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South Carolina · Through 2026 Session of the General Assembly

S.C. Code Ann. § 56-3-115: "SAFE" notation added to motor vehicle registration.

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Where this section sits in the code
  1. Title 56 - MOTOR VEHICLES
  2. CHAPTER 3 Motor Vehicle Registration and Licensing
  3. ARTICLE 3 Registration and Licensing Generally

(A) The registered owner or co-owner of a private passenger carrying automobile may voluntarily disclose to the department that he or his child or ward has been diagnosed with certain disabilities or disorders. Upon presenting an original certificate from a licensed physician as defined in Section 40-47-20 and other documentation determined necessary by the department, the department may add the notation "SAFE" to the vehicle registration to indicate that the person has been diagnosed with any of the following disabilities or disorders:

(1) deaf or hard of hearing. The application for a registration notation pursuant to this subsection must include an original certificate from a licensed physician as defined in Section 40-47-20, or a licensed audiologist as defined in Section 40-67-20, that certifies that the registered owner or his child or ward has a permanent, uncorrectable hearing loss of forty decibels or more in one or both ears;

(2) autism;

(3) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder;

(4) Down syndrome;

(5) Alzheimer's disease;

(6) traumatic brain injury;

(7) post-traumatic stress disorder;

(8) diabetes;

(9) an autoimmune disorder;

(10) blindness; or

(11) any other mentally or physically limiting disorder.

(B) The "SAFE" notation must only appear when law enforcement runs a check on the vehicle's license plate through the department's online interface to alert the officer that the driver or a passenger may have a disability or disorder contained in subsection (A). The department may not include in the vehicle registration personal identifying information of, or any diagnosis of, a person for whom a diagnosis is indicated.

(C) The department must allow a motor vehicle owner or co-owner to update a motor vehicle registration to include or remove the "SAFE" notation at any time. The child or ward may remove himself as a designee of the "SAFE" notation upon attaining the age of eighteen and submitting documentation determined necessary by the department.

(D) No cause of action may arise nor may liability be imposed against any person, government entity, or government entity officer, agent, or employee arising from any action taken by any person in reliance upon information indicated on a person's vehicle registration when the registered owner or co-owner or his child or ward, a licensed physician, or a licensed audiologist provided the information on the forms required pursuant to this section.

Collected 2026-10-25T04:25:35Z. Source file · JSON

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