South Carolina
South Carolina Code — Title 56, Motor Vehicles
586 sections, each with the official text and a plain-English explanation of what it means for you.
- § 56-5-4220 — Local restrictions under Section 56-5-4210; approval by Department of Transportation
- § 56-5-4230 — Liability for damages to highway or highway structure
- § 56-5-4240 — Commercial motor vehicle and its driver
- § 56-5-430 — Street defined; highway defined
- § 56-5-440 — Through highway defined
- § 56-5-4410 — Unlawful to operate unsafe or improperly equipped vehicle or to violate provisions of article
- § 56-5-4420 — Special rules for implements of husbandry, farm tractors, and road machinery
- § 56-5-4430 — Additional parts and accessories not prohibited
- § 56-5-4435 — Safety equipment required for motor vehicles used in vending food
- § 56-5-4440 — Image display devices
- § 56-5-4445 — Unlawful to elevate or lower motor vehicle; exception for "pickup trucks"
- § 56-5-4450 — Times when vehicles must be equipped with lights
- § 56-5-4460 — Time when motorcycle lights must be turned on
- § 56-5-4470 — Lighted lamps not required for vehicles not operated at night
- § 56-5-4480 — Visibility distance and mounted height of lamps
- § 56-5-4490 — Head lamps required on motor vehicles and motorcycles
- § 56-5-450 — Private road defined; driveway defined
- § 56-5-4500 — Height of head lamps from ground
- § 56-5-4510 — Tail lamps required
- § 56-5-4520 — Height of tail lamps
- § 56-5-4530 — Illumination of rear registration plate
- § 56-5-4540 — Motor vehicles must be equipped with rear reflectors
- § 56-5-4550 — Characteristics and mounting of rear reflectors
- § 56-5-4560 — Stop lamps required on motor vehicles
- § 56-5-4570 — Application of succeeding sections; lighting of lamp equipment
- § 56-5-4580 — Additional lighting equipment required on buses, trucks, trailers, semitrailers, and pole trailers
- § 56-5-4590 — Color of clearance lamps, side-marker lamps, reflectors, stop lights, and back-up lamps
- § 56-5-460 — Roadway defined
- § 56-5-4600 — Mounting of reflectors, clearance lamps, and side-marker lamps
- § 56-5-4610 — Visibility of reflectors, clearance lamps, and marker lamps
- § 56-5-4620 — Lighting lamps on vehicles operated in combination
- § 56-5-4630 — Lamp or flag on projecting load
- § 56-5-4640 — Lights on parked vehicles
- § 56-5-4650 — Lamps on other vehicles and equipment
- § 56-5-4660 — Spot lamps
- § 56-5-4670 — Fog lamps
- § 56-5-4680 — Auxiliary passing lamps
- § 56-5-4690 — Auxiliary driving lamps
- § 56-5-470 — Laned roadway defined
- § 56-5-4700 — Audible signal devices and signal lamps for authorized emergency vehicles, school buses and police vehicles; restrictions on use; effect of use
- § 56-5-4710 — Use of mounted oscillating, rotating, or flashing red light by wreckers
- § 56-5-4715 — Forestry Commission vehicles authorized to use flashing red lights in fire emergencies
- § 56-5-4720 — Use of oscillating, rotating or flashing red lights on Department of Transportation vehicles
- § 56-5-4730 — Signal lamps and signal devices
- § 56-5-4740 — Warning lamps
- § 56-5-4750 — Side cowl, running board, and back-up lamps
- § 56-5-4760 — Identification lamps for large commercial vehicles
- § 56-5-4770 — Multiple-beam road-lighting equipment
- § 56-5-4780 — Use of multiple-beam road-lighting equipment
- § 56-5-4790 — Single-beam road-lighting equipment
- § 56-5-480 — Sidewalk defined
- § 56-5-4800 — Road-lighting equipment on motor-driven cycles
- § 56-5-4810 — Alternate road-lighting equipment at low speeds
- § 56-5-4820 — Number of driving lamps required or permitted
- § 56-5-4830 — Special restrictions on lamps; degree of intensity; red, blue and flashing lights
- § 56-5-4840 — Selling or using devices or equipment to change design or performance of lamps or reflectors
- § 56-5-4850 — Brake equipment
- § 56-5-4860 — Performance ability of brakes; tests for deceleration and stopping distances
- § 56-5-4870 — Maintenance and adjustment of brakes
- § 56-5-4880 — Inspection of brakes; effect of disapproval
- § 56-5-4890 — Hydraulic brake fluid; distribution and servicing; minimum standards; labelling
- § 56-5-490 — Intersection defined
- § 56-5-4900 — Regulations concerning brakes inapplicable to certain farm trailers; speed limit; small tandem tobacco trailers; chains, hooks, other safety equipment required
- § 56-5-4910 — Bumpers; "private passenger automobile" defined
- § 56-5-4920 — Bumpers; warranty as to energy absorption system and ability to sustain shock; automobiles manufactured on and after August 1, 1972
- § 56-5-4930 — Bumpers; warranty as to energy absorption system and ability to sustain shock; automobiles manufactured on and after August 1, 1974
- § 56-5-4940 — Bumpers; exceptions to warranty requirements; common-law and statutory remedies not removed
- § 56-5-4950 — Horns and warning devices
- § 56-5-4960 — Use of horn
- § 56-5-4970 — Sirens, whistle, or bell on authorized emergency vehicles
- § 56-5-4975 — Operation of vehicle upfitted but no longer licensed as an ambulance; removal of exterior equipment and markings; penalties
- § 56-5-4980 — Theft alarm signal
- § 56-5-4990 — Mirrors
- § 56-5-50 — Applicability of chapter to operation of mopeds
- § 56-5-500 — Crosswalk defined
- § 56-5-5000 — Windows unobstructed; windshield wipers
- § 56-5-5010 — Safety glass in motor vehicles
- § 56-5-5015 — Sunscreen devices
- § 56-5-5020 — Mufflers
- § 56-5-5030 — Devices to emit smoke screen, noisome gases, or odors prohibited
- § 56-5-5040 — Tires
- § 56-5-5050 — Toilets or other devices hazardous to health
- § 56-5-5060 — Certain vehicles must carry flares and other warning devices
- § 56-5-5070 — Red electric lanterns shall be carried in vehicles transporting inflammable liquids or gases
- § 56-5-5080 — Alternative warning device; portable reflector units
- § 56-5-5090 — Display of warning devices when vehicle disabled
- § 56-5-510 — Safety zone defined
- § 56-5-5100 — Display of warning devices when disabled vehicle is carrying inflammable liquids or gases
- § 56-5-5110 — Display of flags when vehicle disabled in daytime
- § 56-5-5120 — Alternative warning devices
- § 56-5-5130 — Requirements as to flares, fusees, and other warning devices
- § 56-5-5140 — Vehicles transporting explosives
- § 56-5-5150 — Use of safety devices when towing vehicles
- § 56-5-520 — Business district defined
- § 56-5-530 — Residence district defined
- § 56-5-5310 — Condition of vehicle and vehicle equipment
- § 56-5-540 — Official traffic-control devices defined
- § 56-5-550 — Traffic-control signal defined
- § 56-5-560 — Railroad sign or signal defined
- § 56-5-5620 — Duty of sheriffs and police officers to remove vehicles; storage; personnel, equipment, and facilities for removing and storing
- § 56-5-5630 — Notice to owners and lienholders; payment for release of vehicle; liability of lienholders; stolen vehicles
- § 56-5-5635 — Law enforcement towing and storage procedures; notification of registered owner; disposition of vehicle and personal property
- § 56-5-5640 — Sale of unclaimed vehicles; disposition of proceeds
- § 56-5-5650 — Claims of and awards to persons damaged by sale of vehicle
- § 56-5-5670 — Duties of demolishers; disposal of vehicle to demolisher or secondary metals recycler; records; penalties
- § 56-5-570 — Traffic defined
- § 56-5-5710 — Disposition of a motor vehicle by a salvage pool operator
- § 56-5-580 — Right-of-way defined
- § 56-5-5810 — Definitions
- § 56-5-5820 — Abandoned and derelict vehicles as hazard to health and welfare
- § 56-5-5840 — Abandoned and derelict vehicles subject to removal and disposal
- § 56-5-5850 — Tagging and removal of unattended vehicles; disposition
- § 56-5-5870 — Contract for collection of vehicles and related services; collecting areas
- § 56-5-5880 — Right of entry on property to enforce article; criminal or civil liability arising out of enforcement
- § 56-5-5890 — Property may not be willfully damaged
- § 56-5-590 — Stop defined
- § 56-5-5900 — Lienholders and owners of stolen vehicles not subject to penalties and charges
- § 56-5-5910 — Unlawful to tamper with, remove or destroy colored tags
- § 56-5-5920 — Article not applicable to certain vehicles
- § 56-5-5940 — Seizure, sale or disposal of vehicle in violation of article constitutes conversion
- § 56-5-5945 — Duties of demolishers; disposal of vehicle; title requirements; records; penalties
- § 56-5-5950 — Penalties for abandoning vehicle
- § 56-5-60 — Requirements for envelope containing certain notices
- § 56-5-600 — Stop, stopping, or standing defined
- § 56-5-610 — Park defined
- § 56-5-611 — Alley defined
- § 56-5-6110 — Parties to a crime
- § 56-5-612 — Arterial street defined
- § 56-5-6120 — Offenses by persons owning or controlling vehicles
- § 56-5-613 — Controlled-access highway defined
- § 56-5-6130 — Parents and guardians shall not permit children and wards to violate chapter
- § 56-5-614 — Divided highway defined
- § 56-5-615 — Freeway defined
- § 56-5-6150 — Trial jurisdiction of municipal courts
- § 56-5-616 — Interstate system defined
- § 56-5-6160 — Evidence of conviction inadmissible in civil action
- § 56-5-6170 — Enforcement
- § 56-5-6190 — General penalty for violations of chapter
- § 56-5-6200 — Disposition of fines and forfeitures
- § 56-5-6210 — Officers shall receive no part of fines or forfeitures
- § 56-5-6220 — Entry of guilty plea, forfeiture of bail posted, or entry of plea of nolo contendere to have same effect as conviction after trial
- § 56-5-6230 — Notification of Department of Motor Vehicles upon payment of fine or forfeiture of bond
- § 56-5-6240 — Forfeiture, confiscation, and disposition of vehicles seized for conviction of DUS or DUI; notice to registered owner; request for hearing; return of vehicle
- § 56-5-6250 — Determination of prior convictions; sentence
- § 56-5-6310 — Application of chapter to private roads upon owner's consent
- § 56-5-6320 — Termination of consent
- § 56-5-6330 — Termination shall not affect roads otherwise covered by Act
- § 56-5-6340 — Establishment of speed limits and traffic control signs
- § 56-5-6350 — Application of article to certain private roads
- § 56-5-6410 — Child passenger restraint systems; age and weight as basis for required restraining system; standards
- § 56-5-6420 — Transportation of children in the front seat of a motor vehicle
- § 56-5-6440 — Persons and vehicles excepted from article
- § 56-5-6445 — Applicability of chapter
- § 56-5-6450 — Penalty for violation of article; waiver of fine
- § 56-5-6460 — Violation of article does not constitute negligence
- § 56-5-6470 — Enforcement after June 30, 1984
- § 56-5-6510 — Definitions
- § 56-5-6520 — Mandatory use of seat belt
- § 56-5-6525 — Limits on use of checkpoints or roadblocks to enforce this article
- § 56-5-6530 — Exceptions
- § 56-5-6540 — Penalty; nature of offense; issuance of citations at checkpoints; admissibility as evidence of negligence in civil action; searches; probable cause that violation has occurred; trial; appeals
- § 56-5-6550 — No points against license for violation
- § 56-5-6560 — Collection of motor vehicle stop data regarding age, gender, and race of driver; development of database; reports
- § 56-5-6565 — Safety belt education programs
- § 56-5-70 — Certain vehicle requirements suspended during state of emergency; declarations of emergency triggering federal relief under 49 C
- § 56-5-710 — Powers of local authorities
- § 56-5-715 — Liability for municipal parking or traffic violations
- § 56-5-720 — Notice of local regulations required
- § 56-5-730 — Required obedience to traffic laws
- § 56-5-740 — Obedience to authorized persons directing traffic
- § 56-5-750 — Failure to stop motor vehicle when signaled by law-enforcement vehicle
- § 56-5-760 — Operation of authorized emergency vehicles
- § 56-5-765 — Investigations of traffic collisions involving a motor vehicle or motorcycle of a law enforcement agency
- § 56-5-790 — Application to persons riding animals, driving animal-drawn vehicles or pushing pushcarts
- § 56-5-800 — Persons working on highways; exceptions
- § 56-5-810 — Rights of owner who permits traffic on his property
- § 56-5-820 — Violations of low speed vehicle laws; penalty
- § 56-5-90 — Driving limitations for intrastate motor carrier driver
- § 56-5-910 — Approval by Department of Transportation of stop signs or traffic-control signals placed by local authorities
- § 56-5-920 — Adoption of uniform system of traffic-control devices
- § 56-5-930 — Placing and maintaining traffic-control devices on state highways
- § 56-5-935 — Traffic control devices in Aiken, Allendale, and Barnwell counties on federal land; control by U
- § 56-5-940 — Local traffic-control devices
- § 56-5-950 — Obedience to and required traffic-control devices
- § 56-5-970 — Traffic-control signal legend
- § 56-5-990 — Pedestrian "walk" and "wait" signals