click picture for larger view The State of South Carolina began issuing license plates in 1917 - the third to last state to start issuing plates. Prior to 1917, individual counties would issue a vehicle a registration number, and it was up to the owner to display it on the vehicle. See more on my Prestate page.    black/light yellow (yellow tended to vary medium to light)
Type 1: "stairstep" S/C. Type 2: straight "SC". Type 3: tall "SC" with narrow "17"
  white/green
width varied with number of digits
 blue/white  white/dark green  red/black; first year of weight codes  black/white 
white/dark green  script "SC" in circle black/orange  white/green  "SC" inside Palmetto Tree design red/white  "SC" inside Palmetto Tree design green/white   black/yellow width variable depending on number of characters (A127-000 repainted shown)
 black/white  "IODINE" vertically on right side white/black  "THE IODINE STATE" bottom green/gray  "THE IODINE STATE" bottom black/yellow  "THE IODINE PRODUCTS STATE" bottom black/white   "APRIL 30" top or "OCTOBER 31" bottom black/yellow(April); yellow/black(October) 
 "APRIL 30" top or "OCTOBER 31" bottom color variations: red/white; white/red; black/white; white/black no rhyme or reason known as to color variations   "APRIL 30" top or "OCTOBER 31" bottom yellow/black(April); black/yellow(October) 
"APRIL 30" top or "OCTOBER 31" bottom unknown colors(April); black/white(October)   no letter, assumed "C" class black/yellow  black/white  no letter = overflow of "C" class; "OCTOBER 31" bottom yellow/black  no letter = overflow of "C" class black/yellow   no letter = overflow of "C" class yellow/black   restamped from collected plates - most '42; rare unstamped exist no letter = overflow of "C" class yellow/black  strip applied to existing 1943; weight class matched, plate number did not necessarily new registrants received a 1943 with strip attachment yellow/green  normal plate; no letter, assumed "C" class yellow/green  silver/black  black/yellow  yellow/black  white/black  black/white  white/black  yellow/black  black/yellow  white/black  black/white  black/yellow  white/blue  blue/white  white/blue  blue/white  red/white  some experimental reflective (some debossed in E and F series)* white/red  white/green   begin 2-letter prefix, overflow from single letter white/black  black/white  white/blue  blue/white  begin reflective letters; "AUTO" bottom (passenger only) white/black  white/blue  "1670 300 YEARS 1970" white/green  white/brown  begin 3-letter, 3-number format, numbers 101-250 used white/black  numbers 101-250 used white/blue  last year for pairs, numbers 101-250 used white/green  numbers 101-250 used white/maroon  "Bicentennial" base issued c.October 1975 through December 1979. Replaced 1975 plates by end of 1975 month stickers began 1979 see GUIDE TO STICKERS  State Outline base issued January 1980-December 1984. Replaced previous design through 1980 see GUIDE TO STICKERS  Palmetto base issued January 1985-December 1989. Replaced previous design through 1985 see GUIDE TO STICKERS  Wren (state bird) base issued January 1990-December 1997. Replaced previous design through 1990 see GUIDE TO STICKERS   "Smiling Faces, Beautiful Places" base issued January 1998-June 30, 2008. Replaced previous design through 1998 embossed serial number through Sept, 2007*; flat, debossed border, beginning Sept, 2007 (c.XBJ, XBK series) see GUIDE TO STICKERS   "Sunrise" base issued July 1, 2008 - mid-March 2016. Replaced previous design by June 30, 2009. Issued while supplies lasted into March 2016. Renewed issues valid. No termination date set for replacement. Numbering began at AAA101 and ended at LZD799. Combined month sticker began late December 2016. see GUIDE TO STICKERS   "Hope" base
issued February 1, 2016 for replacements. New registration issues began in offices as each particular office exhausted supply of "Sunrise"
No replacement of previous issue set - "Sunrise" continues to be valid. Numbering began where "Sunrise" ended at LZD800. Combined month sticker for new issues or replacements by mail. 2016 split sticker only for office-issued replacements. see GUIDE TO STICKERS *ALTERNATES   Debossed E and F class (only 20,000 made) Glass bead in white paint on letters in D and E class (10,000 made in each class)    plates issued from numbers AAA101 to AAA500, then AAB101... after YZZ500, then AAA501 to AAA900, then AAB501... after YZZ900, overflow to IAA101 rare 1999 sticker issued to January expirations only for very early renewals before new plates were in stock.
"Smiling Faces" base (1) special character plates issued out of alphabetical order. 
TGR, as in Clemson Tigers USC, as in University of South Carolina TAG, as in car tag USA, as in United States of America UGA, as in University of Georgia     (not all letter combinations confirmed for State Outline & Palmetto bases)  flat plates issued numbers from 101 to 999 except special-character plates mentioned above went to 999 (3) did not use letters I, O, Q, U "U" began use at NAU 101 series   (1) uses all letters except O (2) automatic renewals mailed directly from 3M (manufacturer). Since 3M does not have a stock of SC stickers, they printed their own month and year stickers. Month stickers are distinctive as black, in 2-digit format (08=August); Year stickers are distinctive with a much larger plate number printed on the sticker. (3) special character plates issued out of alphabetical order. Confirmed: TGR, as in Clemson Tigers USC, as in University of South Carolina USA, as in United States of America Registration Periods 19??-1978 JAN - Political/Judicial OCT - Passenger, EMT, Retired National Guard NOV - Amateur Radio, Disabled , Purple Heart, Motorcycle, House Trailer, Taxi, Rescue, National Guard, Volunteer Firefighter DEC - Truck, Trailer, Dealer, M/R Dealer, Farm, Bus Plates marked April 30 were 1/2 year plates to later receive October 31. 1978-present Existing registrations: with the October 1978 expiration, month stickers issued based on the 2nd digit (ABC 123 = February, 1980); 1=Jan, 2=Feb, etc. to 0=Oct; Nov & Dec only to new registrations New registrations beginning November 1, 1978 received sticker same month of initial registration. Plates stay with the owner upon sale and may be transferred. 1994 - Biennial registration Passed by Legislature 6/25/1993 (HB3610) 3. Added Code Section 56-3-253 to describe the schedule for conversion to the biennial registration. This Act provides: a. Generally, after June 30, 1994 vehicles will be registered and licensed for 24 consecutive months. b. A phase in for vehicles with registrations expiring between July 1, 1993 and June 30, 1994 as follows: (1) A vehicle having a license plate ending with an even number and expiring between July 1 and December 31, 1993 shall receive a biennial registration. (2) A vehicle having a license plate ending with an even number and expiring between January 1 and June 30, 1994 shall receive a one year registration and thereafter, a biennial registration. (3) A vehicle having a license plate ending with an odd number and expiring between July 1 and December 31, 1993 shall receive a one year registration and thereafter, a biennial registration. (4) A vehicle having a license plate ending with an odd number and expiring between January 1 and June 30, 1994 shall receive a biennial registration. c. All vehicles having a special license plate, other than an official plate, must receive a biennial registration. Official plates must be renewed annually at one-half the biennial rate. d. All registrations are valid until the last day of the month of expiration. Effective Date: The Act section takes effect July 1, 1993, but the provisions pertaining to counties mailing motor vehicle registration and licensing renewal notices do not take effect until July 1, 1994. Act No. 164, Section 39. |
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