Vehicle registration plates of South Carolina

1917 to 1975

In 1956, the U.S. states and Canadian provinces came to an agreement with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, the Automobile Manufacturers Association and the National Safety Council that standardized the size for license plates for vehicles (except those for motorcycles) at 6 inches (15 cm) in height by 12 inches (30 cm) in width, with standardized mounting holes.^[1] The 1955 (dated 1956) issue was the first South Carolina license plate that complied with these standards.

Image	Dates issued	Design	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
	1917	Embossed black numbers on light yellow plate; "SC 17" at right	none	12345	5001 to approximately 41000
	1918	Embossed white numbers on green plate with border line; "SC 18" at left	none	12345	5001 to approximately 61000
	1919	Embossed blue numbers on white plate with border line; "S.C. 1919" centered at bottom	none	12-345	5-001 to approximately 73-000
	1920	Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "S.C. 1920" centered at bottom	none	12-345	5-001 to approximately 98-000
	1921	Embossed red numbers on black plate with border line; "S.C. 1921" centered at bottom	none	A12-345	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1922	Embossed black numbers on white plate with border line; "SC 22" at right	none	A12-345	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1923	Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "SC 23" at right	none	A12-345	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1924	Embossed black numbers on orange plate with border line; "24" and "SC" monogram at right	none	A123-456	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1925	Embossed white numbers on green plate with border line; "SC" monogram and "25" at right	none	A123-456	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1926	Embossed red numbers on white plate with border line; "SC" at right, with letters separated by embossed Sabal palmetto containing debossed "26"	none	A123-456	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1927	Embossed green numbers on white plate with border line; "SC" at right, with letters separated by embossed Sabal palmetto containing debossed "27"	none	A123-456	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1928	Embossed black numbers on yellow plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA 1928" at bottom	none	A123-456	Letter corresponds to weight class	First use of the full state name.
	1929	Embossed black numbers on white plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA 1929" at bottom	none	A-12-345	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1930	Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA 1930" at bottom	Vertical "IODINE" at right	A-12-345	Letter corresponds to weight class	The slogan referred to the high amounts of iodine found in South Carolina's produce. Similar slogans were used through 1933.
	1931	Embossed green numbers on gray plate with border line; "S.C.", slogan and "31" at bottom	"THE IODINE STATE" between state abbreviation and year	A-12-345	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1932	Embossed black numbers on golden yellow plate with border line; "S.C.", slogan and "32" at top	"THE IODINE STATE" between state abbreviation and year	A-12-345	Letter corresponds to weight class
	January – October 1933	Embossed black numbers on white plate with border line; "SC 33" at right	"THE IODINE PRODUCTS STATE" at bottom	A-12-345	Letter corresponds to weight class
	November 1933 – April 1934	Embossed black numbers on yellow plate; "SC · EXPIRES APR 30 · 34" at top	none	A-12-345	Letter corresponds to weight class
	May – October 1934	Embossed yellow numbers on black plate; "SC · EXPIRES OCT 31 · 34" at bottom	none	A-12-345	Letter corresponds to weight class
	November 1934 – April 1935	Embossed white numbers on black plate; "SC · APRIL 30 · 35" at top	none	A-12-345	Letter corresponds to weight class
	May – October 1935	Embossed black numbers on white plate; "SC · OCTOBER 31 · 35" at bottom	none	A-12-345	Letter corresponds to weight class
	November 1935 – April 1936	Embossed yellow numbers on black plate with border line; "SC · APRIL 30 · 36" at top	none	A-12-345	Letter corresponds to weight class
	May – October 1936	Embossed black numbers on yellow plate with border line; "SC · OCTOBER 31 · 36" at bottom	none	A-12-345	Letter corresponds to weight class
	November 1936 – October 1937	Embossed black numbers on white plate with border line; "SC · OCTOBER 31 · 37" at bottom	none	A·12·345	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1937–38	Embossed black numbers on golden yellow plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 38" at bottom	none	A·12·345	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1938–39	Embossed black numbers on white plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 39" at bottom	none	A·12·345	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1939–40	Embossed golden yellow numbers on black plate; "SC · OCTOBER 31 · 40" at bottom	none	A·12·345	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1940–41	Embossed black numbers on golden yellow plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 41" at bottom	none	A·12·345	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1941–42	Embossed golden yellow numbers on black plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 42" at top	none	A·12·345	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1942–44	Embossed black numbers on golden yellow plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 43" at bottom	none	A·12·345	Letter corresponds to weight class	Revalidated for 1944 with green tabs, due to metal conservation for World War II.
	1945	Embossed yellow numbers on green plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 45" at top	none	A·12·345	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1946	Embossed silver numbers on black plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 46" at bottom	none	A·123·456	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1947	Embossed black numbers on golden yellow plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 47" at top	none	A·123·456	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1948	Embossed yellow numbers on black plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 48" at bottom	none	A·123·456	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1949	Embossed white numbers on black plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 49" at top	none	A·123·456	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1950	Embossed black numbers on white plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 50" at bottom	none	A·123·456	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1951	Embossed white numbers on black plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 51" at top	none	A·123·456	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1952	Embossed yellow numbers on black plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 52" at bottom	none	A·123·456	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1953	Embossed black numbers on golden yellow plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 53" at top	none	A·123·456	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1954	Embossed white numbers on black plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 54" at bottom	none	A·123·456	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1955	Embossed black numbers on white plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 55" at top	none	A·123·456	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1956	Embossed black numbers on yellow plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 56" at bottom	none	A-123456	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1957	Embossed white numbers on blue plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 57" at top	none	A-123456	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1958	Embossed blue numbers on white plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 58" at bottom	none	A-123456	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1959	Embossed white numbers on blue plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 59" at top	none	A-123456	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1960	Embossed blue numbers on white plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 60" at bottom	none	A-123456	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1961	Embossed red numbers on white plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA 61" at top	none	A-123456	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1962	Embossed white numbers on red plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA 62" at bottom	none	A-123456	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1963	Embossed white numbers on green plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA 63" at top	none	A-123456	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1964	Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA 64" at bottom	none	A-123456 AA-1234	First letter corresponds to weight class	Two-letter serial format introduced for each weight class, though the single-letter format continued to be used.
	1965	Embossed black numbers on white plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA 65" at top	none	A-123456 AA-1234	First letter corresponds to weight class
	1966	Embossed white numbers on blue plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA 66" at bottom	none	A 123456 AA 1234	First letter corresponds to weight class
	1967	Embossed dark blue numbers on white plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA" and "1967" centered at top and bottom respectively	none	A 123456 AA 1234	First letter corresponds to weight class
	1968	Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA" and "AUTO" centered at top and bottom respectively; "19" at bottom left and "68" at bottom right	none	A 123456	Letter corresponds to weight class
	1969	Embossed white numbers on blue plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA" and "1969" centered at top and bottom respectively	none	A 123456 AA 1234	First letter corresponds to weight class
	1970	Embossed white numbers on green plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA" at top	"300 YEARS" centered at bottom, with "1670" at bottom left and "1970" at bottom right	A 123456 AA 1234	First letter corresponds to weight class	Commemorated the 300th anniversary of the settlement of South Carolina.
	1971	Embossed white numbers on brown plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA" at top and "1971" centered at bottom	none	A 123456 AA 1234	First letter corresponds to weight class
	1972	Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA" at top and "1972" centered at bottom	none	ABC 123	AAA 101 to approximately TOW 250	For each three-letter series, only the numbers 101 to 250 were issued. This practice continued until 1976.
	1973	Embossed white numbers on blue plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA" at top and "1973" centered at bottom	none	ABC 123	AAA 101 to approximately VEP 250
	1974	Embossed white numbers on green plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA" at top and "1974" centered at bottom	none	ABC 123	AAA 101 to approximately WJC 250
	1975	Embossed white numbers on maroon plate with border line; "SOUTH CAROLINA" at top and "1975" centered at bottom	none	ABC 123	AAA 101 to approximately WRC 250

1976 to present

Image	Dates issued	Design	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
	1976 – December 1979	Embossed blue numbers on reflective white plate; red Sabal palmetto and blue cannon screened in the center; "1775" and "1783" screened in blue on either side of cannon; red band screened at bottom containing "SOUTH CAROLINA" in white in the center	"1776 Bicentennial 1976" screened in blue at top	ABC 123	AAA 101 to WZZ 400; AAA 401 to WZZ 500	Commemorated both the US Bicentennial and the Revolutionary War. Numbers 101 to 400 issued for each three-letter series first, followed by numbers 401 to 500 from 1978. I, O, P, Q, U and Y used only as overflow letters; this practice continued until 1985.[2]
	January 1980 – December 1984	Embossed blue numbers on reflective white plate; white state seal on pale blue state shape screened in the center; "South Carolina" screened in blue centered at bottom	none	ABC 123	AAA 101 to YZZ 500	Numbers 101 to 500 issued for each three-letter series.
	January 1985 – December 1989	Embossed blue numbers on reflective white plate; pale blue Sabal palmetto screened in the center; "SOUTH CAROLINA" screened in red at top	none	ABC 123	AAA 501 to ZZZ 999	Numbers 501 to 900 issued for each three-letter series, with 901 to 999 added in 1988.
	January 1990 – December 1997	Embossed black numbers on reflective white plate; Carolina wren on yellow jessamine vine screened at top; "SOUTH CAROLINA" screened in brown centered at bottom	none	ABC 123	AAA 101 to YZZ 500; AAA 501 to YZZ 900	Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new license plate of 1990 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the first and, to date, only time South Carolina has been so honored. Numbers 101 to 500 issued for each three-letter series first, followed by numbers 501 to 900 from mid-1991.
	January 1998 – October 2007	Embossed black numbers on reflective white plate; light blue mountain graphic screened at top and sides and Sabal palmetto in the center; "South Carolina" screened in light blue centered at bottom	"Smiling Faces. Beautiful Places." screened in black at top	123 ABC	101 AAA to approximately 900 XBJ	Numbers 101 to 900 issued for each three-letter series, with 901 to 999 added in late 2007 at the XCR series. Letters I, O and Q not used, and U used only from 2002 onwards, beginning with the NKU series.[2]
	October 2007[3] – June 2008	As above, but with numbers screened rather than embossed			101 XBK to approximately 999 XXM
	July 2008 – January 2016	Screened black numbers on multicolored sunset background with state flag motif at center	TRAVEL2SC.COM	ABC 123	AAA 101 to approximately LZC 999	Letter O not used in serials; this practice continues today.
	February 2016 – present	Screened black numbers on white and blue background with state flag motif at center	While I Breathe, I Hope.	ABC 123	LZD 101 to QHK 999 (as of September 30, 2018)