South Carolina traffic tickets
Points, traffic school, deadlines and what a ticket does to your insurance in South Carolina.
Speeding ticketAbout $56–$440estimate with court costs
License at risk12 ptsin 24 months
Defensive driving course (point reduction)Yesavailable, with limits
Insurance after 1 ticket+19%on $2,280 a year
What will my ticket really cost? Check my points
What kind of ticket did you get?
Which court is on your ticket?
State law sets a range, and the court picks the amount. Pick the court named on your ticket.
South Carolina county courts
Phone, pay-online link and traffic school steps for 5 courts. Tap a county to open it.
Charleston County(843) 202-6600Pays online
Charleston County Magistrates (Summary Courts). Your notice shows the amount.
- Address
- Summary Court Administration, 4045 Bridge View Dr., Suite B-143, N. Charleston, SC 29405
- Phone
- (843) 202-6600
- Hours
- Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Greenville CountyPays online
Greenville County Magistrate Courts (Summary Court). Your notice shows the amount.
Horry County(843) 915-5070
Horry County Central Traffic Court. Your notice shows the amount.
- Address
- 1201 Third Ave, Conway, SC 29526
- Phone
- (843) 915-5070
Richland County803-576-2300, ext. 5Pays online
Richland County Magistrate Court, Central Traffic Court. Your notice shows the amount.
- Address
- Central Court, 2500 Decker Blvd., Columbia, SC 29206
- Phone
- 803-576-2300, ext. 5
Spartanburg County864-596-2228Pays online
Spartanburg County Magistrate Court, Traffic Division. Your notice shows the amount.
- Address
- 180 Magnolia Street, 1st Floor, Suite 1119, Spartanburg, SC 29306
- Phone
- 864-596-2228
- Hours
- Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
What are your options with a South Carolina ticket?
Paying is the fastest route, and it usually puts the ticket on your record. Here is every route South Carolina offers, and what each one changes.
What does South Carolina law allow for speeding?
On a magistrate or municipal court conviction or bond forfeiture you pay the fine plus a state assessment equal to 107.5% of the fine, plus a $25 surcharge on misdemeanor traffic fines.[4][3]
Every fine on the South Carolina schedule (10)
| Ticket | State fine | With court costs |
|---|---|---|
| Speeding, 1–10 mph overPrinted as: Speeding, not more than 10 mph over (first offense) | $15–$25[3] | $56–$77 |
| Speeding, 11–14 mph overPrinted as: Speeding, more than 10 but less than 15 mph over | $25–$50[3] | $77–$129 |
| Speeding, 16–24 mph overPrinted as: Speeding, more than 15 but less than 25 mph over | $50–$75[3] | $129–$181 |
| Speeding, 26+ mph overPrinted as: Speeding, more than 25 mph overOr up to 30 days in jail. | $75–$200[3] | $181–$440 |
| Traffic control device, general penalty (no specific fine set)Chapter 5 offenses without their own penalty carry a fine up to $100 or up to 30 days. | Up to $100[3] | Up to $233 |
| Distracted driving (mobile device), first offenseFine cannot be suspended. | $100[3] | $233 |
| Seat belt violationUp to $25 with no court costs, assessments or surcharges. | Up to $25[3] | Up to $25 |
| Operating an uninsured motor vehicle, first offenseOr 30 days in jail. | $100–$200[5] | $233–$440 |
| Passing a stopped school bus, first offenseAt least $500 or up to 30 days. | At least $500[3] | At least $1,063 |
| Endangerment of a highway worker, no injuryMandatory fine. | $500–$1,000[3] | $1,063–$2,100 |
With court costs is an estimate. 107.5% state assessment plus the $25 surcharge. Seat belt tickets carry neither.[4][3] Your notice shows the exact total.
How many points is a speeding ticket in South Carolina?
- Speeding, 1–10 mph over2 pts[2]
- Speeding, more than 10 but less than 25 mph over4 pts[2]
- Speeding, 25 mph or more over6 pts[2]
- Reckless driving6 pts[2]
- Passing a stopped school bus6 pts[2]
- Hit-and-run, property damage only6 pts[2]
- Running a red light4 pts[2]
- Running a stop sign4 pts[2]
All 17 point values
How points work in South Carolina
Points go on your record when you are convicted or forfeit bond. Points from violations in the 12 months before your latest violation count in full, points from 12 to 24 months earlier count at half, and older points drop off. Twelve points brings a suspension of 3 to 6 months. Out-of-state and military convictions add points too. Beginner permit, conditional and special restricted license holders are suspended for 6 months at 6 points.[2][9]
Commercial driver? Points and disqualifications work differently. How tickets affect a CDL →
When can you lose your license?
- 12 ptsin 24 months12 to 15 points[2]
- 16 ptsin 24 months16 or 17 points[2]
- 18 ptsin 24 months18 or 19 points[2]
- 20 ptsin 24 months20 points and over[2]
- 6 ptson recordBeginner permit, conditional or special restricted license[9]
Full wording of each rule
- 12 points in 24 months: 12 to 15 points: 3-month suspension.
- 16 points in 24 months: 16 or 17 points: 4-month suspension.
- 18 points in 24 months: 18 or 19 points: 5-month suspension.
- 20 points in 24 months: 20 points and over: 6-month suspension.
- 6 points: Beginner permit, conditional or special restricted license: 6-month excessive points suspension at 6 or more points. A defensive driving course does not end it.
Getting your license back after a suspension costs $100 in South Carolina, before any course or court costs.[2]
Drivers under 21
Drivers on a beginner's permit, conditional license or special restricted license (mostly teens) are suspended for 6 months at 6 points. Those points can also count later toward a regular point suspension.[9]
Can defensive driving course (point reduction) keep a ticket off your record in South Carolina?
It can help. Takes 4 points off your record. It does not dismiss the ticket or hide the conviction.[2][9]
How often: Once every 3 years.
Is it worth it for your ticket? Get a yes or no →
Who qualifies, CDL drivers and cost
Takes 4 points off your record. It does not dismiss the ticket or hide the conviction. You must take it after the points are assessed. If your license is close to suspension, finish it before the suspension starts, because it will not cancel a suspension that has begun.[2][9]
Who can use it: Any driver with points. The course must be the National Safety Council 8-hour Defensive Driving Course or an SCDMV-approved equivalent, taken in South Carolina in a classroom. Online counts only through the National Safety Council virtual classroom. It does not end an excessive points suspension for permit or conditional license holders.[2][9]
Cost: Set by the driving school. The state does not set a price.[2]
Do school and work zones cost more?
School zones
No statewide school-zone fine increase found in the speeding statute. The normal speeding ranges apply.[3]
Work zones
No speeding fine doubling in work zones. The old temporary work zone penalty was repealed in 2017. Instead, driving through a closed lane or ignoring work zone traffic controls while workers are present is endangerment of a highway worker: a mandatory $500 to $1,000 fine and 2 points, rising to $1,000 to $5,000 and 4 points if a worker is hurt.[3]
When is your ticket due?
- Date on noticePay or respondset by the court[6]
Details
Pay the bond or appear in court on the date on your ticket. If you miss it: If you don't pay and don't appear, the court can try you in your absence or issue a bench warrant, and SCDMV can suspend your license until you comply.
- 10daysLast day to appealfrom conviction[7]
Details
Appeal a magistrate court conviction to circuit court
- 180daysStay ticket-free while in the Traffic Education Programfrom the ticket date[8]
Details
Stay ticket-free while in the Traffic Education Program. If you miss it: A new traffic violation within 6 months of the original ticket ends the program and the charge is reinstated.
- 365daysWindow for a court to report failure to comply to SCDMVfrom the ticket date[6][2]
Details
Window for a court to report failure to comply to SCDMV. If you miss it: SCDMV may suspend or refuse to renew your license until you comply and pay the $100 reinstatement fee.
What happens if you don't respond
Most tickets let you post the bond shown on the ticket instead of going to court. That bond forfeiture counts as a conviction and adds points. If you neither pay nor appear, the court may try the case without you or issue a bench warrant. The court can also report you to SCDMV, which may suspend or refuse to renew your license until you show you complied and pay a $100 reinstatement fee. Willfully missing court without posting bond is a separate misdemeanor.[6][2]
Work out your exact dates → · Already missed it?
Will an out-of-state ticket follow you home?
- Shares convictions with other states (Driver License Compact)Yes[1]
- Can suspend you over unpaid out-of-state tickets (Nonresident Violator Compact)Yes[1][6]
South Carolina is in both compacts. Traffic convictions from other states and from military courts are posted to a South Carolina record and add points. A conviction from another state for something that is not an offense here is not recorded. A driver licensed in another compact state can usually sign the ticket and go without posting bond. If they don't comply, South Carolina reports it to their home state.[2][6][9]
How out-of-state tickets work →
How much will it raise your insurance in South Carolina?
One speeding ticket raised a full-coverage premium by about 19% on average in South Carolina[1], from a clean-record average of $2,280 a year.[1] If that increase stays for three years, that's about $1,300 on top of the fine.
Averages from ValuePenguin State of Auto Insurance in 2026, not a quote. Insurers differ, and many look back three to five years.
Where are the official pages?
What else do people ask?
How do points work in South Carolina?
Points go on your record when you are convicted or forfeit bond. Points from violations in the 12 months before your latest violation count in full, points from 12 to 24 months earlier count at half, and older points drop off. Twelve points brings a suspension of 3 to 6 months. Out-of-state and military convictions add points too. Beginner permit, conditional and special restricted license holders are suspended for 6 months at 6 points.
How many points before your license is at risk in South Carolina?
12 points in 24 months: 12 to 15 points: 3-month suspension.
Can traffic school keep a ticket off my record in South Carolina?
Defensive driving course (point reduction): Takes 4 points off your record. It does not dismiss the ticket or hide the conviction. You must take it after the points are assessed. If your license is close to suspension, finish it before the suspension starts, because it will not cancel a suspension that has begun. Limit: Once every 3 years.
Will an out-of-state ticket follow me home to South Carolina?
South Carolina is a member of the Driver License Compact, so convictions in other member states are reported to South Carolina. South Carolina is in both compacts. Traffic convictions from other states and from military courts are posted to a South Carolina record and add points. A conviction from another state for something that is not an offense here is not recorded. A driver licensed in another compact state can usually sign the ticket and go without posting bond. If they don't comply, South Carolina reports it to their home state.
How much does a speeding ticket raise insurance in South Carolina?
About 19% on average for full coverage, according to ValuePenguin State of Auto Insurance in 2026. Your insurer's rate can differ a lot from the average.
Sources
South Carolina law and DMV sources (9)
- AAMVA DLC/NRVC Member Joinder Dates (rev. April 2026), AAMVA.
- S.C. Code Title 56 Chapter 1 (§§ 56-1-390 reinstatement fee, 56-1-720 to 56-1-790 point system), South Carolina Legislature.
- S.C. Code Title 56 Chapter 5 (§§ 56-5-1520 speeding fines, 56-5-1535 highway worker endangerment, 56-5-2770 and 56-5-2780 school bus, 56-5-3890 mobile devices, 56-5-6190 general penalty, 56-5-6540 seat belt), South Carolina Legislature.
- S.C. Code Title 14 Chapter 1 (§§ 14-1-207, 14-1-208 assessments, 14-1-211, 14-1-212 surcharges), South Carolina Legislature.
- S.C. Code Title 56 Chapter 10 (§ 56-10-520 uninsured motor vehicle), South Carolina Legislature.
- S.C. Code Title 56 Chapter 25 (Nonresident Violator Compact, §§ 56-25-20 to 56-25-40), South Carolina Legislature.
- S.C. Code Title 18 Chapter 3 (§ 18-3-30 appeal from magistrates court), South Carolina Legislature.
- S.C. Code Title 17 Chapter 22 Article 3 (Traffic Education Program Act, §§ 17-22-300 to 17-22-350), South Carolina Legislature.
- SCDMV: Points System, South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles.
Insurance sources (4)
- State of Auto Insurance in 2026, ValuePenguin (LendingTree).
- Car Insurance Rate Increases with a Speeding Ticket in 2026, ValuePenguin (LendingTree).
- How Does a DUI Affect Your Auto Insurance Rates in 2026?, ValuePenguin (LendingTree).
- How Much Will My Car Insurance Rates Go Up After a Crash in 2026?, ValuePenguin (LendingTree).