Requirements for Totaling a Vehicle

• Totaling a vehicle in South Carolina requires that you first determine the cost of repairing it. Compare the cost of the repairs with the current market value of the vehicle. To find out the current value of your vehicle, contact your insurance company or a local dealership. You can also research through online tools, such as the Kelley Blue Book Official Guide (kbb.com) -- the guide itself having been a professional resource for automobile valuation for over 80 years. The vehicle can be totaled if the cost of repair is 75 percent or more of the current market value of the vehicle.
  
  

Vehicle Title Requirements

• A salvage title is required by the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) if the vehicle is declared totaled. You, as the vehicle's owner, or a representative of your insurance company can request the salvage title. A new title will have to be issued after passing an inspection if the totaled vehicle is rebuilt.
  
  

Forms and Fees

• To request a salvage title, you will need a letter from your insurance company indicating that the repair costs are 75 percent or more of the vehicle's current market value. You will also need to complete the Form TR-3, Request for Salvage (Total Loss) Title. A copy of this form is available for download on the South Carolina DMV website (dmv.org/sc-south-carolina/salvaged-vehicles.php). The vehicle title and registration documents must be included and have your name on them. At the time of publication, the South Carolina DMV charges a $15 salvage title fee. The rates are subject to change, so contact the DMV office for a current fee schedule.
  
  

Submit the Documents or Contact the DMV Office

• Visit the local DMV office to submit the paperwork. A directory of DMV office locations is listed on the South Carolina DMV website. Or, you can mail the documents and payment to the agency:
  
  South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles
  
  Attention: Title Mail-In Unit
  
  P.O. Box 1498
  
  Blythewood, SC 29016-0024