PRIVATE

possible that buses used "G" prefix before 1940

  (G is normally passenger >4,500 lbs.)

First Issue 1940

issued in pairs through 1974

marked "BUS" vertically through 1985?1987?

"BU" prefix 1986?1988?-present

COMMON CARRIER

Common Carrier = commercial or "pay to ride"

First Issue 1952?

Abbreviated "SC" for South Carolina through 1965

Issued in pairs through 1974

marked "COMMON CARRIER" through 1965;

  marked "C/C" 1966-present

marked "BUS" vertically through 1985?1987?;

  "BC" prefix  1986-present

1/2 year issues marked "4/30" 1952?-1965, "APRIL 30" 1966-1969??

1/2 year issued marked "MAY 15th" 1972?-????

Common Carrier believed to begin 1952

1940 (pair) 

yellow/black

1941 (pair) 

black/yellow

1942 (pair)

yellow/black

1943 (single)

yellow/black

1944 (single)

believed to be a full-size plate (not a strip)

yellow/green

1945 (single) 

yellow/green (April) green/yellow (no month =October exp)

1946 (pair)

silver/black

1947 (pair)

black/yellow

1948 (pair)

yellow/black

1949 (pair)

white/black

1950 (pair) 

black/white

1951 (pair)

white/black

1954 (pair)

white/black

1955 (pair)

black/white

1961 (pair)

red/white

1962 (pair) 

white/red

1963 (pair)

white/green

1964 (pair)

white/black

1965 (pair) 

black/white

1966 (pair) 

white/blue

1967 (pair) 

blue/white

1968 (pair) 

begin reflective letters white/black

1969 (pair)

white/blue

1970 (pair) 

"1670  300 YEARS  1970" white/green

1971 (pair) 

white/brown

1972 (pair) 

white/black

1973 (pair) 

white/blue

1974 (pair)

last year for pairs

white/green

1975 (single) 

white/maroon

1976 

"1776 Bicentennial 1976" top blue/white

1977 

red/white

1978 

green/white

1979 

black/white

1980 

blue/white

1981 

red/white

1982 

"EXP. DEC. 31st 82" top green/white

1983 

"EXP. DEC. 31st 83" bottom black/white

1984 

"EXP. DEC. 31st 84" top blue/white

1985 

"EXP. DEC 31 85" bottom red/white

1986 

green/white

1987

black/white

1988 

"EXP. BUS 12/31" bottom blue/white

1989-1990 

stickered; 1989 non-pass; 1990 passenger sticker 2 variations: embossed border, no border red/white

1991- December 31, 2015 

stickered; 1991 non-pass; 1992+ passenger sticker

black/white

transition to flat circa 2013, changeover to stacked "B/U" prefix late 2013

"BC" prefix for Common Carrier

January 1, 2016 - present

full replacement through 2016

stickered; "B/U" stacked prefix; "B/C" prefix for Common Carrier

black/white