An Affiliated Office of AIC Insurance
360-450-2211Read our Google reviews ↗
Get a Quote
South Carolina trucking insurance
Change state

IP location is approximate and may reflect a VPN or mobile network. You can choose any state we serve. This changes website content, not your application or coverage.

How regional content works · IP Geolocation by DB-IP

Explore South Carolina coverage →
Home /

South Carolina Trucking Insurance

Class Insurance Agency, an affiliated office of AIC Insurance

Truck insurance for South Carolina haulers

South Carolina changed who needs state authority in 2022, changed its liability rules for claims from 2026, and moves most of its freight on I-95, I-85 and I-26 to and from the Port of Charleston. We quote South Carolina owner-operators, new authorities and fleets by phone, email and online from our office in Vancouver, Washington, in English, Russian, Ukrainian or Romanian.

Call 360-450-2211 or start a quote online.

General freight: the SCDMV Certificate of Compliance

  • No PSC certificate for general freight. Since 2022, state authority from the Public Service Commission covers only passengers, household goods and hazardous waste for disposal.[1]
  • Certificate of Compliance instead. SCDMV issues a Certificate of Compliance to every other intrastate for-hire carrier. Class E-L covers very low-value loads such as dump truck hauling, with no cargo insurance required. Class E-LC covers all other cargo.[2]
  • Cost and filing. A new certificate is $25 and renewals are free. Your insurance company, not your agent, must file a Form E, plus a Form H when cargo coverage is required. SCDMV does not accept ACORD certificates.[3]
  • Household goods and hazardous waste carriers still apply to the PSC for a Class E certificate, with a tariff and a 15-day public notice, and then have 90 days to file insurance with the Office of Regulatory Staff.[4][5]

Insurance limits for South Carolina carriers

Certificate of Compliance Minimum
10,000 lb GVWR or more, non-hazardous $750,000
10,000 lb GVWR or more, hazmat $1,000,000, or $5,000,000 for specified bulk and high-hazard loads
Under 10,000 lb GVWR, non-hazardous $300,000
Cargo, Class E-LC $5,000 per vehicle

These figures come from SCDMV’s Form COC.[3] Household goods carriers file $2,500 per vehicle and $5,000 per occurrence in cargo coverage on a Form H.[4]

Safety rules, USDOT and drivers

  • Federal rules apply in state, including the federal insurance and hazmat parts, and the minimum driver age for intrastate carriers is 18.[6]
  • The intrastate weight line is 26,001 lb. Intrastate trucks of 26,001 lb or more must meet the federal safety rules, enforced by the State Transport Police. Lighter trucks are exempt unless they carry 16 or more passengers or placarded hazmat.[7]
  • USDOT number. FMCSA lists South Carolina among the states that require USDOT numbers for intrastate carriers.[8] Confirm the weight threshold with SCDMV.

Registration, taxes and fees

  • IRP and IFTA are both run by SCDMV Motor Carrier Services (803-896-3870). Since May 4, 2026, IFTA returns must be filed online or by mail, not at branch offices.[9] To base IRP plates in South Carolina, you must own or lease real property used in your trucking business there.[10]
  • Road use fee. Trucks over 26,000 lb pay a yearly road use fee instead of property tax, based on the truck’s depreciated cost. Since July 1, 2024, registration and road use fees can be paid in quarterly installments online. Trailers used with these trucks pay a one-time $87 fee.[11]
  • Infrastructure maintenance fee is 5% of the price, capped at $500, when a vehicle is first titled in South Carolina, or a flat $250 if it was first titled in another state.[10]
  • Fuel. The motor fuel user fee has been 28 cents a gallon since July 1, 2022.[12]

Weights, permits and tolls

  • Weights. 80,000 lb on Interstates. Off the Interstate, 5-axle combinations are held to 73,280 lb plus a 10% enforcement tolerance. Log and sod haulers get a 15% tolerance, but only off the Interstate. An idle-reduction unit can add up to 550 lb.[7]
  • Emergencies. During a declared emergency, trucks up to 90,000 lb can run on non-Interstate routes for up to 120 days without the usual permits.[7]
  • Length. Trailers up to 53 feet, with a kingpin-to-rear-axle distance of 41 feet or less.[7]
  • Permits. SCDOT’s guidelines list single-trip oversize/overweight permits from $30 and annual permits at $100.[13]
  • Tolls. The Southern Connector (I-185) in Greenville charges a 5-axle truck $8.00 cash or $7.60 with Palmetto Pass at each of its two mainline plazas.[14][15] Full-length trips pay both.[16]
  • Speed. Trucks follow the same limits as cars: up to 70 mph on Interstates where posted.[7]

2026 change to liability rules

For claims arising after January 1, 2026, a defendant found less than 50% at fault no longer has to pay the whole award for everyone. Defendants can also ask the jury to weigh the fault of people not in the lawsuit. The old rule still applies to willful or reckless conduct and to drug-related cases.[17] For carriers, that can mean lower exposure in crashes where others share the blame, which helps keep claims costs down over time.

South Carolina freight

Trucks carried 391 million tons of South Carolina freight worth $614 billion in 2019, about 70% of the total, and truck tonnage is forecast to reach 743 million tons by 2050. I-95 south of I-26 and I-85 south of I-185 each carry more than 50 million tons a year.[18] SC Ports moved 2.6 million containers (TEUs) in fiscal 2025, with a record 205,523 rail moves at Inland Port Greer, 33,838 at Inland Port Dillon and 165,949 finished vehicles.[19] Container operations at Leatherman Terminal paused on August 1, 2026, as SC Ports consolidated its container operations.[20] South Carolina has led the nation in tire exports for 11 years and has the largest share of U.S. passenger vehicle exports[21], and agribusiness is its number one industry, led by broiler chickens.[22]

What to have ready for a South Carolina quote

  • USDOT and MC numbers, and your SCDMV Certificate of Compliance class (E-L or E-LC) if you have one
  • Where the trucks are garaged, your usual routes and your radius
  • What you haul: port containers, tires and auto parts, logs, poultry, dump loads or general freight
  • Driver names, license numbers and years of experience
  • Year, make, VIN and value of each truck and trailer
  • Current policy and loss runs, if you have been insured before

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a PSC certificate to haul general freight inside South Carolina?

No. Since 2022 the PSC certificate covers only passengers, household goods and hazardous waste for disposal. General freight carriers get an SCDMV Certificate of Compliance instead.[1][2]

Can my agent send an ACORD certificate to SCDMV?

No. The insurance company must file a Form E, and a Form H when cargo coverage is required. SCDMV does not accept ACORD certificates.[3]

What liability limit does South Carolina require for intrastate trucks?

$750,000 for non-hazardous trucks of 10,000 lb GVWR or more, $300,000 under 10,000 lb, and $1,000,000 or $5,000,000 for hazmat.[3]

How heavy can a log truck run in South Carolina?

Log and sod haulers get a 15% weight tolerance, but only off the Interstate. On Interstates the limit is 80,000 lb.[7]

What changed in South Carolina liability law in 2026?

For claims arising after January 1, 2026, a defendant less than 50% at fault no longer pays the whole award, with exceptions for reckless and drug-related conduct.[17]

Get a South Carolina truck insurance quote

Call 360-450-2211 or start your quote. We’re open Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific (10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern).


Related coverage and nearby states

Sources

General information only, checked September 2026. Rules change; confirm with the agency that issues your permits. Coverage availability, terms and filings depend on underwriting and the policy issued; a quote request does not bind insurance.