City release page
Use this bill of sale when selling a car in Charleston, South Carolina. It documents the transfer and helps you complete DMV title paperwork.
Create a compliant bill of sale and download the signed PDF immediately.
DMV / Title Office
SC SCDMV – Charleston Office
Address
3790 Leeds Ave, North Charleston, SC 29405
Phone
(803) 896-5000
Office Hours
Mon–Fri 8:30 AM–5:00 PM
Title Transfer Fee
$15.00
Sales Tax Rate
9.00%
Base Registration Fee
$40.00
South Carolina Infrastructure Maintenance Trust Fund (IMF) fee: $500 max on vehicle purchases instead of regular sales tax
South Carolina does not require notarization for private vehicle sales.
County Clerk / Recorder
Charleston County Clerk of Court
Phone
(843) 958-5000
The most common car makes in private-party sales are Toyota, Honda, Ford, Chevrolet, Nissan. Average private-party car prices range from $5,000–$25,000. The average NCAP safety rating for recent car models is 4.2 out of 5 stars. Cars average 3.1 NHTSA recalls per model across categories including Airbags (Takata), Power Train, Fuel System.
Before completing a car bill of sale in South Carolina, verify these safety items:
Liability insurance required in 49 states (New Hampshire is the exception). Average annual premium: $1,600–$2,200. Cars lose approximately 20% of value in the first year and 60% over five years. Japanese brands retain value best. Peak season for private car sales is spring (march–may) when tax refunds boost demand, with an average of 21 days on market.
Cars are classified as "Passenger vehicle" for registration purposes. Standard passenger cars weigh 2,500–4,500 lbs; no special weight-class registration required. Federal odometer disclosure is required for cars under 20 years old.
Charleston residents completing a car bill of sale should be aware of local requirements in addition to South Carolina state rules. The state sales tax rate is 5%, 5% infrastructure maintenance fee (imf), capped at $500. The most popular car makes in South Carolina include Toyota, Honda, Ford.
BillOfSaleNow has generated 1,283 bill of sale documents for South Carolina transactions, with 35 generated this month alone. The most popular vehicle type is car.
45% faster sale
Vehicles whose listings include a history report spend ~45% less time on site before selling, and report-viewers are 5x more likely to become a lead.
Source: Experian / AutoCheck
$4,000 avg loss
NHTSA estimates 450,000+ vehicles per year are sold with rolled-back odometers — the average victim loses about $4,000 in downstream repair costs.
Source: NHTSA
17.5M private sales/yr
About 17.5 million private-party vehicle transactions happen in the U.S. each year — roughly 47% of the used market.
Source: Cox Automotive 2024
1 in 3 buyers
Roughly 1 in 3 used-car buyers say they suspect private sellers are hiding mechanical problems — documentation closes that trust gap.
Source: JW Surety Bonds (n=3,000)
Charleston is in Charleston County. Title transfers are handled by the SC SCDMV – Charleston Office at 3790 Leeds Ave, North Charleston, SC 29405. Hours: Mon–Fri 8:30 AM–5:00 PM. Phone: (803) 896-5000.
The combined rate is 9.00%. South Carolina Infrastructure Maintenance Trust Fund (IMF) fee: $500 max on vehicle purchases instead of regular sales tax.
No. South Carolina does not require notarization for private vehicle sales.
Title transfer fee: $15.00. Base registration fee: $40.00. Sales tax at 9.00% is collected at the time of title transfer.