South Carolina Trip Permit

When Do You Need a South Carolina Trip Permit?

The South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV) Motor Carrier Services has established the requirement for a temporary apportioned license for commercial vehicles without a permanently apportioned license plate. There are circumstances under which you will need a South Carolina trip permit for your commercial vehicle when it participates in interstate commerce:

• Gross Weight Limits: You have either a power unit or a combination of the power unit and a trailer with gross weight limits that exceed 26,000 pounds.
• Axle Number: Your vehicle has three or more axles, regardless of its gross weight.
• Missing Apportionment: Your vehicle does not have apportioned registration from another state and IRP for operating in South Carolina.

Tip for Compliance: A trip permit only refers to temporary vehicle registration. Your commercial vehicle lacks a valid IFTA license for South Carolina; therefore, you will need to acquire a South Carolina fuel permit as well to meet the requirements for motor fuel use tax compliance.

Permit Validity and Key Requirements

Logistical planning avoids any conflict with the state police or scale house personnel along freight routes such as I-95, I-26, and I-85. Remember the following operating parameters:

• Duration: Typical duration for standard South Carolina IRP permits is 72 hours, whereas the typical validity period for temporary fuel permits ranges up to 10 days.
• Carriage Requirement: It is always important to carry either an electronic version or a printed version of the permit in the truck cabin. This document can be asked by law enforcement during routine inspections.
• Compliance Before Entry: It is required that the permit should be purchased beforehand for the entry into South Carolina state lines. Otherwise, one may face penalties right at the roadside.

How to Obtain Your South Carolina Permits

Obtaining temporary credentials immediately reduces downtime. This can be accomplished using carriers' permitted agency third parties or wire services, providing immediate electronic credential issuance prior to crossing state borders.

Information Required to Apply:

In order to prevent any clerical error or non-compliance issues while in transit, it is important that you have the following information on hand prior to submitting:

• An active USDOT number for interstate travel in the United States
• The full VIN number, make and model year
• The current license plate number and base state
• The registered GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight)

Important Operational Factors in South Carolina

Oversized & Overweight Loads: The trip permit does not apply to loads which surpass standard size and weight limits (such as 80,000 lbs Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), 8.5' wide, 13.5' high, or 53' long). Special overweight/overdimension permits should be obtained from SCDOT in the event you have a load that falls outside legal standards.