How to fill out the Form 400 in South Carolina
A field-by-field walkthrough of the South Carolina Form 400 (Title and/or Registration Application) for licensed used car dealers — what goes in every section, who signs what, and the documents you attach. Verified against the official form as of September 2026.
Filling out the SC Form 400 after a sale:
- What it is
- South Carolina's combined application to title, register, and lien a vehicle
- Who completes it
- The dealer usually completes and files it on a dealer sale; the buyer signs Section 4
- Where to file it
- SCDMV, with the assigned title, a signed bill of sale, and payment
- Processing time
- Registered on submission; the title mails after processing
- Cost
- $15 title fee + IMF (5% of price after trade-in, max $500) + registration ($40, biennial) — plus separate county property tax
This guide is informational and does not replace the official South Carolina instructions. Always confirm the current form and procedure with South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV) before you file.
The Form 400 is one car's paperwork. A 20-second read on your lot, and the tax-and-fee math for the whole deal — built for dealers, no signup. Free calculators dealers actually use — no signup, no email.
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What the Form 400 is and why it matters
Form 400 is South Carolina's Title and/or Registration Application — the single form that titles a vehicle, registers it, and records a lien. On a dealer sale the dealer usually completes and files it for the buyer along with the assigned title and a signed bill of sale.
What makes South Carolina different is the money. There's no vehicle sales tax; instead the state charges an Infrastructure Maintenance Fee — 5% of the price after trade-in, but never more than $500. So any car priced at $10,000 or up pays a flat $500. And the IMF isn't the whole tax story: South Carolina counties levy an annual property tax on vehicles that must be paid before the DMV will issue a plate. This guide walks Form 400 section by section (current Rev. 07/2025) and keeps the IMF and property tax straight.
On a South Carolina dealer sale the dealer generally handles the titling and registration for the buyer — the form has a dealer block and a sales/IMF section built for it. The buyer still signs Section 4 under penalty of perjury. The big South Carolina difference: there's no sales tax on the car. Instead you pay an Infrastructure Maintenance Fee (IMF) of 5% of the price, capped at $500 — and, separately, the county charges an annual property tax that has to be paid before the plate is issued.
Documents to have before you start
Gather these before you complete the Form 400. A missing attachment is the number-one reason the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV) bounces a title application back.
- Completed Form 400 — Signed by the owner in Section 4.
- Title assigned to the buyer (or MCO/MSO for a new unit) — Showing the price and the odometer reading.
- Signed bill of sale / buyer's order showing the total sale price — Required for all title transactions — it supports the IMF calculation.
- Title fee and IMF payment — $15 title fee plus the IMF (5% of the price after trade-in, capped at $500).
- Lienholder information, if financed — First (and any second) lienholder details in Section 2; an ELT lender includes its ELT customer number.
- Form TI-006C, only if the buyer has no SC license/ID — Statement of Vehicle Operation in South Carolina.
- Paid county property tax receipt (for the plate) — The county bills and collects an annual vehicle property tax; the DMV won't issue a plate until it's paid in the buyer's name.
Form 400, section by section
Section 1 — Transaction type and vehicle (all transactions)
The top of the form tells the DMV what you're asking for — Title, Registration, Plate Transfer, Record Lien, Duplicate Title — and describes the vehicle. Enter the VIN, make, model, year, body style, fuel type, and empty weight. An expedite option (extra fee, at a branch) is here too.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Transaction type (title / registration / lien / transfer) | You (dealer) |
VIN, make, model, year, body style VIN must match the title and VIN plate. | You (dealer) |
Fuel type + empty weight | You (dealer) |
Section 1 — Owner information (all transactions)
The buyer — the owner the title is issued to. Enter the complete legal name (required in full), a customer/DL/SSN or FEIN, date of birth, and the residence and mailing addresses with county. A co-owner is added with the shared-ownership AND/OR designation.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Owner legal name (Last, First, Middle) Complete name is required — no initials-only. | Buyer |
Customer No. / DL No. / SSN or FEIN + DOB | Buyer |
Co-owner + AND/OR designation | Buyer |
Residence & mailing address, county | Buyer |
Section 2 — Odometer and lien (title transactions)
The odometer reading (whole miles, with the ACTUAL-mileage certification or a discrepancy checkbox) and the lien information. If the buyer financed, the first lienholder's details record the lien on the title; a second lien and the ELT customer number for an electronic-lien lender have their own lines. The prior title's state and number also go here.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Odometer reading + certification Whole miles; check the box for a branded/discrepant reading. | You (dealer) |
First lienholder name, date, address So the lien is recorded on the title. | You (dealer) |
Prior title number & state | You (dealer) |
Section 2 — IMF and purchase information
The money section. Enter the seller/dealer name and dealer number, the date of purchase, the sales price, and any trade-in amount and trade-in VIN. South Carolina's Infrastructure Maintenance Fee is 5% of the price after the trade-in — capped at $500 — and it replaces sales tax (a vehicle subject to the IMF is exempt from state and local sales tax). The exemption checkboxes cover family transfers, gifts, heirs, and military.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Seller/dealer name, dealer number, sales tax number | You (dealer) |
Date of purchase Starts the 45-day clock to title and register. | You (dealer) |
Sales price Match the bill of sale; the IMF is figured on this. | You (dealer) |
Trade-in amount + trade-in VIN Reduces the IMF base. | You (dealer) |
SC IMF & title fee calculator
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South Carolina charges an Infrastructure Maintenance Fee instead of sales tax: 5% of the price after any trade-in, capped at $500 — so a vehicle priced at $10,000 or more pays a flat $500. Title fee $15; passenger registration is about $40 for two years. IMPORTANT: this does NOT include the separate annual COUNTY PROPERTY TAX, which the county bills and must be paid before the DMV issues a plate. Title/register within 45 days of purchase to avoid a late penalty. Manufactured/mobile homes are calculated differently. Confirm current figures with the SCDMV and your county.
DealerVLO computes this on every deal and fills it straight onto the SC Form 400 — no re-keying.
Try it freeSection 3 — Registration and insurance (registration transactions)
For the plate: new plate, transfer an existing plate (enter the plate number), or exchange, plus the plate type and gross weight for a truck. South Carolina requires an insurance certification here — the applicant declares the vehicle is insured and names the insurer.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
New plate / transfer plate (plate number) / exchange | Buyer |
Plate type + gross weight (trucks) | You (dealer) |
Insurance certification + insurer name The vehicle must be insured to register. | Buyer |
Section 4 — Signatures (all transactions)
The owner (and co-owner) signs and dates, certifying the application under penalty of perjury; an authorized agent may sign with a power of attorney attached. The late-registration penalty schedule is printed right here — a reminder that the 45-day clock is real. An optional Donate Life SC donation is on this section too.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Owner signature + date | Buyer |
Co-owner signature + date (if any) | Buyer |
Common Form 400 mistakes that cause rejections
South Carolina doesn't charge vehicle sales tax — it charges the IMF, 5% of the price after trade-in, capped at $500. Any car at $10,000 or up is a flat $500, not 5% of the whole price. Computing an uncapped 5% overcharges the buyer on anything over $10,000.
The IMF is not the county property tax. South Carolina counties bill an annual vehicle property tax, and the DMV won't issue a plate until it's paid in the buyer's name. Tell the buyer to expect the county bill so registration doesn't stall.
Form 400 prohibits erasures, strikeovers, and correction tape/fluid — especially on the VIN and odometer. A corrected form is rejected. Reprint it clean rather than pen over a mistake.
A signed bill of sale or buyer's order showing the total sale price is required for every title transaction, and the sales price and trade-in in Section 2 drive the IMF. Leave them out and the DMV can't compute the fee.
The owner's complete legal name is required on all title and registration documents. And if the buyer has no South Carolina license or ID, Form TI-006C (Statement of Vehicle Operation in SC) must accompany the application.
Common questions
What form titles a vehicle in South Carolina?+
SCDMV Form 400, the Title and/or Registration Application. It's a single form that titles the vehicle, registers it, and records any lien. On a dealer sale the dealer generally completes and files it for the buyer.
Does South Carolina charge sales tax on a car?+
No. South Carolina charges an Infrastructure Maintenance Fee (IMF) instead of sales tax when you title a vehicle. A vehicle subject to the IMF is exempt from state and local sales and use tax.
How much is the South Carolina IMF?+
5% of the purchase price after any trade-in, capped at $500. Because of the cap, any vehicle priced at $10,000 or more pays a flat $500 IMF, and cheaper vehicles pay 5% of their net price.
Does a trade-in lower the IMF?+
Yes. The IMF is figured on the purchase price minus the trade-in, so a trade reduces the base (up to the $500 cap). Form 400 has separate sales-price and trade-in fields for exactly this.
Is the IMF the same as South Carolina's car property tax?+
No — they're separate. The IMF is a one-time fee paid to the DMV at titling. The property tax is an annual tax billed by your county, and it must be paid before the DMV will issue a license plate.
How much is a South Carolina title, and how long do I have?+
The title fee is $15, and passenger registration is about $40 for two years. You must title and register within 45 days of purchase; after that, a tiered late penalty applies ($10 at 46–60 days, rising to $75 after 135 days).
Who fills out Form 400 on a dealer sale?+
The dealer generally completes and files Form 400 and handles titling and registration for the buyer, but the buyer signs Section 4 under penalty of perjury. An authorized agent can sign with a power of attorney attached.
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