Yes, South Carolina requires a motorcycle to carry insurance to ride your motorcycle on their roadways.

Current South Carolina law requires that at the time a driver's license is issued for the first time and a driver's license is renewed, drivers must certify on the driver's license application that they are insured by an automobile (motor vehicle) liability policy. If an applicant does not own a vehicle or a vehicle is not in the household of the applicant, the applicant can check off on the application accordingly. The applicant declaring liability insurance certifies personal automobile liability insurance and not liability insurance of an employer.

Motor Vehicle owners in SC are required to provide proof that the vehicle being operated is insured. The first time you register your motorcycle in South Carolina, you must provide the name of your insurance company. SCDMV will verify your coverage electronically.

If the insurance policy cannot be verified, your driver's license and vehicle registration may be suspended. If you are a new resident in South Carolina and have an automobile policy with a national insurance company, be sure to change your address with your insurance company before you register your vehicle in South Carolina.

South Carolina Law requires every owner of a vehicle that is required to be registered in this state to maintain liability insurance. According to the SC driver's manual the owner of a motor vehicle must maintain proof of insurance in his motor vehicle at all times.

The vehicle owner must be able to provide this proof upon demand of a law enforcement officer. Anyone who fails to maintain proof of insurance on his motor vehicle is guilty of a misdemeanor and may face suspension action by the Department of Motor Vehicles. If action is taken, the owner’s driver license and vehicle registration will be suspended and he or she may have to pay $5.00 for each day the vehicle was uninsured, up t $20 0.00, plus an additional $200.00 reinstatement fee.

In South Carolina a motorcycle is defined as every motor vehicle having no more than two permanent functional wheels in contact with the ground or trailer and having a saddle for the use of the rider, but excluding a tractor. Motorcycles are required to carry insurance on it in South Carolina since it is a motor vehicle.

In SC, the law requires drivers to carry liability coverage in amounts of no less than $25,000 of bodily injury per person, $50,000 of bodily injury per accident and $25,000 of property damage coverage (usually written as 25/50/25). These basic limits are noted in Section 38-77-140 of the SC Code of Laws. So whether you own an automobile or motorcycle registered in South Carolina you need to adhere to these minimum liability limits of an insurance policy.

Click here to get a quote for motorcycle insurance to fulfill your SC insurance needs.