COVID-19-Related Information
April 08, 2020
This page was updated on June 30, 2020.
SCDMV Operations
The South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV) remains open during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the continuity of essential government operations and support the needs of South Carolina’s citizens. As of May 13, 2020, all but two of the 66 SCDMV branches will be open five days a week by appointment only. The Allendale and McCormick branches will only be open on Wednesdays. All other branches are open from 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Road Test Changes
The SCDMV will resume offering some non-commercial skills tests for regular, Class D, driver’s licenses on Tuesday, May 26, 2020. We actually are booking appointments and road test 21 days in advance Customers must make an appointment to take a skills test. Customers who do not have an appointment will be turned away. Tests for driver’s licenses that allow people to drive recreational vehicles (RVs) or RVs with cars towed behind them (Class E and F licenses) remain suspended until further notice.
The agency continues to offer skills testing for motorcycle licenses, by appointment, in offices where the service was previously offered. The SCDMV offers a limited number of road tests for drivers looking to obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL). The SCDMV will offer CDL road tests at specific locations by appointment-only using the appointment scheduler below.
Schedule a road test appointment
Extension for Document Expirations
The SCDMV recognizes the financial hardships you may be experiencing due to COVID-19. The agency has implemented measures to assist you during this time. If you need to renew your vehicle registration or driver’s license, beginner’s permit, or parking placard, you may qualify for an extension to renew those documents. Extensions only apply to certain documents with expiration dates between March 1, 2020 and June 30, 2020. If all requirements to renew vehicle or driver-related documentation are not met by July 1, 2020, the document is considered expired, and you may be subject to a law enforcement citation or a late fee.
View the SCDMV memo on these changes.
For vehicle registrations, registrations not fully renewed by July 1, 2020 will owe a late fee based on the original expiration date of your registration. For example, if your registration expired in March, and you have not yet renewed it by July 1, 2020, your late fee will be $75 since your registration will be more than 90-days late.
Commercial Motor Vehicles
Updated: June 30, 2020
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) granted waivers for select commercial motor vehicle regulations, and the SCDMV made additional exceptions for some state requirements. Commercial driver's license (CDL) holders and commercial learner’s permit (CLP) holders with expiration dates between March 1, 2020 and September 30, 2020 are considered valid through October 1, 2020. View the SCDMV memo updated on June 30, 2020 regarding these changes.
The International Registration Plan (IRP)/International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) released additional exceptions and waivers. View the SCDMV memo on these changes.
The requirement that commercial learner’s permits (CLP) holders wait 14 days to take the CDL skills test has been waived through September 30, 2020.
The requirement that CDL holders, CLP holders, non-commercial drivers have a medical examination and certification has been waived through September 30, 2020, provided that you have proof of a valid medical certification that was issued for a period of 90-days or longer and that expired on or after March 1, 2020.
In order to accommodate new IFTA/IRP accounts as well as complete transactions for existing IFTA/IRP accounts, a new process has been implemented. Please download these documents as needed:
Established IFTA/IRP accounts adding vehicles
Processing new IFTA/IRP accounts
Titling a vehicle with MCS during COVID-19
MC-26 Motor Carrier Web entry processing instructions
MC-26 Motor Carrier Web entry access application