State
South Carolina car insurance requirements and laws
South Carolina requires 25/50/25 liability and matching 25/50/25 uninsured motorist coverage. Its uninsured-vehicle fee option ended July 1, 2024.
Minimum coverage
| Liability limits | 25/50/25 |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury, per person | $25,000 |
| Bodily injury, per accident | $50,000 |
| Property damage | $25,000 |
| Other required coverage | Uninsured motorist 25/50/25 (bodily injury and property damage) |
Rules
| Fault system | At-fault — the driver who causes a crash is responsible for the other side's injuries and damage |
|---|---|
| PIP required | No |
| Uninsured motorist required | Yes — uninsured motorist 25/50/25; insurers must also offer higher UM limits and underinsured motorist coverage up to your liability limits |
| UM property damage | Required as part of UM — at least $25,000, with up to a $200 deductible allowed |
| Negligence rule | Modified comparative negligence (51% bar) — you recover only if your negligence is not greater than the other driver's |
| Digital proof of insurance | Yes |
| SR-22 | Yes — an owner convicted of driving uninsured must keep an SR-22 on file for three years from the suspension date |
| Penalty for driving uninsured | Fine of $100 to $200 or 30 days in jail (first offense); owners lose their license, registration and plates until they pay a reinstatement fee ($700, per SCDMV) and file an SR-22 for three years |
| Time limit to sue | 3 years (personal injury); 3 years (property damage) |
Costs and context
| Average cost | $1,367 average annual expenditure (NAIC, 2023 data) |
|---|---|
| Uninsured drivers | About 1 in 10 drivers (10.3%, Insurance Research Council, 2023) |
Regulator
| Insurance regulator | South Carolina Department of Insurance |
|---|---|
| Consumer hotline | 800-768-3467 |
| Website | doi.sc.gov |
| Address | 1201 Main Street, Suite 1000, Columbia, SC 29201 |
Minimum car insurance requirements
South Carolina requires liability coverage and uninsured motorist (UM) coverage at the same 25/50/25 levels. The liability minimums are in S.C. Code § 38-77-140 and the UM requirement in § 38-77-150. The SCDMV checks coverage electronically through its Automobile Liability Insurance Reporting (ALIR) system, which receives policy updates directly from insurers.
| Coverage | Minimum required |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident |
| Property damage liability | $25,000 per accident |
| Uninsured motorist (bodily injury) | $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident |
| Uninsured motorist property damage | $25,000 per accident (a deductible of up to $200 may apply) |
| Underinsured motorist | Must be offered; optional |
Recent change: Until mid-2024, an owner could pay an "uninsured motor vehicle" fee to register a car without insurance. That fee gave no coverage at all. The 2023 law Act No. 51 repealed the option on July 1, 2024, and directed the SCDMV to make sure no one remained registered as an uninsured motorist. Every registered vehicle must now be insured.
What the minimums mean in practice: suppose you cause a crash near Charleston, and the other driver has $40,000 in medical bills and a car with $18,000 in damage. Your policy pays $25,000 toward the injuries and the full $18,000 for the car. The driver can pursue you for the other $15,000 in medical costs plus lost wages and pain and suffering. Now flip it: if an uninsured driver hits you, your required UM coverage pays up to $25,000 for your injuries and $25,000 for your car, minus any deductible. The state car insurance requirements lookup compares these limits with other states.
Fault system and what it means after a crash
South Carolina is an at-fault state. The at-fault driver's liability insurance pays the other side's injuries and property damage, and injured people can sue without meeting any threshold. Claims can go to the other driver's insurer as a third-party claim, or through your own collision or UM coverage.
South Carolina applies modified comparative negligence, set by the state Supreme Court rather than by statute. You can recover if your negligence is not greater than the other party's, and your award shrinks by your share of the fault. See comparative vs contributory negligence and how fault is determined in a car accident.
Optional coverage worth considering here
- Underinsured motorist coverage. Insurers must offer UIM up to your liability limits. It pays when an at-fault driver's 25/50 policy can't cover your injuries (uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage explained).
- Higher UM limits. Also must be offered, up to your liability limits.
- Comprehensive. Hurricanes, coastal flooding and severe storms make this important along the coast (hail, flood and storm damage: filing a comprehensive claim).
- Collision, rental reimbursement and higher liability limits for drivers with assets to protect.
What drives rates in South Carolina
South Carolina's NAIC average expenditure was $1,367 in 2023, above the national $1,281.60. Coastal exposure to hurricanes and flooding raises comprehensive costs. Fast-growing metro areas such as Greenville, Charleston and Columbia bring more traffic and more crashes. Rural two-lane roads produce severe collisions. Required UM coverage adds some cost to every policy, though the Insurance Research Council estimated only 10.3% of drivers were uninsured in 2023, below the 15.4% national figure. See Why your ZIP code changes your car insurance price.
Penalties for driving uninsured
Under S.C. Code § 56-10-520, operating an uninsured vehicle is a misdemeanor:
- First offense: a fine of $100 to $200 or 30 days in jail
- Second offense: a $200 fine, 30 days in jail, or both
- Third or later offense within five years: 45 days to six months in jail
The SCDMV suspends an owner's driver's license, registration and plates until a reinstatement fee is paid. The statute sets that fee at $600, adjusted each year by the Department of Insurance, and the SCDMV currently lists it as $700. The owner must also file an SR-22 for three years. A driver who doesn't own the uninsured car faces a 30-day suspension and a $100 reinstatement fee. If your insurer reports a cancellation and you don't show new coverage within 20 business days, the SCDMV can suspend your license and registration even without a ticket. Reinstating can then cost up to $400. See penalties for driving without insurance.
SR-22 and high-risk drivers
The SCDMV requires an SR-22 certificate for three years when an owner is convicted of driving uninsured. Filings are also used after other serious violations and crashes. Your insurer files the certificate with the SCDMV and reports it if the policy lapses. Compare standard and nonstandard auto insurance carriers, because surcharges vary widely (SR-22 insurance explained, high-risk car insurance: options when insurers say no).
Insurers with a strong presence in South Carolina
State Farm, GEICO, Progressive, Allstate and Nationwide all write large numbers of South Carolina drivers. Southern Farm Bureau Casualty writes auto coverage for South Carolina Farm Bureau members (Farm Bureau insurance: membership, eligibility and how it works). Auto-Owners Insurance is active through independent agents, and USAA serves the state's large military population around Fort Jackson, Shaw Air Force Base and the Charleston bases.
Where to get help
The South Carolina Department of Insurance Consumer Services line is 800-768-3467 (803-737-6180 locally). The department is at 1201 Main Street, Suite 1000, Columbia, SC 29201, and online at doi.sc.gov. It answers coverage questions and investigates complaints about insurers and agents (how to file a complaint against a car insurance company). Questions about suspensions, the ALIR system and reinstatement fees go to the SCDMV. The deadline to sue for injuries or property damage is generally three years (statutes of limitations for car accident claims). Ask a licensed attorney about your claim.
Sources
- scstatehouse.gov/code/t38c077.php
- scstatehouse.gov/code/t56c010.php
- scstatehouse.gov/code/t15c003.php
- dmv.sc.gov/vehicle-owners/insurance-requirements
- dmv.sc.gov/driver-services/drivers-license/insurance-requirements/facts-about-driving-un…
- doi.sc.gov/103/Division-Contacts
- iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-uninsured-motorists
- content.naic.org/article/naic-releases-20222023-auto-insurance-database-report
- insurance.maryland.gov/Consumer/Documents/agencyhearings/NAIC%202023%20Auto%20Insurance%…
Requirements were checked against these sources on the review date below. Laws change - confirm with the state insurance regulator or motor vehicle agency.
Profile last reviewed October 4, 2026