Upcoming simplification to IRP!

Beginning in 2015, cab-cards will show all jurisdictions! No more "add state or province". No more "over 100 percent fees" for added jurisdictions. If you have IRP, no more trip permits. This is true IRP-wide. All states and provinces will be implementing this. This has been referred to as Full Reciprocity or the Full Reciprocity Plan, and was adopted by IRP by ballot in October 2013.

How it Will Work

The effective date for your fleet depends on your fleet’s IRP expiration date.

The New Rules Apply for Registration Periods Beginning Jan. 1, 2015 or Later

For example, registrations expiring December 2014 (or later) that are renewing for operation in 2015, your cab-card will show all IRP states and Canadian provinces. You’ll no longer need to select jurisdictions in which you intend to operate. Your IRP fees will be calculated based on your June-July "reporting period" distances. If you are a new carrier without a reporting period history, you’ll pay fees based on the South Carolina Average Per Vehicle Distance Chart.

You’ll be able to operate in any IRP jurisdiction without the trouble and expense of adding a jurisdiction, nor of buying a trip permit. For each IRP renewal, fees will be charged based on the fleet’s "reporting period" distance.

For renewals of registrations expiring November 2014 or earlier – thus with a new expiration date November 2015 or earlier – the old rules will continue to apply through the expiration date in 2015. Cab-cards will only display those jurisdictions specifically requested by the carrier.

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Beginning 2015, Motor Carrier Services will no longer mail the IRP/IFTA renewal package and IFTA quarterly tax returns. To update your file and ensure proper notification concerning your IRP/IFTA renewals and IFTA quarterly tax returns, it is required that you provide Motor Carrier Services with an updated e-mail address. All forms can be obtained at www.scdmvonline.com under Forms and Manuals.

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Effective immediately, SCDMV will not update the MCS 150 as part of processing the IRP renewal.  If the MCS-150 form has not been updated within the required FMCSA timeframe the IRP registration will be DENIED. If assistance is needed with the MCS 150 on the new requirement contact the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration at 1-800-832-5660 or www.fmcsa.dot.gov.

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The purpose of the International Registration Plan (IRP) is to promote and encourage the fullest possible use of the highway system by authorizing the proportional registration of fleets of vehicles and the recognition of vehicles proportionally registered in other jurisdictions, thus contributing to the economic and social development and growth of all jurisdictions.

In accordance with the plan, an interstate carrier is only required to submit an application with the jurisdiction in which he is based. The base jurisdiction in turn issues the apportioned license plate and cab card. Inasmuch as the cab card will list all jurisdictions in which the registrant has paid registration fees, it is the only vehicle registration required to operate interstate or intrastate in IRP jurisdictions. However, all other requirements pertaining to fuel or any other tax must be in compliance prior to entry into each state.

Apportioned vehicles are defined as any vehicle used or maintained primarily for the transportation of property and:

1. Is a power unit having 2 axles and a gross vehicle weight or registered gross vehicle weight in excess of 26,000 pounds or 11,793.401 kilograms; or
2. Is a power unit having three or more axles regardless of weight; or
3. Is used in combination, when the weight of such combination exceeds 26,000 pounds or 11,793.401 kilograms.

Vehicles, or combinations thereof, having a gross vehicle weight or registered gross vehicle weight of 26,000 pounds or less and two-axle vehicles may be proportionally registered at the option of the registrant. 

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Renewal Procedures

IRP registrations must be renewed annually for the new license year. Each month, the Motor Carrier Services Section will send an email notification to licensees whose accounts that will be expiring within the next 30-45 days. The renewal application must be completed, signed and returned to Motor Carrier Services for the new IRP credential to be issued. Motor carriers can also renew their IRP account online if they are signed up as a web user to access the MCS online registration system.  

Completed applications must be submitted to the Motor Carrier Services Office in Blythewood, SC or the following Department of Motor Vehicle Offices: 

Blythewood DMV - 10311 Wilson Boulevard, Blythewood SC 29016

Chester DMV - 508 Belt Road, Chester SC 29706

Dillon DMV - 1705 Hwy. 301 South, Dillon, SC 29536-5087

Irmo-Ballentine DMV - 1016 Broadstone Road, Irmo, SC 29063

Kingstree DMV - 785 Eastland Avenue, Kingstree, SC 29556

North Augusta DMV - 1913 Ascaugua Road, North Augusta, SC 29841

Greer DMV - 610 Arlington Road, Greer, SC 29651

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Due to the fact that incorrect or incomplete application will be returned to you – please take the time to carefully check your schedules before submitting them to our office.

1. List the correct customer number at the top of all pages of the application in the box indicated “Customer Number”. Submit the US DOT# that has been assigned to you.  (If this is a new account and you don’t have a USDOT number, prior to coming to SCDMV you must apply to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for the USDOT number by completing the MCS-150 at www.fmcsa.dot.gov.) The customer number will be assigned at the time of the account being opened.
2. Verify that all applications are completed in full and in blue or black ink. Please print legibly.
3. The original cab card must be submitted with the FRP Schedule C when deleting vehicles. Even if the license plate is being transferred to another vehicle. (Cab Card(s) not needed when deleting vehicle(s) at renewal.)
4. Proof of ownership (the original title only or complete title application) for all vehicles being added to your IRP account.
5. Make sure that you have signed all applications where a signature is requested.
6. Actual Distance must be indicated on FRP Schedule B for every jurisdiction you operated in during the distance reporting period.
7. Copy of Lease Agreement.
8. You must have a Power Of Attorney to conduct transactions on an IRP account that is in the name of another person or entity.

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You will need the following when submitting payment for your apportioned license plate.

1. Form 2290 – Proof of payment of Heavy Vehicle Use Tax for all vehicles registered at a gross vehicle weight of 55,000 pounds or greater. Acceptable proof of payment shall be the Form 2290 – Schedule 1, validated by IRS or a copy of the current year’s completed Form 2290 – Schedule 1, accompanied by a photocopy of the canceled check (front and back) which was used for payment of same. A Form 2290 is not needed if the vehicle is registered within 60 days from the date of purchase. However, HVUT must be paid within 30 days from the date of purchase to avoid late penalties by the IRS.
2. Partial payment will be allowed providing the South Carolina license fee is in excess of $400.00 per vehicle and previous payments have not been delinquent. If your invoice does not indicate a “1^st payment” total, your account does not qualify for a partial payment and the entire amount due must be paid before credentials are issued.
3. PAYMENT FOR LICENSE PLATES MUST BE IN THE FORM OF
   CASH, CHECK OR MONEY ORDER. Checks must be in the name of the company or individual on the account. Make check payable to the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. We remind you that it is imperative for your payment to be submitted promptly if your credentials are to be issued on time.

PENALTIES will be charged to the following:

• Renewal credentials issued after the credentials have expired,
• a vehicle that was deleted from the renewal but added back into service later in the year,
• a temporary authorization that has expired on a vehicle added to a fleet or a plate transfer,
• or late registration on a newly acquired vehicle. Penalty fees will be due as follows:

First 14 days = $10.00, 15 to 30 days = $25.00, 31 to 90 days = $50.00 and over 90 days = $75.00.

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South Carolina will issue letters authorizing temporary vehicle registration, pending issuance of IRP credentials. These permits may be obtained from this Department upon receipt of a completed application for title and registration of a newly purchased vehicle being transferred from another state. Temporary registrations will not be issued on vehicles being renewed under IRP. This permit can only be obtained by contacting IRP Section in Columbia and is valid for a period of 45 days or until the expiration of the license year. An original TA must be carried in each vehicle listed on the Temporary Registration. When requesting a temporary registration, you must submit the following documents and fees:

1. Completed FRP Schedule C for supplemental application with the “Temporary Evidence of Apportioned Registration Requested” box filled and initialed is to be used when adding another vehicle to an existing fleet. Be sure to indicate if a current license plate is being transferred. If so, return the cab card for the deleted vehicle.
2. Current title or certificate of origin.
3. Original notarized bill of sale, which must include the odometer reading and sales price (applies to a newly purchased vehicle only)
4. Completed Form 400
5. $15.00 title fee.
6. 5% sales tax, maximum of $300.00, or tax exempt number assigned by South Carolina Department of Revenue, Tax Section (newly purchased vehicles only).

PLEASE NOTE: Receipt of temporary operating authority obligates the registrant for payment of IRP billing for the vehicles(s) listed on that schedule. Billing notices should be received within ten days to two weeks. Should you fail to receive a bill within this time period, please contact the Motor Carrier Services Office at (803) 896-3870, as there can be no modification in the expiration date of these authorities.

Temporary Authorizations are valid for 45 days or less depending upon expiration date of account.

Click here to see a listing of SCDMV offices that can and cannot issue TA's. 

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VEHICLES NOT CONSIDERED HIGHWAY MOTOR VEHICLES

Generally, the following kinds of vehicles are not considered highway motor vehicles for the purpose of exemption from IRS 2290 Heavy Vehicle Use Tax.

1. Specially designed mobile machinery for nontransportation functions. A self-propelled vehicle is not a highway vehicle if all the following apply.

   1. The chassis has permanently mounted to it machinery or equipment used to perform certain operations (construction, manufacturing, drilling, mining, timbering, processing, farming, or similar operations) if the operation of the machinery or equipment is unrelated to transportation on or off the public highways,

   2. The chassis has been specially designed to serve only as a mobile carriage and mount (and power source, if applicable) for the machinery or equipment, whether or not the machinery or equipment is in operation, and

   3. The chassis could not, because of its special design and without substantial structural modification, be used as part of a vehicle designed to carry any other load.
      
      

2. Vehicles specially designed for off highway transportation. A vehicle is not treated as a highway vehicle if the vehicle is specially designed for the primary function of transporting a particular type of load other than over the public highway and because of this special design, the vehicle's capability to transport a load over a public highway is substantially limited or impaired.
   
   To make this determination you can take into account the vehicle's size whether the vehicle is subject to licensing safety or other requirements and whether the vehicle can transport a load at a sustained speed of at least 25 miles per hour. It does not matter that the vehicle can carry heavier loads off highway than it is allowed to carry over the highway.
   
   

3. Nontransportation trailers and semi-trailers. A trailer or semi-trailer will not be treated as a highway vehicle if it is specially designed to function as an enclosed stationary shelter for carrying on a nontransportation function at an off-highway site. For example a trailer that is capable only of functioning as an office for an off-highway construction operation is not a highway vehicle.
   
   

4. Other from IRS. Visit www.irs.gov/form2290 for the less common list of exemptions.

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Requests for duplicate or replacement cab cards should be submitted on Form 3090. The fee will be $1.00 per card. There is no charge for corrections due to departmental error or address changes. Approved web users can process online to obtain cab card.

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To replace a lost, stolen or mutilated license plate, the registrant must complete Form 452-A. The fee will be $6.00 per replacement license plate. Be sure to submit these forms and fee, along with your original cab card for the license being replaced, directly to the Motor Carrier Services Office, whether by mail or in person, unless temporary authorization has been issued. In which case, these forms and fee must be submitted to the Branch Office personnel issuing the temporary authorization. The Branch Office will then forward these documents to the Motor Carrier Services Office. You should receive replacement license plates, and duplicate cab cards within two (2) weeks. If not, please contact Motor Carrier Services. Approved web users can process online.

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Credentials for the registration year should be on the vehicle no later than mid-night of the last day of your expiration month. License plates must be mounted on the front of the power unit and the back of trailers and semi-trailers. The original cab card must be available for inspection by appropriate enforcement personnel; copies are not acceptable.

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Should the registrant decide to increase his registered weight for any member jurisdiction, a FRP Schedule C must be filed with this Department. Additional fees will be calculated for the increase in weight for the remaining portion of the registration year.

NOTE: Vehicle weights will not be decreased during the license year.

Weight decreases can only be made at license renewal time.

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