Vehicle registration plates of South Carolina

The U.S. state of South Carolina first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1917. , plates are issued by the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. Only rear plates have been required since 1975.

Passenger baseplates 1917 to 1975 In 1956, the United States, Canada, and Mexico came to an agreement with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, the Automobile Manufacturers Association and the National Safety Council that standardized the size for license plates for vehicles (except those for motorcycles) at in height by in width, with standardized mounting holes. The 1955 (dated 1956) issue was the first South Carolina license plate that complied with these standards. ImageDates issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotes1917Embossed black serial on light yellow plate; "SC 17" at rightnone123455001 to approximately 410001918Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "SC 18" at leftnone123455001 to approximately 610001919Embossed blue serial on white plate with border line; "S.C. 1919" centered at bottomnone12-3455-001 to approximately 73-0001920Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "S.C. 1920" centered at bottomnone12-3455-001 to approximately 98-0001921Embossed red serial on black plate with border line; "S.C. 1921" centered at bottomnoneA12-345Letter corresponds to weight class1922Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "SC 22" at rightnoneA12-345Letter corresponds to weight class1923Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "SC 23" at rightnoneA12-345Letter corresponds to weight class1924Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "24" and "SC" monogram at rightnoneA123-456Letter corresponds to weight class1925Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "SC" monogram and "25" at rightnoneA123-456Letter corresponds to weight class1926Embossed red serial on white plate with border line; "SC" at right, with letters separated by embossed Sabal palmetto containing debossed "26"noneA123-456Letter corresponds to weight class1927Embossed green serial on white plate with border line; "SC" at right, with letters separated by embossed Sabal palmetto containing debossed "27"noneA123-456Letter corresponds to weight class1928Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA 1928" at bottomnoneA123-456Letter corresponds to weight classFirst use of the full state name.1929Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA 1929" at bottomnoneA-12-345Letter corresponds to weight class1930Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA 1930" at bottomVertical "IODINE" at rightA-12-345Letter corresponds to weight classThe slogan referred to the high amounts of iodine found in South Carolina's produce. Similar slogans were used through 1933.1931Embossed green serial on gray plate with border line; "S.C.", slogan and "31" at bottom"THE IODINE STATE" between state abbreviation and yearA-12-345Letter corresponds to weight class1932Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate with border line; "S.C.", slogan and "32" at top"THE IODINE STATE" between state abbreviation and yearA-12-345Letter corresponds to weight classJanuary – October 1933Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "SC 33" at right"THE IODINE PRODUCTS STATE" at bottomA-12-345Letter corresponds to weight classNovember 1933 –April1934Embossed black serial on yellow plate; "SC · EXPIRES APR 30 · 34" at topnoneA-12-345Letter corresponds to weight classMay – October 1934Embossed yellow serial on black plate; "SC · EXPIRES OCT 31 · 34" at bottomnoneA-12-345Letter corresponds to weight classNovember 1934 –April1935Embossed white serial on black plate; "SC · APRIL 30 · 35" at topnoneA-12-345Letter corresponds to weight classMay – October 1935Embossed black serial on white plate; "SC · OCTOBER 31 · 35" at bottomnoneA-12-345Letter corresponds to weight classNovember 1935 –April1936Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "SC · APRIL 30 · 36" at topnoneA-12-345Letter corresponds to weight classMay – October 1936Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; "SC · OCTOBER 31 · 36" at bottomnoneA-12-345Letter corresponds to weight classNovember 1936 – October 1937Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "SC · OCTOBER 31 · 37" at bottomnoneA·12·345Letter corresponds to weight class1937–38Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 38" at bottomnoneA·12·345Letter corresponds to weight class1938–39Embossed black serial on white plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 39" at bottomnoneA·12·345Letter corresponds to weight class1939–40Embossed golden yellow serial on black plate; "SC · OCTOBER 31 · 40" at bottomnoneA·12·345Letter corresponds to weight class1940–41Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 41" at bottomnoneA·12·345Letter corresponds to weight class1941–42Embossed golden yellow serial on black plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 42" at topnoneA·12·345Letter corresponds to weight class1942–44Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 43" at bottomnoneA·12·345Letter corresponds to weight classRevalidated for 1944 with green tabs, due to metal conservation for World War II.1945Embossed yellow serial on green plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 45" at topnoneA·12·345Letter corresponds to weight class1946Embossed silver serial on black plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 46" at bottomnoneLetter corresponds to weight class1947Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 47" at topnoneA·123·456Letter corresponds to weight class1948Embossed yellow serial on black plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 48" at bottomnoneA·123·456Letter corresponds to weight class1949Embossed white serial on black plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 49" at topnoneA·123·456Letter corresponds to weight class1950Embossed black serial on white plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 50" at bottomnoneA·123·456Letter corresponds to weight class1951Embossed white serial on black plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 51" at topnoneA·123·456Letter corresponds to weight class1952Embossed yellow serial on black plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 52" at bottomnoneA·123·456Letter corresponds to weight class1953Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 53" at topnoneA·123·456Letter corresponds to weight class1954Embossed white serial on black plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 54" at bottomnoneA·123·456Letter corresponds to weight class1955Embossed black serial on white plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 55" at topnoneA·123·456Letter corresponds to weight class1956Embossed black serial on yellow plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 56" at bottomnoneA-123456Letter corresponds to weight class1957Embossed white serial on blue plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 57" at topnoneA-123456Letter corresponds to weight class1958Embossed blue serial on white plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 58" at bottomnoneA-123456Letter corresponds to weight class1959Embossed white serial on blue plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 59" at topnoneA-123456Letter corresponds to weight class1960Embossed blue serial on white plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 60" at bottomnoneA-123456Letter corresponds to weight class1961Embossed red serial on white plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA 61" at topnoneA-123456Letter corresponds to weight class1962Embossed white serial on red plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA 62" at bottomnoneA-123456Letter corresponds to weight class1963Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA 63" at topnoneA-123456Letter corresponds to weight class1964Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA 64" at bottomnoneA-123456AB-1234First letter corresponds to weight classTwo-letter serial format introduced for each weight class, though the one-letter format continued to be used.1965Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA 65" at topnoneA-123456AB-1234First letter corresponds to weight class1966Embossed white serial on blue plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA 66" at bottomnoneA 123456AB 1234First letter corresponds to weight class1967Embossed dark blue serial on white plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA" and "1967" centered at top and bottom respectivelynoneA 123456AB 1234First letter corresponds to weight class1968Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA" and "AUTO" centered at top and bottom respectively; "19" at bottom left and "68" at bottom rightnoneA 123456Letter corresponds to weight class1969Embossed white serial on blue plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA" and "1969" centered at top and bottom respectivelynoneA 123456AB 1234First letter corresponds to weight class1970Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA" at top"300 YEARS" centered at bottom, with "1670" to the left and "1970" to the rightA 123456AB 1234First letter corresponds to weight classCommemorated the 300th anniversary of the settlement of South Carolina.1971Embossed white serial on brown plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA" at top and "1971" centered at bottomnoneA 123456AB 1234First letter corresponds to weight class1972Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA" at top and "1972" centered at bottomnoneABC 123AAA 101 to approximately TOW 250For each three-letter series, only the numbers 101–250 were issued. This practice continued through 1975. 1973Embossed white serial on blue plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA" at top and "1973" centered at bottomnoneABC 123AAA 101 to approximately VEP 2501974Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA" at top and "1974" centered at bottomnoneABC 123AAA 101 to approximately WJC 2501975Embossed white serial on maroon plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA" at top and "1975" centered at bottomnoneABC 123AAA 101 to approximately WRC 250

1976 to present