.

“Everybody who’s operating a petroleum gas powered vehicle has seen the increase in the tax at the pump. The other folks; alternative fuel vehicles, electric and hydrogen drivers are not being hit in the pocket like the other citizens of South Carolina,” said the SCDMV’s Director of Vehicle Services, Larry Murray.

Since hybrid and alternative fuel vehicle drivers get to bypass the pump they’ll have to pay a new fee starting January 1st. If you purchase a hybrid in 2018 you’ll see an extra $60 dollars added to your registration fee, an alternative fuel vehicle will cost you $120.

Larry Murray explained how it works, “If I have a hybrid my registration will go from 24 dollars to 40 dollars and then 60 dollars on top of that. If I have an AFV it will be an additional $120 on top of the registration.”

All South Carolina vehicle owners will see an increase in their registration fees by $16. For the average driver that means paying $40 in 2018 instead of the $24drivers pay now. The extra money being generated from these fees and increases is to fix state roads.

For most vehicle owners the extra fees are inconvenient, but they recognize the need for funding the roads.

“The potholes are the biggest problem and sometimes at the intersections the lines aren’t really visible to guide the people around. i drive a drive a trike that’s a 3 wheel motorcycle and sometimes it’s rough, it’s a little easier for vehicles but bikes get thrown around a lot easier than cars,” said Roy Seiders.

If your vehicle is already registered for the year you won’t see the increase until 2019 because registration for vehicles in South Carolina is every 2 years.

The third phase of the roads bill will go into effect January 1st 2019. At that time motor carriers will pay their property tax to the Department of Motor Vehicles instead of the Department of Revenue like it does now.