South Carolina Code of Laws
Chapter 1 - Driver's License
Section 56-1-10. Definitions.

For the purpose of this title, unless otherwise indicated, the following words, phrases, and terms are defined as follows:
(1) "Driver" means every person who drives or is in actual physical control of a vehicle.
(2) "Operator" means every person who drives or is in actual physical control of a motor vehicle or who is exercising control over or steering a vehicle being towed by a motor vehicle.
(3) "Owner" means a person, other than a lienholder, having the property interest in or title to a vehicle. The term includes a person entitled to the use and possession of a vehicle subject to a security interest in another person, but excludes a lessee under a lease not intended as security. This term also includes a person to whom a moped is registered if the moped is not titled.
(4) "Department" means the Department of Motor Vehicles when the term refers to the duties, functions, and responsibilities of the former Motor Vehicle Division of the Department of Public Safety and means the Department of Public Safety otherwise and in Section 56-3-840.
(5) "State" means a state, territory, or possession of the United States and the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
(6) "Highway" means the entire width between the boundary lines of every way publicly maintained when any part of it is open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel.
(7) "Motor vehicle" means every vehicle which is self-propelled and every vehicle which is propelled by electric power obtained from overhead trolley wires but not operated upon rails.
(8) "Motorcycle" means 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 and a moped.
(9) "Nonresident" means every person who is not a resident of this State.
(10) "Nonresident's operating privilege" means the privilege conferred upon a nonresident by the laws of this State pertaining to the operation by the person of a motor vehicle, or the use of a vehicle owned by the person, in this State.
(11) "Conviction" means an unvacated adjudication of guilt, or a determination that a person has violated or failed to comply with the law in a court of original jurisdiction, an unvacated forfeiture of bail or collateral deposited to secure the person's appearance in court, a plea of guilty or nolo contendere accepted by the court, the payment of a fine or court cost, or violation of a condition of release without bail, regardless of whether or not the penalty is rebated, suspended, or probated.
(12) "Cancellation of driver's license" means the annulment or termination by formal action of the Department of Motor Vehicles of a person's driver's license because of some error or defect in the license or because the licensee is no longer entitled to the license; the cancellation of a license is without prejudice, and application for a new license may be made at any time after the cancellation.
(13) "Revocation of driver's license" means the termination by formal action of the Department of Motor Vehicles of a person's driver's license or privilege to operate a motor vehicle on the public highways, which privilege to operate is not subject to renewal or restoration, except that an application for a new license may be presented and acted upon by the department.
(14) "Suspension of driver's license" means the temporary withdrawal by formal action of the Department of Motor Vehicles of a person's driver's license or privilege to operate a motor vehicle on the public highways, which temporary withdrawal shall be as specifically designated.
(15) "Autocycle" means every motor vehicle having no more than three permanent functional wheels in contact with the ground, having seating that does not require the operator to straddle or sit astride it and having an automotive-type steering device, but excluding a tractor or motorcycle three-wheel vehicle.
(16) "Alcohol" means a substance containing any form of alcohol including, but not limited to, ethanol, methanol, propanol, and isopropanol.
(17) "Alcohol concentration" means:
(a) the number of grams of alcohol for each one hundred milliliters of blood by weight; or
(b) as determined by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division for other bodily fluids.
(18) "Motorcycle three-wheel vehicle" means every motor vehicle having no more than three permanent functional wheels in contact with the ground to include motorcycles with detachable side cars, having a saddle type seat for the operator, and having handlebars or a motorcycle type steering device but excluding a tractor or autocycle.
(19) "Low speed vehicle" or "LSV" means a four-wheeled motor vehicle, other than an all terrain vehicle, whose speed attainable in one mile is more than twenty miles an hour and not more than twenty-five miles an hour on a paved level surface, and whose gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) is less than three thousand pounds.
(20) "All terrain vehicle" or "ATV" means a motor vehicle measuring fifty inches or less in width, designed to travel on three or more wheels and designed primarily for off-road recreational use, but not including farm tractors or equipment, construction equipment, forestry vehicles, or lawn and grounds maintenance vehicles.
(21) "Operator" or "driver" means a person who is in actual physical control of a motor vehicle.
(22) "Person" means every natural person, firm, partnership, trust, company, firm, association, or corporation. Where the term "person" is used in connection with the registration of a motor vehicle, it includes any corporation, association, partnership, trust, company, firm, or other aggregation of individuals which owns or controls the motor vehicle as actual owner, or for the purpose of sale or for renting, as agent, salesperson, or otherwise.
(23) "Office of Motor Vehicle Hearings" means the Office of Motor Vehicle Hearings created by Section 1-23-660. The Office of Motor Vehicle Hearings has exclusive jurisdiction to conduct all contested case hearings or administrative hearings arising from department actions.
(24) "Administrative hearing" means a "contested case hearing" as defined in Section 1-23-310. It is a hearing conducted pursuant to the South Carolina Administrative Procedures Act.
(25) "Home jurisdiction" means the jurisdiction which has issued and has the power to suspend or revoke the use of the license or permit to operate a motor vehicle.
(26) "Moped" means a cycle, defined as a motor vehicle, with or without pedals, to permit propulsion by human power, that travels on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground whether powered by gasoline, electricity, alternative fuel, or a hybrid combination thereof. Based on the engine or fuel source, the moped must be equipped not to exceed the following limitations: a motor of fifty cubic centimeters; or designed to have an input exceeding 750 watts and no more than 1500 watts. If an internal combustion engine is used, the moped must have a power drive system that functions directly or automatically without clutching or shifting by the operator after the drive system is engaged.
(27) "Daylight hours' means after six o'clock a.m. and no later than six o'clock p.m. However, beginning on the day that daylight saving time goes into effect through the day that daylight saving time ends, "daylight hours' means after six o'clock a.m. and no later than eight o'clock p.m. All other hours are designated as nighttime hours.
(28) "Vehicle" means every device in, upon, or by which a person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a highway, except devices moved by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks.
(29) "Electric-assist bicycles" and "bicycles with helper motors" means low-speed electrically assisted bicycles with two or three wheels, each having fully operable pedals and an electric motor of no more than 750 watts, or one horsepower, and a top motor-powered speed of less than twenty miles an hour when operated by a rider weighing one hundred seventy pounds on a paved level surface, that meet the requirements of the Federal Consumer Product Code provided in 16 C.F.R., Part 1512, and that operate in a manner such that the electric motor disengages or ceases to function when their brakes are applied or the rider stops pedaling. Manufacturers and distributors of electric-assist bicycles shall apply a label that is affixed permanently, in a prominent location, to each electric-assist bicycle, indicating its wattage and maximum electrically assisted speed. The owner or user of an electric-assist bicycle shall not remove or tamper with the label. If a user tampers with or modifies an electric-assist bicycle, changing the speed capability, he must replace the label indicating the vehicle's wattage or horsepower. Electric-assist bicycles and bicycles with helper motors are not mopeds.
(30) "Salvage" means a brand added to a vehicle's title by the department to designate a vehicle that has been declared a total loss by an insurance company, has repairs that exceed seventy-five percent of the value of the vehicle before the damage occurred, or has damage to the body, unibody, or frame to the extent that it is unsafe for operation.
(31) "Salvage Rebuilt" means a brand added to a vehicle's title by the department to designate a vehicle with a salvage brand that has been transferred to a new owner who has repaired the vehicle pursuant to Section 56-19-480(E).
(32) "Salvage Flood" means a brand added to a vehicle's title by the department to designate that an insurance company has paid a total loss claim on a vehicle due to damage caused by:
(a) having been submerged in water to a point the level of the water was higher than the door sill of the vehicle or having had water enter the passenger, trunk, or engine compartment of the vehicle; or
(b) having had water come into contact with the electrical or computer components of the vehicle.
(33) "Salvage Flood Rebuilt" means a brand added to a vehicle's title by the department to designate a vehicle with a salvage flood brand that has been transferred to a new owner who has repaired the vehicle pursuant to Section 56-19-480(E).
(34) "Salvage Fire" means a brand added to a vehicle's title by the department to designate an insurance company has paid a total loss claim on a vehicle due to damage caused by fire.
(35) "Salvage Fire Rebuilt" means a brand added to a vehicle's title by the department to designate a vehicle with a salvage fire brand that has been transferred to a new owner who has repaired the vehicle pursuant to Section 56-19-480(E).
(36) "Junk" means a brand added to a vehicle's title by the department to designate an insurance company has determined a vehicle has been damaged to the extent that it cannot be repaired for operation, or that it is only of value as a source of parts or scrap metal.
(37) "Off Road Use Only" means a brand added to a vehicle's title by the department to designate a vehicle's Manufacturer Certificate of Origin or equivalent document of origin designating a vehicle is not manufactured for use on public roads. The department shall not register and license the vehicle pursuant to Section 56-3-350. Vehicles brought into this State from a foreign jurisdiction without a title that clearly says "Off Road Use Only", or its equivalent, which do not meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards may be subject to this brand at the department's discretion.
HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 46-151; 1952 Code Section 46-151; 1942 Code Section 5982; 1932 Code Section 5982; 1930 (36) 1057; 1959 (51) 421; 1986 Act No. 528, Section 2; 1992 Act No. 486, Sections 2, 3; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 1297; 1996 Act No. 459, Sections 68A-68D; 1998 Act No. 434, Section 1; 2000 Act No. 375, Section 1; 2003 Act No. 51, Section 11; 2005 Act No. 170, Section 3, eff 6 months after approval by the Governor (approved June 7, 2005); 2006 Act No. 381, Section 3, eff June 13, 2006; 2008 Act No. 201, Section 1, eff 12:00 p.m., February 10, 2009; 2008 Act No. 279, Section 2, eff October 1, 2008; 2010 Act No. 216, Section 1, eff June 7, 2010; 2017 Act No. 34 (S.444), Sections 1, 2, eff November 10, 2017; 2017 Act No. 89 (H.3247), Section 1, eff November 19, 2018; 2020 Act No. 114 (H.3174), Section 1, eff February 3, 2020; 2021 Act No. 27 (H.3101), Section 2, eff October 25, 2021.

Code Commissioner's Note
At the direction of the Code Commissioner, the amendments made by 2017 Act No. 34 and 2017 Act No. 89 were read together.
Effect of Amendment
2017 Act No. 34, Section 1, rewrote (15), relating to the definition of "autocycle".
2017 Act No. 34, Section 2, in (18), substituted "autocycle" for "automotive three-wheel vehicle".
2017 Act No. 89, Section 1, in (3), inserted "interest in" following "having the property", and added the last sentence, relating to the person to whom a moped is registered; in (8), added "and a moped" following "excluding a tractor"; in (19), inserted "gross vehicle weight rating"; and added (26) to (28), relating to the definitions of "moped", "daylight hours", and "vehicle".
2020 Act No. 114, Section 1, added (29), relating to the definition of "electric-assist bicycles".
2021 Act No. 27, Section 2, added (30) to (37).

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