State service guide

South Carolina car insurance: 25/50/25 liability, mandatory UM, and SCDMV verification rules

South Carolina's insurance page should be built around both coverage and compliance. The practical state-specific details are the required 25/50/25 liability minimums, the separate requirement to carry uninsured-motorist coverage at the same 25/50/25 level, and SCDMV's registration and license workflows that can suspend privileges when insurance cannot be verified.

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Liability minimums $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 property damage
UM requirement South Carolina also requires uninsured-motorist coverage at 25/50/25
Registration rule You must provide the insurer name when first registering in South Carolina and every time you renew registration
Proof-after-ticket deadline If you are ticketed for no proof, show you had insurance within 30 days to avoid a suspended driver's license

Overview

What this page helps you verify

A useful South Carolina insurance page starts with the fact that the state requires both liability coverage and uninsured-motorist coverage, not just liability alone. It then needs to move into the SCDMV workflow: you certify insurance when you apply for or renew a driver's license, you provide insurer information when you first register a vehicle and every time you renew registration, and SCDMV can suspend the license and registration if the insurance cannot be verified. The practical roadside detail is also important because a driver who cannot show proof at a stop has only a limited time to prove coverage existed.

Last reviewed: 2026-05-23. This page was manually upgraded against service-specific official sources, but requirements can still change quickly.

Usually needed

Documents and information to prepare

  • Current South Carolina automobile-liability policy information from a company licensed to do business in the state
  • Proof of insurance you can keep in the vehicle and show during a traffic stop if asked
  • Insurance company name and policy details for first-time South Carolina registration and later registration renewals
  • If SCDMV could not verify your coverage, the policy information needed to fix the state record before the license and registration are suspended
  • If you were cited for no proof, evidence that the vehicle was insured on the date of the stop so you can clear the matter within the state's deadline

Typical flow

What the process often looks like

  1. Keep at least South Carolina's required liability limits plus the mandatory uninsured-motorist coverage on the vehicle.
  2. When you apply for or renew a South Carolina driver's license, certify that you are insured if you own or keep a vehicle in the household.
  3. When registering a vehicle in South Carolina for the first time, and again at each renewal, provide the insurance company information SCDMV requests.
  4. Carry proof in the vehicle so you can show it at a traffic stop instead of trying to reconstruct coverage later.
  5. If SCDMV or law enforcement flags a proof problem, fix it quickly because South Carolina ties insurance verification directly to license and registration status.

Coverage structure

South Carolina requires liability and uninsured-motorist coverage, not just liability

This is the first important state-specific correction.

  • The South Carolina Department of Insurance says the state requires bodily-injury liability of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident.
  • The same state guidance sets the property-damage minimum at $25,000 per accident.
  • South Carolina also requires uninsured-motorist coverage equal to the minimum liability amounts of 25/50/25.
  • Underinsured-motorist coverage is different: the state says insurers must offer it, but drivers are not required to buy it.

SCDMV workflow

South Carolina plugs insurance into both the driver-license and vehicle-registration systems

That makes insurance a record-verification issue, not only a crash issue.

  • SCDMV says you must certify that you are insured when you apply for or renew a South Carolina driver's license if you own a vehicle or have one in the household.
  • SCDMV also says you must provide the name of your insurance company the first time you register a vehicle in South Carolina and every time you renew registration.
  • If SCDMV cannot verify the coverage, it says the driver's license and registration may be suspended.

Roadside proof and enforcement

South Carolina gives a short rescue window after a no-proof ticket, but not much more

This is the practical timing rule many drivers need most.

  • SCDMV warns that if an officer stops you and you cannot prove you have insurance, you may be ticketed and face fines or jail exposure.
  • If you receive the ticket, South Carolina says you must show that you had insurance on the vehicle within 30 days to avoid a suspended driver's license.
  • If the license is suspended, SCDMV says you owe a $100 reinstatement fee.

Accuracy notes

Where people get tripped up

  • South Carolina car-insurance content should not omit mandatory uninsured-motorist coverage. That is part of the required legal package.
  • Keep SCDMV's verification role visible because South Carolina links insurance directly to both license certification and vehicle-registration renewal.
  • Do not confuse mandatory UM with optional UIM. South Carolina requires the first and only requires insurers to offer the second.
  • The 30-day proof-after-ticket rule is a high-value practical detail and should stay near the top of the page.

FAQ

Common questions

  • What are South Carolina's current minimum car-insurance limits?

    South Carolina requires liability limits of $25,000 for one person's bodily injury, $50,000 for all bodily injuries in one accident, and $25,000 for property damage.

  • Does South Carolina require uninsured-motorist coverage?

    Yes. The South Carolina Department of Insurance says uninsured-motorist coverage is required at the same 25/50/25 minimum amounts.

  • Is underinsured-motorist coverage mandatory in South Carolina?

    No. South Carolina says insurers must offer underinsured-motorist coverage, but drivers are not required to purchase it.

  • Do I have to give insurance information when I renew South Carolina registration?

    Yes. SCDMV says you must provide the insurance company name when you first register the vehicle and every time you renew the registration.

  • How long do I have to prove I was insured after a South Carolina no-proof ticket?

    SCDMV says you must show that you had insurance on the vehicle within 30 days of receiving the ticket if you want to avoid a suspended driver's license.

Sources

Official references used for this page

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