Beginning January 1, 2011, SCDMV will offer a driver’s license reinstatement fee payment program for SC residents that have a suspended driver’s license. Qualified customers that enter into a payment plan agreement will be issued a valid driver’s license during the six-month payment plan period.

Customers who meet the following requirements are eligible to participate in the payment plan program:

1.       You must be a South Carolina resident.

2.       You must be 18 years of age or older.

3.       You must have a current South Carolina driver’s license that would be eligible for renewal once the reinstatement fees are paid. Customers with a commercial driver’s license (CDL) cannot participate in the program unless they agree to revert to a Class D driver’s license. Once they complete the payment plan program, they may obtain a CDL after passing all of the required knowledge and skills tests.

4.       You must have met all conditions for reinstatement except for paying the reinstatement fees.

5.       You have not participated in the payment plan program within the last three years (36 months). You must owe $300.00 or more in reinstatement fees and/or per diem fees for a suspension due to one or more of the following qualifying suspensions:

QUALIFYING SUSPENSION SECTIONS OF LAW
Statute in Act	Suspension Description
56-9-610/620	Failure to Maintain Proof of Financial Responsibility
56-1-270	Failure to Pass Re-Examination
56-1-240	False Information on an Application
56-1-270	Physically Disqualified
56-1-120	Minor Signature Withdrawal
56-1-460(A)(1)	Driving Under Suspension (excludes any DUS that is the result of DUI or DUAC)
56-2-2740	Failure to Pay Property Tax
56-10-270	Operating/Allow Operation of Uninsured Vehicle
56-1-185	Excessive Points for a Minor
56-1-290	Operating Unlicensed Taxi or Vehicle
56-10-240	Cancellation of Insurance (per diem included)
56-10-520	Uninsured Motorist UM520 (Owner/Non-Owner)
56-10-530	Accident Uninsured FR 530
56-10-225	Failure to Show Proof of Insurance at Time of Stop
56-10-240	No Insurance at Time of Registration
56-9-490	Accident Judgment Default FR6b
56-9-354	Accident Installment Default FR-40
56-9-351	Financial Responsibility Accident FR5
56-9-357	Failure to Deposit Insurance OOS Accident FR5b
56-9-430	Accident Judgment FR-6
34-11-70	Dishonored Check
56-25-20	Failure to Pay Traffic Ticket
56-1-170	Departmental Suspension

If you meet all of the eligibility requirements for the payment plan program, you may volunteer to participate in the program. When you enroll, you must pay a $35.00 administrative fee plus a deposit which is 15% of the total reinstatement fees and per diem fees you owe. You must sign the installment payment plan agreement, pass any knowledge and/or skills tests required for reinstatement, and pay the necessary fees for the tests. Once you complete all of the requirements, you will be issued a six-month driver’s license. You may enroll in the program at any SCDMV field office. 

Before receiving a six-month driver’s license, you must sign a payment plan program agreement at a SCDMV office, take any necessary tests (vision, knowledge, skill), and pay the required test fees. You are only eligible to obtain a six-month license with that is the same class of license that you held prior to the suspensions. SCDMV cannot issue a six-month commercial driver’s license under this program. Customers with a commercial driver’s license (CDL) cannot participate in the program unless they agree to revert to a Class D driver’s license. Once they complete the payment plan program, they may obtain a CDL after passing all of the required knowledge and skills tests.

Once a six-month license is issued, all of your qualifying suspensions will be cleared to give you time to make periodic reinstatement and per diem fee payments. If all the suspensions on the payment plan are paid in full and the driving record is cleared while your six-month license is valid, you may obtain a regular driver’s license. The rules for operating with a six-month driver’s license are as follows:

1.       A six-month driver’s license allows full driving privileges.

2.       You can obtain a duplicate license with the same expiration as the original.

3.       You cannot renew the six-month driver’s license.

4.       Your six-month license is subject to suspension for the same reasons as any other license.

5.       If your six-month license is suspended, it can not be reinstated.

6.       If your driving privileges are suspended for a different violation while enrolled in the payment program, the six-month license will be suspended, the payment plan ends, and all remaining suspensions will be reactivated.

7.       SCDMV cannot refund money paid into the program.

8.       If your six-month driver’s license expires, you will not be allowed to drive until your regular license is issued, even if all fees have been paid.

9.       If you are subject to an ignition interlock requirement, the appropriate restriction will be placed on the six-month license.

10.   You may obtain a regular driver’s license once you complete the payment program within the six-month period. 

11.   While you have your six-month license, you cannot take a test for any new class of license until you complete the payment plan.

You will be allowed a six-month period to complete the payment plan. It will begin on the date your six-month license is issued and end on the expiration date printed on the six-month license.  During the six-month period, you are to pay the remaining balance owed on the reinstatement fee and/or per diem fees. These payment rules are as follows:

1.        The minimum amount that may be paid at any time is $50.00.  Payments will not to be accepted in increments lower than $50.00 unless it is a final payment. The final payment may be in any amount. 

2.        Payments must be made by cash, credit card, money order, or cashiers check. Personal checks and business checks will not be accepted.

3.        You may make payments as frequently as you like. For example, you may choose not to make monthly payments, but make one lump sum payment at one time before the end of the six month period. 

4.        SCDMV will not send any bills or payment reminders. However, a warning reminder will be mailed 20 days before your license expires. The letter will explain that if full payment is not made by the time the six-month license expires, your driving privileges will be suspended.

5.        Payments can be made using the following methods:

                   a)      By mail to SCDMV Headquarters (not allowed for final payment) at the following address: SCDMV, P.O. Box 1498, Blythewood, SC 29016.

                   b)      At all SCDMV field office locations. A list of the locations may be found at http://www.scdmvonline.com/DMVNew/offloc.aspx.

6.        Payments made by mail will be considered to have been made on the date that payment is received.

7.        The final payment must be made in person at a SCDMV office.

8.        As SCDMV receives each payment, the money will be applied to the oldest suspension on the driver’s record.

9.        If the total amount owed is paid before the license expires, you will be eligible to obtain a regular drivers license.

10.     After you have made all payments, you may obtain a regular license at any SCDMV location.

Payment must be made in full by the expiration date on the six-month driver’s license.  If the fees are not paid by the end of the six-month period, the six-month license will expire and cannot be renewed. You will not be able to obtain a regular driver’s license until all remaining fees are paid. If the fees are not paid, any suspensions for which the fees have not been paid will be reactivated. If you default in payment, you cannot enter into another payment installment for three years (36 months). All fees due from any previous payment plan programs must be paid in full before enrolling in a subsequent payment plan program.