South Carolina H 5131: Tribal Governments Special License Plates

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 5131 Text of Previous Version (Apr. 29, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 5131

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

Amended

April 29, 2026

H. 5131

Introduced 
by Reps. Hartnett, M. M. Smith and Henderson-Myers 

S. Printed 4/29/26--S.

Read the first time March 31, 2026

________

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING 
SECTION 56-3-780, RELATING TO PERMANENT LICENSE PLATES AND FEES FOR VEHICLES OF 
STATE POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS, SO AS TO CREATE A PERMANENT LICENSE PLATE FOR 
TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS LOCATED IN THE STATE.

 Amend Title To Conform

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Section 56-3-780(A) of the S.C. Code is amended to 
read:

 (A) Permanent license plates must be 
issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles for all motor vehicles operated by 
the State or its political subdivisions, or tribal 
governments located in the State. The license fee, including 
registration, is two dollars. Permanent plates must bear the words "South 
Carolina,", the number, 
and a prefix "SG,", "RG,", "CG,", or "MG," or "TG" to designate respectively state government, 
regional government, county government, or 
municipal government, or tribal government. The department 
may issue a permanent license plate to vehicles used by state or local law 
enforcement agencies. The fee for the permanent plate is two dollars. A decal 
may be issued to designate the law enforcement agency. The department may 
charge a reasonable fee to cover the cost of the decal.

SECTION 2. The 
Department of Motor Vehicles may issue tribal government license plates six 
months following approval of their design.

SECTION 3. Section 56-3-1230(D) of the S.C. Code is amended to 
read:

 (D) Notwithstanding 
subsection (C), no later than January 1, 2027, the South Carolina Revolutionary 
War Sestercentennial Commission shall submit to the department for approval a 
new design, emblem, seal, logo, or other symbol it desires to be used as the 
regular license plate to commemorate the two hundred fiftieth anniversary of 
the American Revolution. The design, emblem, seal, logo, or other symbol 
submitted to the department must be imprinted with the words "Where the 
Revolution Was Won" and shall include, at a minimum, a flag against an 
indigo background together with a gorget in an upper corner of the flag, also 
known as the Moultrie Flag. The department must use the commission's submission 
pursuant to this subsection as the design for regular license plates for 
private-passenger vehicles and motorcycles issued by the department until 
December 31, 2032.

 (D)(E) Fees for regular 
license plates shall not exceed the regular motor vehicle license fee set forth 
in Article 5, Chapter 3, Title 56.

SECTION 4. Article 44, Chapter 3, Title 56 of the S.C. Code is 
amended to read:

Article 44

Share 
the RoadI Bike SC License Plates

 Section 
56-3-4410. (A) The Department of 
Motor Vehicles may issue "Share the Road" "I Bike SC" special motor vehicle license plates to 
owners of private passenger motor vehicles as defined in Section 56-3-630 and 
motorcycles registered in their names which may have imprinted on the plate an 
emblem, a seal, or other symbol of the Palmetto Cycling Coalition, Inc. The 
Palmetto Cycling Coalition, Inc. shall submit to the department for its 
approval the emblem, seal, or other symbol it desires to be used for this 
special license plate. The Palmetto Cycling Coalition, Inc. may request a 
change in the emblem, seal, or other symbol not more than once every five 
years. The special license plate must be issued or revalidated for a biennial 
period which expires twenty-four months from the month it is issued. The fee 
for this these special 
license plateplates is 
the regular motor vehicle registration fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3 of 
this title and a special motor vehicle license fee of thirtyfifty-two dollars.

 (B) 
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, from the fees collected pursuant to 
this section, the Comptroller General shall place into the State Highway Fund 
as established by Section 57-11-20, to be distributed as provided in Section 
11-43-167, an amount equal to the expenses of the Department of Motor Vehicles 
in producing and administering the special license plates. The remaining funds 
collected from the special motor vehicle license fee must be distributed to the 
Palmetto Cycling Coalition, Inc., or another nonprofit fund designated by the 
Palmetto Cycling Coalition, Inc., for the promotion of 
bicycling pedestrian, bicycle, and other active 
transportation safety and education programs. Any remaining funds must 
be administered by the Palmetto Cycling Coalition, 
Inc., or anoth