South Carolina License Plates

Introduced January 1, 2026.

July 2024: Per Evan Couture, This series no longer issued and SCDMV informed drivers that mail-out plates would be the only way plates would be issued from then on.

Flat

Flat with K/T prefix began at 10001 in 2008. Some older CT prefix issues may still be in use.

Pre-2017 design, no longer issued. Changed to flat around CG63000 in 2008.

2017 base.

M/G 3700A Municipal Gov't 2-18-26 Manny Jacob

This multi-year base debuted in 2017, changed to Pantone font in 2023 between X685222 and X686729.

Flat with "Prepared in Mind and Resources" along top since 2016.

Previous base had palmetto tree design in background, smaller handicapped logo on left side, first issued January 2, 2010 with W suffix at 1001W.

Prior black/white base high: 98151.

Embossed farm plate numbering moved from FM99999 to FM1001 in 2006. Plates changed to flat in early 2009 at low FM4918 and numbering format changed again to 10001FM later that year. Farm plates expanded to six digits many years later in 2024.

We think this type was redesigned to flat after 2016. Can anyone share a clear photo with us?

After reaching ZZ 9999 in 2006, the series went to a stacked Z/A format with 5 digits. At what point did MC plates go flat?

Handicapped Motorcycle 1051Z observed 2014-08-27 by Ben Bunton.

Antique Motorcycle ZA 1209 observed 11-09-2005 by Dennis Griesemer.

Permanent Trailer originally debuted in mid-1980s as embossed TP10001 to about TP 25000. Series PT00000 issued throughout the 1990s then to PV prefix, low PV10001. PV prefix continued until 2007 when plates changed from embossed to flat between PV36000 and PV39000. Series continued with flat plates until PV prefix exhausted in 2014, then moved to PT suffix beginning at 1001PT.

At one time prefix TP was only available to fleets with 7 or more trailers but since 1997 this type available for any number of trailers.

Pre-2017 design, no longer issued. SG moved from prefix to suffix after SG98999 was reached in 2014. Changed to flat in 2012, low SG96977, embossed high SG96440.

SG99xxx reserved for State Government Low Speed Vehicle.

***Common government plate design for CG, RG and SG debuted in 2017. More details on scplates.com

Please confirm plate design when reporting SG highs.***

This pre-2017 design is no longer issued on SG MC plates. Photos of newer bases hereby requested.

This design replaced the previous green/white design (see Inactive Series below) during a rolling replate throughout 2016.

2017 design with black letter/numbers, "Property Carrying" caption along top of plate framed by blue and red horizontal lines.

Previously changed from embossed to flat in 2008

Embossed high: P393487 2012-12-31 Ken Reager

Flat low: P393513 2011-09-26 Ken Reager

Blue on white. UP stands for Utility Permanent. Can be seen on large trailers. DMV issues according to ownership, rather than use.

Low: T1

Changed to flat around T17500

Ken Reager reports T17499 embossed.

At what point did font change on DU plates?

Has always been flat.

Updated with darker background in October 2012 at K11000.

Flat turtle plates started at K10000 in 2010, high K10561.

Original design was Bald Eagle 1994-2002 followed by Turtle design.

This design was replaced with a simpler design c. 2016, but we have no sightings on the new design as yet.

Flat

This design was replaced with the 2016 base between 652 4HH and HS. There may be some highs here that actually belong on the 2016 series. If you can help narrow this down further please let us know!

This no-fee optional plate debuted in 2004 at 100 1AA, low 102 1AA.

Changed from embossed to flat in 2008; embossed high 394 6DT, flat low 490 0DT.

Ken Reager observed embossed special-request 333 3WL.

This IGWT design was introduced in 2016, what is the lowest you've observed?

Design simplified in 2016, white base with older 3M font

Design simplified and plate flattened around 2016. Header says "Public Education...A Great Investment".

Artwork revised to a simpler design c. 2016.

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Veteran (handicapped): same design, but with handicapped logo above the star. High: V/T40040 (began at 40001)

Veteran (motorcycle): same design as passenger.

High: V/T80032 (began at 80001)

Low V/V 1 observed by Dean W.

"Sunrise" design. Flat (3M font) Began: July 1, 2008 Ended: unknown Low reported: AAA 103 Letter O not used. Letters I, Q, U are in use. As with the previous base, TGR, USC, and USA (see below) are issued out of order. Black month stickers indicate plate mailed directly from 3M manufacturing facility (3M printed the stickers); Red month stickers issued by DMV.

"Smiling Faces, Beautiful Places" base. Began 1/1/1998, Ended 6/30/2008. Embossed high: 589 XBJ Flat low: 568 XBK Numbers 101 to 999 used on flat version; embossed version ended letter series at 900. Optional letter series issued out-of-order: TAG (as in car tag), TGR (for fans of Clemson Univ. Tigers), USC (for fans of Univ. of S.Car.), UNC (for fans of Univ. of N. Car.), and UGA (for fans of the Univ. of Ga.) [Optional letter series issued numbers 101 to 999]. Ben Bunton reports that the use of the letter U on regular plates began in the Nxx series. Letters I, O, Q not used.

These plates were replaced by the standard design beginning 1/1/16. Instead of renewing these plates, registrants got new ones, so these should have all been off the road by the end of 2016. (Thanks scplates.com!)