South Carolina Bill of Sale
South Carolina does require a bill of sale in a private vehicle transaction, but only under specific circumstances.
Written by Michelle Ballestrasse
Reviewed by Carrie Adkins
The state of South Carolina doesn’t always require a bill of sale, but it is required under specific circumstances. If the vehicle’s sale price or odometer reading cannot be included on the back of the vehicle title, if the vehicle was purchased through the DMV, or if the title certificate was issued before June 1989, you must include a bill of sale as part of the title transfer process.
Even if the car you’re looking to buy doesn’t fall under the requirements that necessitate a bill of sale according to South Carolina law, it’s still a good idea to draft one up anyway. A bill of sale contains important information about the car and the transaction, and having it in your records can protect you if any dispute arises down the road.
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What is a bill of sale?
To keep it brief, a bill of sale is simply a receipt granted when a car is privately sold between two individuals, not through a dealership. In South Carolina it should, at the very least, contain information about the vehicle, the two parties involved, the sale price, and the odometer reading.
Overall, the bill of sale documents the agreement terms that the buyer and the seller reached when conducting a private transaction. Each party involved should also sign the bill of sale.
Keep in mind that a bill of sale does not legally transfer ownership of the car from seller to buyer. Make sure to check with your DMV to determine what forms, other than
the title transfer
, are required to complete the transaction. Is a bill of sale required in South Carolina?
For the most part, South Carolina does not require a bill of sale when it comes to private vehicle transactions, with a few exceptions.
To find out for sure if you will need one when selling your car, simply flip over your title. If there isn’t any field on your title to input the vehicle’s sale price or odometer reading, that means you will need a bill of sale.
You will also need a bill of sale if your car’s title predates June 1989.
South Carolina DMVs often feature private vehicle sales as well. If you purchase your vehicle through the DMV, a bill of sale PDF or printout may be necessary when titling and registering it. But this is only if there are no areas to input the sales price or odometer reading.
You will also need one for out-of-state purchases and imports.
Even if you meet all the criteria for not needing a bill of sale, it’s still a good idea to have one on hand. It serves as proof of terms that the buyer and seller agreed to. Having one in your records can come in handy if there are any disputes in the future.
What is required in a South Carolina bill of sale?
Because South Carolina does not typically require a bill of sale in private vehicle transactions, they do not have any pre-existing templates or forms on their BMV site. So you’ll have to draft your own. But there are free templates available online to make the process easier.
The following information should be included:
- Names, addresses, and signatures of both the buyer and seller
- A complete description of the car, including:
- MakeModelYearBody typeVehicle Identification Number (VIN)
- Purchase price of the vehicle, including trade-in value
- The names and addresses of any lienholder
- Odometer reading at the time of purchase
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What should I do after I get a bill of sale?
Be sure to make a copy of your bill of sale for your records. It may come in handy after the transfer is complete.
Next, be sure that the seller has filled out the back of the vehicle’s original title with the odometer reading at the time of sale, purchase date, and selling price. You need this information filled in before you request a transfer with the DMV.
Now, if you haven’t already done so, be sure to check South Carolina’s DMV website to determine what fees you’ll have to pay and what forms you’ll need to bring with you or send by certified mail in order to initiate and complete the transfer process.
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