If you recently received a renewal tax bill for a vehicle that is now registered out of state, the account can be closed once the South Carolina license plate has been turned in to the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Plate returns can be done either in person with their office, the plate can be mailed in, or it can be reported “turned in” through their online website. Plate return information can be found here: License Plate Return
If the plate is mailed in or turned in in person, you should receive a Form 5051. If the plate is reported “turned in” online, you should reach a confirmation page. Once the license plate has been successfully inactivated, please provide our office a copy of your out of state vehicle registration or title, and we can look into potentially removing the renewal bill you received. Copies can be sent using the request ticket form linked below.
For any questions or issues regarding license plate returns, DMV can be reached at either 803-896-5000 (Columbia), 843-379-8822 (Beaufort) or 843-815-6981 (Bluffton).