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How To Easily Replace Your South Carolina Car Title

If your title is lost or stolen, you will need to replace South Carolina car title. It's a legal document that serves as proof of ownership and includes identifying information about your vehicle, like its make, model, and VIN (otherwise known as a vehicle identification number).

You must hold a legitimate title to sell or register a vehicle. After all, it's a legal requirement throughout the United States of America.

But don't panic if you've misplaced it; the process to replace South Carolina car title is easier than you might think. In the following sections, we will go over everything you need to know about these documents, including why it's essential to replace them immediately.

Getting A Replacement South Carolina Car Title

How To Replace Your South Carolina Car Title

Thankfully, the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles makes it wonderfully easy to get a new title if yours is lost, stolen, or damaged.

You can apply for a duplicate title online using the department's website, as long as you update your address first to ensure the document is sent to the correct place. Of course, you can also get another title in person.

Regardless of how you choose to replace your car title in South Carolina, you will need the following things:

SCDMV Form 400  (Title Application)

The SC Department of Motor Vehicles can only issue you another title document if you complete this form.

Accuracy is essential here, so double- and triple-check the information you provide before submitting it. Remember that you can't use correction fluid, tape, strikeovers, or erasures on the form. Thus, confirming before writing is imperative.

The same form is used for registration applications. But to replace your title, you need to complete Section One, Section Two, and Section Four only.

You will be asked for the following information when filling in these sections:

Section One

  • Transaction type (check "title" here)
  • Title-specific information (check "duplicate title" here)
  • Special vehicle type (if applicable)
  • VIN
  • Make and model
  • Year
  • Body style
  • Fuel type
  • Empty weight
  • Primary owner's full name and date of birth
  • Any co-owners full name and date of birth
  • Primary owner's address
  • Any co-owner address
  • Update voter registration
  • Address where the vehicle is kept (if different from your address)
  • Phone number
  • Leasing company information (if your vehicle is leased)

Family traveling in car and happy from getting car title loan

Section Two

  • Odometer mileage
  • Lien information (if applicable)
  • Additional information (including prior title state and number, date first used in SC, and energy efficiency)
  • IMF/sales tax
  • Purchase information

Section Four

  • Whether to donate life SC and the amount
  • Signature
  • Date
  • Co-owner signature

Acceptable Form Of Identification

To get another vehicle title, you must prove your identity. Any document accepted to pass airport security can be utilized, such as a US passport, US passport card, military ID, driver's license, or another federal identification.

Depending on your situation, you may need one of the following forms instead of your government-issued identification:

  • SCDMV Form MV-80 — Otherwise known as an Agent Authorization for Title Pick-up form, it is used by companies when they send somebody to pick up the title in their place.
  • SCDMV Form MV-80A — Also known as the Third Party Title Pick-Up form, you must complete it if you pick up the title for another person.

The above two forms do not apply if you get a duplicate vehicle title.

The Fee

The South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles charges $15 to replace your car title.

Please note that you should never mail cash to the department. Instead, send checks or money orders, ensuring you make them to the SCDMV.

Ultimately, the process is most effortless when conducting it online. However, if you choose to mail the application, you need to send it to the following address:

SCDMV

Titles

PO Box 1498

Blythewood, SC 29016-0024

If you have chosen a same-day expedited duplicate title, you must conduct the application in person and pay an extra $20 expedited fee, bringing the total up to $35.

couple in car driving and happy from car title loan

Why Should You Replace Your South Carolina Car Title?

Your vehicle title is your proof of ownership. Without it, no paperwork makes the vehicle legally yours. Thus, replacing your title if it's damaged, lost, or stolen is essential.

Moreover, you won't be able to sell the car without it, potentially landing you with a vehicle you no longer want.

How Auto Title Loans Can Help With A Financial Emergency

However, there's another lesser-known reason — you can get auto title loans when you have a title document.

At Carolina Title Loans, Inc., we allow you to borrow up to $15,000 without a good credit score to fund emergencies. The process is simple, and you can continue using your vehicle while you repay it.

Replacing South Carolina car title is easy once you understand the documents! And the advantages of doing so are fantastic — you can get auto title loans to pay for unexpected expenses.

If you need to fund an emergency, complete our simple inquiry form right now! We're here to help.

Note: The content provided in this article is only for informational purposes, and you should contact your financial advisor about your specific financial situation.

Mason Roberts

Mason Roberts is a seasoned economics writer and blogger with a knack for breaking down and simply communicating the ever-changing world of finance. He is philosophically committed to the premise that financial knowledge equals financial freedom.