SOUTH CAROLINA

The first state law relating to automobiles was 1905 Act 493, passed March 7, 1905, which provided for speed limits and rules of the road only.  The first registration law, 1906 Act 55, was passed on February 21, 1906, amending the 1905 law.  This law required owners of all motor vehicles to register with the Clerk of Court of their county of residence, pay a one-time fee of $1, and display an owner-provided rear plate with the county name and 3-inch-tall numbers in black on white.  The county issued a numbered certificate to each vehicle.  Dealers were exempted from registration unless their vehicles were used for hire.  South Carolina county plates are discussed here because, although registrations were assigned by each individual county, the law requiring them was a state law.  This law providing for registration with the county clerk of court continued unchanged from 1906 through February 1917, when it was superceded by the new law for state-issued plates.

The earliest confirmed registration was on April 26, 1906, when York county issued its #1 license; however, the exact dates the other 40 counties then in existence began issuance is unknown.

South Carolina had 41 counties in 1906.  Five more were created during the next several years, bringing the total to today's 46 counties:

   Calhoun, formed 3/12/1908 from Lexington and Orangeburg

   Dillon, formed 2/5/1910 from Marion

   Jasper, formed 1/30/1912 from Beaufort and Hampton

   McCormick, formed 2/19/1916 from Abbeville, Edgefield and Greenwood

   Allendale, formed 2/6/1919 from Barnwell and Hampton

After formation, all of the above counties began motor vehicle registration with the exception of Allendale.  Allendale County never issued automobile registrations since it was formed after 1917, when the new state law took effect.

The formation of counties sometimes had interesting consequences for license plates.  Marion County had been the 8th largest in the state in 1910.  When it was divided in 1910 to form Dillon County, Marion's population instantly dropped by more than half, leaving Marion in 40th place out of 43.  (Dillon didn't fare much better at 37th place.)  A news article in The State (Columbia) on October 29, 1911, mentions that a number of automobiles were bought before Dillon County was formed, and were still registered in Marion County.  Apparently, those vehicles continued to carry their "Marion" plates indefinitely.

In addition to the county registration requirement, cities also issued automobile registrations in those locales where ordinances had been passed requiring them.  The earliest known ordinance, which took effect in Columbia on March 15, 1906, provided for owner-provided rear plates.  As the years progressed, the division between city and county plates became less clear, especially in Columbia/Richland County, where, by 1915, a single combination city/county plate was being issued.  Another example is Gaffney/Cherokee County, where both names appeared on the same plate.  This distinction is even more blurred in view of the fact that 30 of the 45 counties had county seats with the same name as their county, and that two cities, Calhoun and Kershaw, are not located in the counties of the same names.  A news article in The State (Columbia) on March 6, 1917, summarized the situation in Columbia nicely:

     "Under the old law, which the highway commission act repealed, there was no yearly

      county license fee in Richland county, but every purchaser of an automobile in the

      county, out of the city, was required to register his machine at a cost of $1.  This

      registration stood good from year to year without renewal, and the owner bought his

      number plate elsewhere at his own expense."

After a few years, automobiles started to become more common, and the need to keep track of their numbers and locations for the purposes of building new or better roads became more important.  The Dillon Herald published an article on July 7, 1910, stating that "According to reports received by Commissioner Watson from the clerks of court of 29 counties, there are 2,029 registered machines.  The circular calling for information as to the number of motor vehicles was sent out on June 16.  Several of the clerks of court have failed to give the desired information and another circular will shortly be sent out.  An act of the legislature gives the commissioner of agriculture power to call upon various county officials for information."

Sure enough, motor vehicle registration figures by county can be found in annual reports of the Commissioner of Agriculture, Commerce and Industries for the years 1911, 1912 and 1914, and this data is summarized in the table on the Misc. 1 tab.  (No data appeared in the 1913 report or those of other years.)  Just as the level of response varied in 1910, making publication of a complete report that first year impossible, the time periods for which data was collected and reported in the 1911-14 period was highly inconsistent.  Nevertheless, these snapshots in time provide invaluable information on how high plate numbers were progressing in each county and these are highlighted in bold in the table.  It was found that those counties with the best roads tended to have the most registrations.  Greenville was fourth largest in population, but always in first place in the number of automobiles registered.

As motor vehicle traffic and the need for adequate road maintainance increased, counties found that not enough money was coming in from just the one-time $1 fee.  Starting in 1913, a series of state laws was passed to allow one county after another to tax and license motor vehicles annually.  Many of them were set up to repay bonds issued for road and bridge construction.  In most cases, if a new plate was issued to show that the tax was paid, it was to be displayed in addition to the permanent county plate.  These laws will be listed here by county, as well as referenced in the separate county table.

Beaufort County

1913 Act 116 provided for an annual automobile tax of $5 due by July 1 to the County Supervisor.  This law was amended by 1914 Act 398, passed on February 25, 1914, with no substantial changes made.  Another law, 1915 Act 249, was passed on February 20, 1915, amending the previous laws to add a requirement that now "On the payment thereof a metal tag numbered and recorded...shall be provided by the County Supervisor."  An undated white-on-red porcelain plate #14 is known.

Berkeley County

1917 Act 191, passed on May 9, 1917, and effective immediately, required all owners of motor vehicles to pay a license tax of 25c per horsepower to the Clerk of Court.  The tax was not described as being annual, and there was no mention of license plates.  The motor vehicle tax part of this law probably never took effect due to the following phrase:  "Provided, however, That so much of this Act referring to automobiles and motorcycles shall be inoperative if the State License Tax becomes a law and enforced."

Clarendon County

1917 Act 144 was originally passed in 1916, and effective May 1, 1916, but was not approved until January 10, 1917.  The law required all motor vehicle owners to register with the Clerk of Court, pay an annual fee, and display an annual county-issued rear plate.  The fees were $7.50, $10 or $12.50 depending upon vehicle weight, motorcycles and motorcycle dealers $3, and dealers $10.  The registration year was January 1 to December 31.  Half rates were in effect after July 1 of each year.  Non-residents were allowed 30 days before having to register.

According to Section 5, "The Clerk of Court is hereby authorized and directed to purchase signs or markers made of substantial material, bearing the word Clarendon, S.C., and number..."  Numbers were to begin at #1.  Dealer plates were to have the words "Clarendon, S.C., Dealer".

A 1916 dated black-on-white porcelain plate #237 is known with "CLARENDON" at top, "1916" vertically at left, and "SC" vertically at right.  The existence of this plate proves that 1916 plates had been ordered, but we don't know if any were actually issued due to the late approval of this law.

Colleton County

1916 Act 522, passed on February 15, 1916, provided for a tax of 25c per horsepower "upon all owners of motor vehicles in Colleton County as a license which they should procure from the Clerk of Court of said County; said sum to be paid to the County Treasurer..."

Dorchester County

1917 Act 145, passed February 8, 1917, and effective March 1, 1917, required all motor vehicle owners to procure a license from the Clerk of Court and pay a license fee of 25c per horsepower.  The license year was March 1 to February 28.  In addition, "each owner of any of the vehicles hereby subject to this license shall cause to be placed on said vehicles a tag showing said license has been paid."  We are not certain if this law was ever placed into effect before the State Highway Department act became effective.

Greenville County

1915 Act 321, passed on February 26, 1915, and effective immediately, required an annual "license fee" to the County Auditor, who issued "a tag showing payment of the license for the current year, which shall be affixed to said automobile..."  Automobile fees were $7.50 or $10 depending on seating capacity and truck fees were $7.50 or $10 based on weight load capacity.  Dealers were exempted.  In addition, "no municipality in said county shall, after the year 1915, charge a license tax for any automobile on which the owner has paid the license tax as herein provided:  Provided, further, That the license tax herein imposed shall not be construed as repealing the license tax charged by the Clerk of Court."  County-issued plates had replaced city plates, but now owners had to display two county tags!

The Greenville News reported on June 8, 1915, that "The new automobile license tags have arrived and all those (un) fortunate enough to own a car are most respectfully urged to come forward to County Auditor M. L. Gullick and plunk down for the new tags.  This is a special arrangement, done for the good of the county roads and all cars of two-passengers pay $7.50 and over two-passenger capacity pay $10.  Trucks carrying 1,000 pounds pay $7.50 and trucks hauling more than 1,000 pounds pay $10.  There is no way of avoiding these licenses, which must be paid prior to July first...The tags are great big fellows and must be nailed to the car in some conspicuous place.  Sheriff Rector bought the first one, No. 101, which tags arrived yesterday morning."  Another article on July 30, 1915, announced that 708 automobiles have registered with the County Treasurer.

A new law, 1916 Act 620, passed on February 11, 1916, exempted automobile owners who had paid the tax in 1915 from having to pay the tax again in 1916.  Section 1 states that "The tag bought during the said year of 1915 to be placed on such automobiles shall be deemed sufficient and no person who bought such tag during the year 1915, shall be required to buy one for the year 1916."

The decision to extend the 1915 plates was apparently made even before passage of the above law, perhaps due to low sales.  The Greenville News stated on January 19, 1916, that "Automobile owners who bought a county license tag last year do not have any tax to pay on their car for 1916, unless the present legislature changes the law.  Last year a tax was placed on motor cars by the county, annulling the city tax.  A great number, however, never paid the license, and will have to pay it before the 20th of next month...This means that those who paid the tax...will be free from any fee this year...No license tags will be issued for 1916 and those who pay the tax due last year will receive a 1915 tag."

On July 11, 1916, the Greenville News mentioned that "Since 1906, the date when autos were first begun to be registered, 1687 cars have been tallied on the clerk's record.  The city collected license from 499 auto owners during 1915..."  The latter may reflect city plates issued during the first half of 1915 before the new county tags took over.

The County Auditor ordered 1,200 1917 plates.  First valid on January 1, 1917, issuance was discontinued by March 10, 1917.  1917 Act 147, passed on February 6, 1917, amended the 1915 law by striking out the entire section relating to motor vehicle registration, no doubt due to impending passage of the new statewide registration law.  The County Auditor refunded the fees all owners paid in 1917, but instead of requiring them to surrender their 1917 plates, they were encouraged to keep displaying them on their vehicles to help advertise the city!

1915 black-on-white embossed plates #73 to #767 are known with "GREENVILLE" at top and "S.C." over "1915" at right.  Since numbers began at 101, there is a possibility these plates are not the county tags but the city plates issued during the first half of 1915, although only 499 were reportedly issued.  No 1916 plates were issued, as 1915 county tags continued to be assigned to new registrants.  1917 white-on-blue porcelain plates #1019 to #2192 are known with "GREENVILLE" at top above a long horizontal line, "1917" vertically at left and "S:C" vertically at right.  Numbers may have begun at #1001 to avoid duplicating numbers on the 1915 issues valid through 1916, and with 1,200 made, may have run to #2200, which aligns very closely with known plates.

Oconee County

1914 Act 328, passed February 12, 1914, and effective June 1, 1914, required all motor vehicles to register with the Clerk of Court and pay an annual fee.  The Clerk then issued a numbered certificate, but there was no mention of license plates.  Fees were $5 or $10 depending upon seating capacity, $3 for motorcycles and $10 for trucks and traction engines.  Dealers were to pay a fee of $10 for each make of vehicle dealt in.  The registration year was June 1 to May 30.

A black-on-white flat steel plate #251 is known with "OCONEE, S.C." at top and "EXPIRES JUNE 1st 1916" at bottom.  Presumably plates existed expiring in 1915 and 1917 as well.  A new law, 1917 Act 154, passed on February 13, 1917, and effective immediately, repealed the 1914 law.

Richland County

An act passed on February 20, 1915, provided for "vehicle licenses and a Property Tax to Pay the same."  1916 Act 662, passed on February 29, 1916, and effective immediately, repealed the 1915 law.  This law required all vehicle owners, including non-motor vehicles, to pay an annual license tax of 50c per horsepower to the County Auditor.  Dealers were excluded.  No license plates were mentioned.

The March 6, 1917, article mentions that the Clerk of Court ceased issuance of registrations after February 20, 1917, the day the new state law passed, so new automobiles outside of the city of Columbia would have no numbers from then until July 1st.

Saluda County

1916 Act 529, passed on February 11, 1916, and effective June 1, 1916, required all motor vehicle owners to register with the Clerk of Court and pay an annual license fee.  The Clerk then issued a numbered certificate.  There was no mention of license plates.  Fees were $5 or $7.50 depending on seating capacity, $3 for motorcycles, and $7.50 for trucks and traction engines.  The Dealer fee was $7.50 for each make of vehicle dealt in.  The registration year was June 1 to May 30.

A new law, 1917 Act 158, passed on February 17, 1917, repealed the 1916 law.

Union County

1917 Act 162, passed on February 26, 1917, and effective immediately, required all owners of motor vehicles to pay an annual license tax of 20c per horsepower to the Clerk of Court.  There was no mention of license plates.  We aren't certain if this law ever took effect before the State Highway Department law became effective.

General attributes of County plates

Most county plates known are undated, black on white, and bear the county name.  There were three basic designs as follows:

1. County name at top, full size "S.C." prefix at left.

   An example of Richland plate #500 is pictured in the September 1912 issue of

   MoToR magazine, proving that this style was in use at least by 1912.  Known plates

   include Aiken, Barnwell, Darlington, Edgefield, Newberry, Orangeburg, Richland, Saluda

   and Sumter.

2. County name at top, "S.C." centered below number at right, large manufacturer's logo or

   seal at left.  Gibbes Machinery of Columbia used a gear symbol with a "G M" monogram

   inside on plates known from Barnwell, Florence and Richland.  G. C. Chandler of

   Florence used a "C" inside circle logo, with a Florence plate known.  A Ford-Rambler

   dealer, duPre Auto Co. of Columbia, used a "P" inside circle logo, known on two

   Richland plates.

3. County name followed by "S.C." at top.  A Charleston plate is known with no

   manufacturer marking, while plates from Darlington, Florence and Orangeburg are known

   with a legend at bottom reading "FURNISHED BY D. W. ALDERMAN, Jr. FLORENCE S.C.".

Exceptions, other than county plates already described above or city plates listed in the Local chapter, are few.  An undated Anderson plate is known with "AND" vertically at left and "SC" vertically at right.  Plates from Cherokee have "GAFFNEY" at the bottom in addition to the regular markings, in black on white.

Additional notes on County registrations

Most standardized data can be found in the main table.  Miscellaneous reports from newspaper articles, as well as observed plates, are summarized here to supplement that data.  In some cases, notably in Greenville, there are discrepancies which we will not attempt to reconcile.

Abbeville    -

Aiken        - Und. #607 seen.

Anderson     - 165 issued in 1911, 191 issued in 1912, #823 reached as of 11/30/1914,

               #1000 passed (3rd place) as of 3/23/1915, Und. #1617 seen.

Bamberg      -

Barnwell     - Und. #222 seen.

Beaufort     -

Berkeley     -

Calhoun      -

Charleston   - Und. #210 seen.

Cherokee     - Und. #491 seen.

Chester      - Und. #628 seen.

Chesterfield -

Clarendon    -

Colleton     -

Darlington   - Und. #696 seen.

Dillon       -

Dorchester   -

Edgefield    - Und. #373 seen, #385 issued as of 7/12/1916.

Fairfield    -

Florence     - Und. #824 seen.

Georgetown   -

Greenville   - See below.

Greenwood    - #750 issued 3/13/1916.

Hampton      -

Horry        -

Jasper       -

Kershaw      -

Lancaster    - First auto registered 6/5/1907.

Laurens      - #287 reached as of 5/20/1914.

Lee          -

Lexington    - Und. #200 seen.

Marion       -

Marlboro     - Only 1 registered in 1906.  Issued: 118 in 1910, 203 in 1911, 145 in 1912.

McCormick    -

Newberry     - Und. #195 seen.  #603 issued as of 12/27/1916.

Oconee       -

Orangeburg   - Und. #714 seen.

Pickens      - First auto registered July 1907, getting #2 (#1 issued to tractor).

               Issued:  140 in 1915, 140 in 1916 up to 7/15/1916, when #582 was reached.

Richland     - Und. #1005 seen.

Saluda       - Und. #195 seen.

Spartanburg  - #1177 reached as of 7/3/1915.

Sumter       - Issued:  197 in 1906-10, 136 in 1911 = #333.  Und #1060 seen.

Union        -

Williamsburg -

York         - See below.

Greenville (From various articles in the Greenville News, 8/31/1910, 1/9/1916, etc.)

1906     1 -  38    (38)            1912    436 -  600   (165)

1907    39 -  54    (16)            1913    601 -  803   (203)

1908    55 - 100    (46)            1914    804 - 1024   (221)

1909   101 - 159    (59)            1915   1025 - 1264   (240)

1910   160 - 259   (100)            1916   1265 - 1772   (508)   As of 8/31/1916

1911   260 - 435   (176)            1917  #2048 as of 2/22/1917

York (From the Yorkville Enquirer, 5/15/1914)

1906     1 -   4     (4)            1912    242 -  319    (78)

1907     5 -  11     (7)            1913    320 -  400    (81)

1908    12 -  36    (25)            1914    401 -  428    (28)   As of 5/15/1914

1909    37 -  67    (31)

1910    68 - 127    (60)

1911   128 - 241   (114)

STATE REGISTRATION LAW 1917

1917 Act 163, passed on February 20, 1917, and effective immediately, created the State Highway Department and put an end to all city and county registration.  By the mandatory date of July 1, 1917, all owners of motor vehicles were required to register with the State Highway Engineer, pay an annual fee of 25c per horsepower and display an annual state-issued rear plate. The fee was "in lieu of all other State, municipal and county licenses" and was similar to fees previously being charged by some of the counties.  The registration year was January 1 to December 31, but renewal registrations were to be issued between January 1 and February 1.  Half rates were in effect for 1917 for all registrations since the term began on July 1, and new registrations in all years were literally prorated by quarter.  Non-residents were allowed 30 days before having to register.  The new plates were expected to be available after April 7, 1917.

The dealer fee was $15 per each make of vehicle sold, so it is very likely that dealer plates were issued in 1917, but the earliest known plate is 1919.  There was no mention in the law of separate fees or plates for motorcycles, but 1917 motorcycle plates are known.  We also can't rule out the possibility of 1917 motorcycle dealer plates, although this type is not confirmed until 1921.  The lowest and highest known 1917 plates by type, along with the 1917 registration totals, are as follows:

      VEHICLE TYPE   REGISTRATIONS   KNOWN PLATES

      Motorcycle         1,210       #1411 -  2135      (725)

      Dealer               642        (none known)

      Passenger         38,322       #5002 - 40289   (35,288)