(A) The determination of gross vehicle weight to register and license self-propelled property carrying vehicles is the empty weight of the vehicle or combination of vehicles and the heaviest load to be transported by the vehicle or combination of vehicles as declared by the registered owner. All determinations of weight must be made in units of one thousand pounds or major fraction of one thousand pounds. The declared gross vehicle weight applies to all self-propelled property carrying vehicles operating in tandem with trailers or semitrailers except that the gross weight of a trailer or semitrailer is not required to be included when the operation is to be in tandem with a self-propelled property carrying vehicle licensed for six thousand pounds or less gross weight, and the gross vehicle weight of the combination does not exceed nine thousand pounds. The Department of Motor Vehicles may register and license a small commercial motor vehicle, as defined in § 12-37-2810, for which the biennial registration and license fee is one-hundred and sixty dollars or more for an annual or one-year period beginning on April first and ending on March thirty-first of the next year upon application to the department by the owner and the payment of one-half the specified biennial fee or for a semiannual or one-half year beginning on April first and ending on September thirtieth of the same year upon application to the department by the owner and the payment of the appropriate fees. The registration and license fee for small commercial motor vehicles which are registered for the remaining twenty-four months or less of the twenty-four month biennial period or for the eleven months or less of the twelve-month year ending on March thirty-first or the remaining five months or less for the one-half period ending on September thirtieth is the proportionate part of the specified biennial fee for the remainder of the twenty-four month period or year or one-half year based on one twenty-fourth of the specified twenty-four-month fee for each month or part of a month remaining in the biennial registration period or license year or one-half year. A proportionate fee may not be reduced lower than ten dollars. A person making application for a registration and license for a motor vehicle of this classification shall declare the true unloaded or empty weight of the vehicle.

(B) The biennial fees for the gross vehicle weight are:

(1)not over 4,000 pounds:$30.00; (2)4,001 to 5,000 pounds:$40.00; (3)5,001 to 6,000 pounds:$60.00; (4)6,001 to 7,000 pounds:$70.00; (5)7,001 to 8,000 pounds:$80.00; (6)8,001 to 9,000 pounds:$90.00; (7)9,001 to 10,000 pounds:$100.00; (8)10,001 to 11,000 pounds:$110.00; (9)11,001 to 12,000 pounds:$120.00; (10)12,001 to 13,000 pounds:$130.00; (11)13,001 to 14,000 pounds:$140.00; (12)14,001 to 15,000 pounds:$150.00; (13)15,001 to 16,000 pounds:$184.00; (14)16,001 to 17,000 pounds:$195.50; (15)17,001 to 18,000 pounds:$207.00; (16)18,001 to 19,000 pounds:$218.50; (17)19,001 to 20,000 pounds:$260.00; (18)20,001 to 21,000 pounds:$273.00; (19)21,001 to 22,000 pounds:$308.00; (20)22,001 to 23,000 pounds:$322.00; (21)23,001 to 24,000 pounds:$360.00; (22)24,001 to 25,000 pounds:$375.00; (23)25,001 to 26,000 pounds:$392.00; (24)26,001 to 27,000 pounds:$408.00; (25)27,001 to 28,000 pounds:$424.00; (26)28,001 to 29,000 pounds:$438.00; (27)29,001 to 30,000 pounds:$452.00; (28)30,001 to 31,000 pounds:$468.00; (29)31,001 to 32,000 pounds:$482.00; (30)32,001 to 33,000 pounds:$498.00; (31)33,001 to 34,000 pounds:$514.00; (32)34,001 to 35,000 pounds:$528.00; (33)35,001 to 36,000 pounds:$544.00; (34)36,001 to 37,000 pounds:$558.00; (35)37,001 to 38,000 pounds:$572.00; (36)38,001 to 39,000 pounds:$588.00; (37)39,001 to 40,000 pounds:$604.00; (38)40,001 to 41,000 pounds:$616.00; (39)41,001 to 42,000 pounds:$634.00; (40)42,001 to 43,000 pounds:$650.00; (41)43,001 to 44,000 pounds:$664.00; (42)44,001 to 45,000 pounds:$680.00; (43)45,001 to 46,000 pounds;$694.00; (44)46,001 to 47,000 pounds:$708.00; (45)47,001 to 48,000 pounds:$724.00; (46)48,001 to 49,000 pounds:$740.00; (47)49,001 to 50,000 pounds:$754.00; (48)50,001 to 51,000 pounds:$770.00; (49)51,001 to 52,000 pounds:$784.00; (50)52,001 to 53,000 pounds:$800.00; (51)53,001 to 54,000 pounds:$814.00; (52)54,001 to 55,000 pounds:$830.00; (53)55,001 to 56,000 pounds:$844.00; (54)56,001 to 57,000 pounds:$860.00; (55)57,001 to 58,000 pounds:$876.00; (56)58,001 to 59,000 pounds:$890.00; (57)59,001 to 60,000 pounds:$906.00; (58)60,001 to 61,000 pounds:$920.00; (59)61,001 to 62,000 pounds:$934.00; (60)62,001 to 63,000 pounds:$950.00; (61)63,001 to 64,000 pounds:$964.00; (62)64,001 to 65,000 pounds:$1,132.00; (63)65,001 to 66,000 pounds:$1,148.00; (64)66,001 to 67,000 pounds:$1,166.00; (65)67,001 to 68,000 pounds:$1,182.00; (66)68,001 to 69,000 pounds:$1,200.00; (67)69,001 to 70,000 pounds:$1,218.00; (68)70,001 to 71,000 pounds:$1,236.00; (69)71,001 to 72,000 pounds:$1,336.00; (70)72,001 to 72,000 pounds:$1,354.00; (71)73,001 to 74,000 pounds:$1,374.00; (72)74,001 to 75,000 pounds:$1,392.00; (73)75,001 to 76,000 pounds:$1,410.00; (74)76,001 to 77,000 pounds:$1,516.00; (75)77,001 to 78,000 pounds:$1,538.00; (76)78,001 to 79,000 pounds:$1,558.00; (77)79,001 to 80,000 pounds:$1,600.00;

No vehicle in excess of 80,000 pounds will be registered.

(C) Notwithstanding other provisions of this chapter, the department may enter into agreement with other states in a registration and license reciprocal agreement known as the International Registration Plan and the registration and license required in this section may be apportioned for vehicles which qualify and are licensed in accordance with the provisions of the plan. For the purpose of registering a vehicle under the International Registration Plan, a motor carrier selecting South Carolina as its base jurisdiction must own or lease real property used directly in the transportation of freight or persons within the State.

(D) A vehicle registered in this State and found to be operating in excess of the gross vehicle weight for which it is currently registered may be impounded by the department until all registration fees, permit fees, or penalties are paid or satisfactory arrangements for payment of the fees and/or penalties to the department have been made.

(E) The department may register a large commercial motor vehicle, as defined in § 12-37-2810 pursuant to the payment provisions outlined in § 12-37-2840. The department may require any information necessary to complete the transaction. A large commercial motor vehicle shall register annually rather than biennially.

(F) Upon evidence of reliability in the payment of its obligations, the department may accept the check of a motor carrier company in payment of applicable fees and assessments.

(G) Fees for licensing and registration, and fees imposed pursuant to Article 23, Chapter 37 of Title 12, may be credited or prorated as prescribed by the Department of Motor Vehicles.