SOUTH CAROLINA

Since the 1906 county registration law included all motor vehicles, motorcycles were no doubt registered in at least some of the more populous counties.  The earliest known specific reference to motorcycle registration is on June 28, 1909, when York County issued its first motorcycle license, #41.  Motorcycles received numbers in the passenger series, except at least one instance in Greenville County where, in the month of February 1913, automobile registrations #612 to 618 were issued, while motorcycle numbers were #66 to 68.  It is not known when Greenville started its separate motorcycle series, nor whether any other counties did so.

City-issued motorcycle plates began in Greenville in 1915, although none are known to survive.  1916 porcelain city motorcycle plates are known from Columbia (#23) and Spartanburg (#2).

State-issued motorcycle plates began in 1917 at the same time as passenger plates.  The 1917 law did not mention special fees or plates for motorcycles, however.  A possibility of 1917 motorcycle dealer plates also exists, although this type is not confirmed until 1921.  There were 1,210 motorcycle registrations issued in 1917.  Known 1917 motorcycle plate numbers are as follows:  #1411 to #2135 (725 plates).