H 3858 is sponsored by Murphy, Chris, Representative Gary S. Brewer, Jr., Representative Fawn M. Pedalino, Representative Phillip D. Lowe, Representative Cody T. Mitchell, Representative Donald G. "Don" Chapman, Representative Sylleste H. Davis, Representative Heath Sessions, Representative Shannon S. Erickson, Representative Brandon Guffey, Representative Brandon L. Cox, Representative Lee Hewitt, Representative James E. Teeple, Representative Thomas F. "Tom" Hartnett, Jr., Representative Thomas E. "Tommy" Pope, Representative J. Todd Rutherford, T. Case Brittain, Jr. (Republican), Representative Chris Wooten, Representative Thomas Duval "Val" Guest, Jr., Representative William "Bill" Hager, J.L. Johnson, Representative Brandon Newton, Representative William H. Bailey, Representative Joseph M. "Joe" Bustos, Representative Craig A. Gagnon, Representative Leon D. "Doug" Gilliam, Representative William G. "Bill" Herbkersman, Representative Harriet A. Holman, Representative Wallace H. "Jay" Jordan, Jr., Representative M. Brian Lawson, Representative David Martin, Representative Robby Robbins, Representative Nathan Ballentine, Representative Travis A. Moore, Representative W. Scott Montgomery IV, Representative Richard Blake Sanders, Representative Lucas Atkinson, Representative Thomas R. "Randy" Ligon, Representative Daniel Gibson, Representative JA Moore, Representative Micajah P. "Micah" Caskey IV, Representative Dennis C. Moss, Representative William C. "Chris" Huff, Representative Thomas Beach, Representative Marvin "Mark" Smith, Representative Jackie R. Terribile, Representative John Gregory "Jay" Kilmartin, Representative Kevin Hardee, Representative Bill Taylor, Representative Richard L. "Richie" Yow, J.E. Johnson, Representative Kathy Landing, Stephen D. Frank (Republican), Representative Cally R. "Cal" Forrest, Jr., Representative Melissa Lackey Oremus, Representative Roger K. Kirby, Representative William M. "Bill" Hixon, Representative April Cromer, and Representative Thomas Lee Gilreath.

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South Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session Status: Enacted 2 R cosponsors

H 3858 — Taxation on boats

Last action April 02, 2026 — Act No. 109

✓
Introduced
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In Committee
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Passed House
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Passed Senate
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To Executive
6
Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 30, 2025. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Henry McMaster (Republican) on March 30, 2026.

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.

Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.

A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 82% · moderate confidence

Enacted

Current position in the legislative process.
60 sponsors

60 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.
Single-party support

Sponsorship is currently within one party (2 R).
Cleared a recorded vote

Passed 4 recorded votes so far.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Summary

AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING ARTICLE 1 OF CHAPTER 23, TITLE 50, SECTION 50-23-345, AND SECTION 50-23-375, ALL RELATING TO THE TITLING OF WATERCRAFT AND OUTBOARD MOTORS, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR REGULATIONS ON WATERCRAFT AND OUTBOARD MOTORS; BY AMENDING SECTION 12-37-3210, RELATING TO TAX NOTICES FOR BOATS AND BOAT MOTORS, SO AS TO MAKE A CONFORMING CHANGE; BY AMENDING SECTION 50-23-370, RELATING TO WATERCRAFT CERTIFICATES, SO AS TO MAKE A CONFORMING CHANGE; BY AMENDING SECTION 12-37-220, RELATING TO PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE A PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION FOR 42.8571 PERCENT OF THE FAIR MARKET VALUE OF WATERCRAFT; TO AMEND SECTION 50-23-425, RELATING TO THE DENIAL OF RENEWAL OF REGISTRATION, SO AS TO INCLUDE OUTBOARD MOTORS; BY ADDING SECTIONS 50-23-430, 50-23-440, 50-23-450, 50-23-460, 50-23-470, AND 50-23-480 ALL SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR REGISTRATION OF OUTBOARD MOTORS; BY REPEALING SECTIONS 50-23-350 AND 50-23-380 RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATES OF NUMBER BY AGENTS AND THE TRANSFER OF REGISTRATION UPON CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP, RESPECTIVELY; BY AMENDING SECTION 50-23-320, RELATING TO THE NUMBERING OF VESSEL EXCEPTIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE AN EXCEPTION FOR A VESSEL COVERED BY A FEDERALLY APPROVED NUMBERING SYSTEM OF ANOTHER STATE; BY AMENDING SECTION 50-21-10, RELATING TO WATERCRAFT DEFINITIONS, SO AS TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF "OUTBOARD MOTOR"; BY AMENDING SECTION 12-37-220, RELATING TO WATERCRAFT AND MOTORS PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS, SO AS TO REMOVE MOTORS FROM THE EXEMPTION; BY AMENDING SECTION 12-37-714, RELATING TO BOATS WITH SITUS IN THIS STATE, SO AS TO REMOVE REFERENCES TO BOAT MOTORS; BY AMENDING SECTION 12-37-3200, RELATING TO THE TAX YEAR FOR BOATS, SO AS TO REMOVE REFERENCES TO BOAT MOTORS; BY AMENDING SECTION 12-37-3220, RELATING TO PROPERTY TAX RETURNS FOR BOATS, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR CERTAIN PROPERTY TAX RETURNS; BY AMENDING SECTION 12-37-3230, RELATING TO THE ASSESSED VALUE OF BOATS, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF BOATS AND WATERCRAFT AND ANY AFFIXED OUTBOARD MOTORS AS A SINGLE UNIT; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 12-37-3240, RELATING TO EXEMPTIONS FROM BOAT AND WATERCRAFT TAX, SO AS TO REMOVE A REFERENCE TO BOAT MOTORS. - RATIFIED TITLE

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

614 added · 740 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recently amended version of Bill H 3858 removes the requirement for outboard motors to be titled in South Carolina. This change simplifies the process for boat owners and dealerships by reducing administrative burdens. Additionally, the bill introduces a property tax exemption, allowing boat owners to exempt 50% of their watercraft's fair market value from taxes, potentially making boat ownership more affordable. These amendments aim to streamline regulations and promote recreational boating in the state.

2025-2026 Bill 3858 Text of Previous Version ~~(Apr.~~(Jan.

Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.) ~~Indicates~~ ~~Matter~~ ~~Stricken~~ ~~Indicates~~ ~~New~~ ~~Matter~~ ~~Committee~~ ~~Report~~A ~~April~~bill ~~30,~~ ~~2025~~TO AMEND H.THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING ARTICLE 1 OF CHAPTER 23, TITLE 50, SECTION 50-23-345, AND SECTION 50-23-375, ALL RELATING TO THE TITLING OF WATERCRAFT AND OUTBOARD MOTORS, SO AS TO DELETE THE REQUIREMENT THAT OUTBOARD MOTORS BE TITLED;

~~3858 Introduced by Reps.~~

~~Brewer, Pedalino, Lowe, Mitchell, M.~~

~~Smith, B.~~

~~Cox, Chapman, Davis, Sessions, Erickson, Guffey, B.~~

~~Cox, Hewitt, Teeple, Hartnett, Pope, Rutherford, Brittain, Wooten, Guest, Hager, J.~~

~~Johnson, B.~~

~~Newton, Bailey, Bustos, Gagnon, Gilliam, Herbkersman, Holman, Jordan, Lawson, Martin, Murphy, Robbins, Ballentine, T.~~

~~Moore, Montgomery, Sanders, Atkinson, Ligon, Gibson, J.~~

~~Moore, Caskey, Moss, Huff, Beach, Terribile, Kilmartin, Hardee, Taylor, Yow and J.~~

~~Johnson S.~~

~~Printed 4/30/25--H.~~

~~Read the first time January 30, 2025 ________ The committee on House Ways and Means To whom was referred a Bill (H.~~

~~3858) to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws by amending Article 1 of Chapter 23, Title 50, Section 50-23-345, and Section 50-23-375, all relating to the titling of, etc., respectfully Report:~~

~~That they have duly and carefully considered the same, and recommend that the same do pass with amendment:~~

~~Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 1, by striking Section 50-23-70(A) and inserting:~~

~~(A) The fee for a certificate of title for a watercraft is ten twenty dollars, and the fee for a certificate of title for an outboard motor is ten dollars.~~

~~Amend the bill further, SECTION 1, by striking Section 50-23-200(1) and inserting:~~

~~(1) alter, forge, or counterfeit a certificate of title or manufacturer's or importer's statement of origin for a watercraft or for an outboard motor;~~

~~Amend the bill further, SECTION 1, by striking Section 50-23-205(A), (B), and (C) and inserting:~~

(A) A stolen or abandoned, junked, adrift, destroyed, or salvaged watercraft or outboard motor, a watercraft or outboard motor for which the true owner is not determined, or a watercraft or outboard motor on which the manufacturer's or assigned serial number has been destroyed, removed, covered, altered, or defaced may be seized.

(B) Upon seizure of the watercraft or outboard motor, the department shall notify a person claiming an interest in it, and the person has the right to prove his interest before the circuit court in the county where the property was seized.

If no action is filed within sixty days of notification, the department may retain the property for official use or transfer the property to another public entity for official use, sell the property at public auction, or, if the watercraft or outboard motor is determined to be unsafe, destroy it.

~~The proceeds derived from the sale must be deposited in the Boating Operating Fund of the department for administration of the program.~~

(C) When the department determines the owner of a seized watercraft or outboard motor and related marine equipment, it shall notify the owner by certified mail of the procedure, the location, and the fact that he has not less than thirty days from the date of the certified letter to remove the equipment from the department's storage facility.

~~If a security interest has been perfected, the department must notify the lienholder by certified mail allowing thirty days to respond.~~

~~Failure to respond within thirty days or remove the watercraft or outboard motor by the date designated forfeits the equipment to the department to be used or disposed of according to law.~~

~~Amend the bill further, SECTION 1, by striking Section 50-23-250 and inserting:~~

~~Section 50-23-250.~~

The director, for the purpose of more effectively carrying out the provisions of this chapter, shall have the power to employ and appoint the necessary enforcement officers for enforcement of this chapter.

The duties of such enforcement officers shall include but not be limited to investigating applications for certificate of title, inspecting watercraft, or outboard motors, in or at public facilities for purposes of locating stolen property, and investigating and reporting thefts of watercraft, or outboard motors.

~~With respect to the enforcement of the provisions of this chapter, such enforcement officers shall have and may exercise throughout this State all of the powers of peace officers.~~

~~Amend the bill further, SECTION 6, by striking Section 12-37-220(54) and inserting:~~

(54) fifty42.8571 percent of the fair market value of watercraft as defined in Section 50-23-5, regardless of the county in which the watercraft is located, however, this exemption does not apply to a boat or watercraft classified as a primary or secondary residence as provided for in 12-37-224.

Show all 47 changed lines (7 more)

~~Renumber sections to conform.~~

~~Amend title to conform.~~

~~B.W.~~

~~BANNISTER for Committee.~~

_______ A bill TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING ARTICLE 1 OF CHAPTER 23, TITLE 50, SECTION 50-23-345, AND SECTION 50-23-375, ALL RELATING TO THE TITLING OF WATERCRAFT AND OUTBOARD MOTORS, SO AS TO DELETE THE REQUIREMENT THAT OUTBOARD MOTORS BE TITLED;

SECTION 1. Article 1, Chapter 23, Title 50 of the S.C.

----XX---- This web page was last updated on ~~April~~January 30, 2025 at ~~08:35~~11:49 PMAM

Latest

2025-2026 Bill 3858 Text of Previous Version ~~(Apr.~~

2025-2026 Bill 3858 Text of Previous Version (Jan.

Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.) ~~Indicates~~ ~~Matter~~ ~~Stricken~~ ~~Indicates~~ ~~New~~ ~~Matter~~ ~~Committee~~ ~~Report~~ ~~April~~ ~~30,~~ ~~2025~~ H.

Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.) A bill TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING ARTICLE 1 OF CHAPTER 23, TITLE 50, SECTION 50-23-345, AND SECTION 50-23-375, ALL RELATING TO THE TITLING OF WATERCRAFT AND OUTBOARD MOTORS, SO AS TO DELETE THE REQUIREMENT THAT OUTBOARD MOTORS BE TITLED;