Free South Carolina Trailer Bill of Sale
South Carolina's key trailer line is 2,500 pounds EMPTY weight: a boat trailer at or above it must be registered to use SC roads, while lighter boat trailers and privately owned utility or farm trailers need registration only if they will travel out of state. Any trailer the SCDMV registers must be titled first. The state's own Form 4031 documents the sale, the buyer has a relaxed 45 days to register, and the tax is the Infrastructure Maintenance Fee — 5% capped at $500, which genuinely benefits buyers of big enclosed and equipment trailers. For a trailer that never had a title, South Carolina publishes a rescue path: the TI-021A Affidavit of Ownership paired with the TI-021B identification verification.
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South Carolina Trailer Bill of Sale — What You Need to Know
Sales Tax Details
Same 5% IMF capped at $500 applies to trailers.
South Carolina Trailer Sale — Step-by-Step Checklist
- Check the type and empty weight: a boat trailer of 2,500 lbs or more must be registered and titled; lighter boat trailers and private utility or farm trailers need registration (and a title) only for out-of-state travel.
- Verify the VIN or serial plate against the title (or prior registration).
- Complete SCDMV Form 4031 (the state's bill of sale) with VIN/serial, type, weight, sale price, date, and both signatures.
- Seller signs the title over on titled trailers.
- Buyer registers with the SCDMV within 45 days.
- Buyer pays the 5% Infrastructure Maintenance Fee, capped at $500 — the cap starts helping above $10,000.
- Trailer never titled? File the TI-021A Affidavit of Ownership plus TI-021B identification verification with your bill of sale.
Common Pitfalls
- Ignoring the 2,500-lb empty-weight line — buying a heavy trailer without collecting the title leaves the transfer incomplete at the SCDMV counter.
- Assuming the cap always saves money — below $10,000 the full 5% applies; the $500 ceiling is a big-trailer benefit.
- Discarding the paper trail on a light, never-titled trailer — the bill of sale plus TI-021A/B affidavits are what create its first title if you ever need one.
- Coasting past the 45 days — late fees arrive on schedule despite the generous window.
Pro Tip
South Carolina trailers: boat trailers from 2,500 empty pounds (and any trailer leaving the state) must be registered and titled, the signed title plus registration within 45 days covers the transfer, the IMF stops at $500 — and the TI-021 affidavits resurrect paperwork for title-less trailers.