Section effective until January 1, 2024. See, also, section 56-15-330 effective January 1, 2024.

No dealer may be issued or allowed to maintain a motor vehicle dealer’s license unless:

Terms Used In South Carolina Code 56-15-330

  • Motor vehicle: means any motor driven vehicle required to be registered pursuant to § 56-3-110. See South Carolina Code 56-15-10
  • Sale: shall include the issuance, transfer, agreement for transfer, exchange, pledge, hypothecation, mortgage in any form, whether by transfer in trust or otherwise, of any motor vehicle or interest therein or of any franchise related thereto; and any option, lease, subscription or other contract, or solicitation, looking to a sale, or offer or attempt to sell in any form, whether spoken or written. See South Carolina Code 56-15-10

(1) The dealer maintains a bona fide established place of business for conducting the business of selling or exchanging motor vehicles which must be the principal business conducted from the fixed location. The sale of motorcycle or motor driven cycles need not be the principal business conducted from the fixed location. A bona fide established place of business for any motor vehicle dealer includes a permanent, enclosed building or structure, not excluding a permanently installed mobile home containing at least ninety-six square feet of floor space, actually occupied by the applicant and easily accessible by the public, at which a permanent business of bartering, trading, or selling of motor vehicles or displaying vehicles for bartering, trading, or selling is carried on, wherein the public may contact the owner or operator at all reasonable times and in which must be kept and maintained the books, records, and files required by this chapter. A bona fide established place of business does not mean a residence, tent, temporary stand, or other temporary quarters.

(2) The dealer’s place of business must display a permanent sign with letters at least six inches in height, clearly readable from the nearest major avenue of traffic. The sign must clearly identify the licensed business.

(3) The dealer’s place of business must have a reasonable area or lot to properly display motor vehicles.