Minimum car insurance in South Carolina.
What South Carolina requires, in plain words, and why the minimum may not be enough.
The minimum limits
In South Carolina, the minimum liability limits are written 25/50/25 (in thousands): $25,000 for injury to one person, $50,000 for injury to everyone in one accident, and $25,000 for property damage.
How the system works
South Carolina is generally an at-fault (tort) state, so the driver who causes a crash is responsible for the other party’s losses. That is why liability limits matter so much.
Tort (at-fault) state. UM bodily injury required at 25/50 and UM property damage $25,000.
What the minimum means in practice
Say a crash you cause injures three people. The South Carolina minimum pays at most $25,000 to any one of them and $50,000 in total, shared between all three. Any medical bills above that could become your responsibility. Property damage stops at $25,000.
If you drive without insurance in South Carolina
Operating an uninsured vehicle is a misdemeanor; a first offense carries a fine of $100 to $200 or 30 days in jail, and DMV suspends the owner's license, registration and plates until a reinstatement fee is paid. The statutory base fee is $600, adjusted annually by the Department of Insurance, and the DMV lists a $100 reinstatement fee for a suspended license.
Proof of insurance
South Carolina verifies coverage electronically through the ALIR system, and owners must carry proof in the vehicle, which may be shown electronically on a mobile device without police searching the device absent a warrant or written consent.
Also worth knowing in South Carolina
A driver ticketed for no proof of insurance must show within 30 days that they had insurance to avoid a suspended license.
Your state regulator
South Carolina Department of Insurance is the official place for consumer questions and complaints about insurers.
Sources we checked (October 2026)
Requirements change. We checked the pages below. Confirm with your state insurance department or an agent.
Questions
Is South Carolina a no-fault state?
South Carolina is generally an at-fault state.