 Driver’s License
Newcomers who plan to operate motor vehicles must obtain a S.C. driver’s license within 90 days of becoming a permanent resident. Most newcomers, unless they drive commercial vehicles, will need a class D license, which allows the operation of passenger cars and small trucks. If you hold a commercial license, you must obtain a South Carolina commercial license within 30 days.
If you operate a motorcycle, you’ll also need a motorcycle endorsement. Additionally, newcomers who operate motorcycles or mopeds exclusively may obtain licenses covering only those vehicles.
If you have a current license from your former residence, you will have to surrender it. If you do not have a license from your former residence, you will need a birth certificate or two other forms of identification.
A beginner’s permit allows residents 15 years old to drive between 6 a.m. and midnight under adult supervision. A beginner’s permit is good for 12 months and may be renewed. To obtain a license, apply in person at a license office and take the vision, sign recognition and knowledge tests. It may be helpful to study the South Carolina Driver’s Manual, which can be obtained at any license office listed below.
A conditional/provisional driver’s license is issued to a person who is at least 15 years of age, but less than 16, who has held a beginner’s permit for at least 180 days and meets other requirements as outlined in the South Carolina Driver’s Manual. This license allows the holder to drive alone in daylight hours and until midnight while accompanied by an adult. Regular driver’s licenses can be obtained at 17 based on criteria outlined in the driver’s manual.
The license fee is $12.50. Your S.C. license will expire on your birthday five years from the date it is issued. Fees for beginner’s permits are $2.00 plus $2.50 for each knowledge test taken.
If you own a vehicle, you will need to certify on the driver’s license application that the vehicle is insured by a liability policy.
Call the Division of Motor Vehicles of the Department of Public Safety toll free at (800) 442-1368 or visit the DMV Web site at www.scdmvonline.com for additional information.
Greenville County
1310 N. Main St.,
Fountain Inn 864-967-4013
1439 Laurens Road,
Greenville 864-241-1145
15 Saluda Dam Road,
Greenville 864-241-1147
610 Arlington Road, Greer 864-801-9375
Spartanburg County
8794 Fairforest Road,
Suite B, Spartanburg 864-587-4713
1625 Southport Road,
Spartanburg 864-594-4940
351 S. Main St.,
Woodruff 864-476-5913
Pickens County
2133 Gentry Memorial Highway,
Pickens 864-878-1870
Anderson County
331 29 Bypass N.,
Anderson 864-260-2205
306B Anderson St.
Belton 864-338-9327
Motor Vehicle Registration
You can register your motor vehicles at any of the driver’s license offices. You must register your car or truck within 45 days of moving to South Carolina.
To obtain a license plate, you will need your vehicle’s title or current registration and proof that you have liability insurance. Additionally, you will have to pay the property taxes on your vehicle and furnish the registration office with a receipt issued by the tax office in the county where you live. After this initial registration, the county auditor will mail you a tax notice each year about a month before your registration expires.
The registration fee is $24 ($22 if you are 64 years old and $20 if you are 65 or older). The fee covers two years, but validation stickers for your license plate must be obtained each year.
Voter Registration
To register to vote in South Carolina, you must be at least 18 years old and a legal resident of the county in which you register. You will have to furnish proof of residency, and you must register at least 30 days before an election to vote in that election. Register in person at these locations:
Greenville County
301 University Ridge,
Suite 1900, Greenville 864-467-7250
Spartanburg County
142 S. Dean St., Spartanburg 864-596-2549
Pickens County
222 McDaniel Ave., B-9, Pickens 864-898-5948
Anderson County
107 S. Main St., Suite 101, Anderson 864-260-4035
For more information, go to
www.state.sc.us/scsec/vr.html
Government Information
Greenville County
864-467-7020
www.greenvillecounty.org
City of Greenville
864-232-2273
www.greatergreenville.com
City of Greer
864-848-2150
www.cityofgreer.org
City of Fountain Inn
864-862-4421
www.fountaininn.org
City of Mauldin
864-288-4910
www.mauldin.govoffice.com
City of Simpsonville
864-967-9526
www.simpsonville.com
City of Travelers Rest
864-834-7270
www.travelersrestsc.com
Spartanburg County
864-596-2526
www.spartanburgcounty.org
Town of Campobello
864-468-4545
City of Chesnee
864-461-3659
Town of Cowpens
864-463-3201
www.mycowpensgov.com
City of Inman
864-472-6200
www.cityofinman.com
Town of Lyman
864-439-3453
www.lymansc.gov
City of Spartanburg
864-596-2000
www.cityofspartanburg.org
City of Woodruff
864-476-8154
www.cityofwoodruff.com
Pickens County
864-898-5844
www.co.pickens.sc.us
City of Central
864-639-6381
www.cityofcentral.org
City of Clemson
864-653-2030
www.cityofclemson.org
City of Easley
864-855-7900
www.cityofeasley.org
City of Liberty
864-843-3177
www.libertysc.com
Town of Norris
864-639-2033
www.townofnorris.org
City of Pickens
864-878-3258
www.pickenschamber.org
Town of Six Mile
864-868-2653
Anderson County
864-260-4000
www.andersoncountysc.org
City of Anderson
864-231-2200
www.cityofandersonsc.com
City of Belton
864-338-7773
www.cityofbeltonsc.com
Town of Honea Path
864-369-2466
www.honeapath.com
Town of Iva
864-348-6193
Town of Pendleton
864-646-9409
www.townofpendleton.org
Town of Williamston
864-847-5910
Upstate Shopping
Anderson Mall
3131 N. Main St., Anderson
864-225-3195; www.shopsimon.com
Anchored by Belk, Goody’s, JCPenney and Sears, Anderson Mall includes more than 76 specialty shops like Aeropostale, Bath and Body Works, Express and American Eagle.
Carolina Foothills Artisan Center
124 W. Cherokee St., Chesnee
864-461-3050; www.cfac.us
Head to downtown Chesnee to sample original handcrafted works by Carolina artisans.
Greenville Mall
1616 Woodruff Road, Greenville
864-297-8800
Greenville Mall offers more than 100 specialty shops, including Williams-Sonoma, The Finish Line and Talbot’s.
Haywood Mall
700 Haywood Road, Greenville
864-288-0511; www.shopsimon.com
Haywood Mall is the region’s largest shopping center with approximately 150 stores spanning the two-story building. Anchor stores include Belk, Macy’s, JCPenney, Dillard’s and Sears.
Hillcrest Shopping Center and Specialty Row
1985 E. Main St., Spartanburg
864-573-7271
Unique, locally owned shops and nationally known department stores coexist on Main Street.
Little Stores of West End
315 Augusta St., Greenville
864-467-1770
This eclectic grouping of specialty stores sells such items as antiques and art, jewelry and stationery, learning toys, stencils and original gifts.
Prime Outlets Gaffney
One Factory Shops Blvd., Gaffney
864-902-9900; www.primeoutlets.com
Just 40 minutes northeast of Greenville via I-85, Prime Outlets features more than 80 outlet stores, including Banana Republic, Pottery Barn, Coach, Tommy Hilfiger and The Gap.
WestEnd Market
1 Augusta St., Greenville
In a restored turn-of-the-century cotton warehouse, gift and specialty shops are complemented by restaurants and a fresh market and bakery.
Westgate Mall
205 W. Blackstock Road, Spartanburg
864-574-7573; www.westgate-mall.com
With six anchor stores and 130 specialty shops, Westgate Mall is a central shopping center for the Spartanburg community. Anchor stores include Dillard’s, JCPenney and Sears.
Libraries
Anderson County Library System
www.andersonlibrary.org
Anderson County Library
300 N. McDuffie St., Anderson
864-260-4500
Belton Library
91 Breazeale St., Belton
864-338-8330
Iva Branch Library
203 W. Cruette St., Iva
864-348-6150
Jennie Erwin Branch Library
318 Shirley Ave., Honea Path
864-369-7751
Lander Memorial Library
925 Greenville Drive, Williamston
864-847-5238
Pendleton Library
213 Micasa Drive, Pendleton
864-646-3923
Piedmont Branch Library
1407 Hwy. 86, Piedmont
864-845-6534
Powdersville Branch Library
205 Siloam Road, Easley
864-295-1190
Westside Community Center Library
1100 W. Franklin St., Anderson
864-260-4660
Greenville County Library System
www.greenvillelibrary.org
Main Library – Hughes Branch
25 Heritage Green Place, Greenville
864-242-5000
Augusta – Ramsey Family Branch
100 Lydia St., Greenville
864-277-0161
Berea – Sarah Dobey Jones Branch
111 N. Highway 25 Bypass, Greenville
864-246-1695
Fountain Inn – Kerry Ann
Younts Culp Branch
311 N. Main St., Fountain Inn
864-862-2576
Greer – Jean M. Smith Branch,
505 Pennsylvania Ave., Greer
864-877-8722
Law Library
302 E. North St.
864-467-8486
Mauldin – W. Jack Greer Branch
800 W. Butler Road, Mauldin
864-277-7397
Pelham Road – F.W. Symmes Branch
1508 Pelham Road, Greenville
864-288-6688
Simpsonville – Hendricks Branch
626 N.E. Main St., Simpsonville
864-963-9031
Taylors – Burdette Branch
316 W. Main St., Taylors
864-268-5955
Travelers Rest – Sargent Branch
17 Center St., Travelers Rest
864-834-3650
West Branch
2625 Anderson Road, Greenville
864-269-5210
Pickens County Library System
www.pickens.lib.sc.us
Easley Headquarters
304 Biltmore Road, Easley
864-850-7077
Central/Clemson Regional Branch
105 Commons Way, Central
864-639-2711
Sarlin Community Branch
15 S. Palmetto St., Liberty
864-853-5805
Village Branch
124 N. Catherine St., Pickens
864-898-5747
Spartanburg County Library System
www.infodepot.org
Headquarters Library
151 S. Church St., Spartanburg
864-596-3500
Boiling Springs Library
871 Double Bridge Road,
Boiling Springs
864-578-3665
Chesnee Library
100 Pickens Ave., Chesnee
864-461-2423
Cowpens Library
181 School St., Cowpens
864-463-0430
H. Carlisle Bean Law Library
180 Magnolia St., Spartanburg
864-596-2511
Inman Library
50 Mill St., Inman
864-472-8363
Landrum Library
111 E. Asbury Drive, Landrum
864-457-2218
Middle Tyger Library
170 Groce Road, Lyman
864-439-4759
Pacolet Library
390 W. Main St., Pacolet
864-474-0421
Westside Library
525 Oak Grove Road, Spartanburg
864-574-6815
Woodruff Library
270 E. Hayne St., Woodruff
864-476-8770
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