A Hardship Driver’s License in the State of South Carolina also referred to as a Route Restricted Driver’s License is a limited use license issued by the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. The hardship license allows you to drive a vehicle while your license is suspended or revoked for a drug or alcohol-related offense.
While your driver’s license is suspended or revoked, you may be eligible to receive a restricted license. This will allow you to drive only to and from work, doctors’ appointments, court dates, traffic offender programs, or other state mandatory meetings. While maintaining a restricted driver’s license, the State of South Carolina may require you to carry a mandatory SR-22 insurance policy.
We recommend speaking with an attorney about the length of time you will need to carry an SR-22 insurance policy. The typical term is maintaining a policy for 3 years. It could possibly call for the policy to last up to 5 years or more. It is mandatory to maintain the high-risk insurance coverage during the time frame that the court mandates. If the policy lapses or cancels for any reason your license will be suspended, and you typically will have to start the process all over again. The State of South Carolina may also require you to install an ignition interlock device in your vehicle and complete a DUI program. Below we have included information from the State of South Carolina to assist you with this process.
Route Restricted Driver’s License
If you are not a US citizen, you are not eligible for this license unless you have permanent resident alien status.
If you receive a route restricted license, you may drive a regular, non-commercial vehicle during the activities below:
- From work or school
- During work or school
- To and from an Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program (ADSAP)
- To and from a court-ordered drug program
Your route restricted license is valid for the length of the suspension. You may only receive one route restricted license once in your lifetime. The suspensions below are eligible for this license:
- Accident Judgement
- Alcohol Violation
- Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of .15
- Controlled Substance
- Failure to Stop for a Blue Light
- False Insurance Certification
- Implied Consent
- Misrepresentation of Identity
- Points
If you’ve been suspended for not paying child support or driving under suspension (1st or 2nd offense within five years), you may be eligible for more than one route restricted license in your lifetime.
To apply for a route restricted license, complete the Application for a Route Restricted Driver’s License (SCDMV Form DL-127) and mail it to the address below:
SCDMV
Driver Records
PO Box 1498
Blythewood, SC 29016-0028
If your application is approved, a route restricted license costs $100.
Drivers with certain types of suspensions or revocations are required to keep and maintain SR-22 insurance. The SR-22 insurance must be carried for a minimum of 3 years following the date of the suspension or revocation and may be required for up to 5 years. New suspensions or revocations which also require SR-22 insurance will restart the requirement from the date of the new action. Cancellation of the SR-22 insurance may result in the suspension of the driving privileges. If your insurance company submits a cancellation or proposed cancellation of your SR-22 insurance, you or your insurance company must submit a new SR-22 form prepared after the cancellation notice.
We recommend you fill out our contact form. Once completed, an SR-22 insurance specialist will call or email you within 24 hours.
South Carolina Reinstating Your Driver’s License
Link to download Route Restricted Driver’s License
The State of South Carolina law mandates that every automobile insurance policy sold in the state must have these minimum liability coverages. Auto liability insurance policies contain three major parts under South Carolina Tort law: liability insurance for bodily injury; liability insurance for property damage; and uninsured/underinsured motorists’ coverage.
Bodily injury liability insurance protects you against the claims of other people who are injured in an accident for which you were at fault. South Carolina requires you to carry a minimum of $25,000 per person for bodily injury and $50,000 for all persons injured in one accident. Claims for bodily injury may include medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Property damage liability insurance pays for any damage you cause to the property of others. This not only includes damages to other vehicles but also other property, such as buildings, walls, fences, and equipment. The minimum limit in South Carolina is $25,000 for all property damage in one accident.
Uninsured motorists’ coverage protects the policyholder directly. This coverage pays if you are injured and/or your property is damaged by a hit-and-run driver or an uninsured driver. South Carolina law requires you to carry uninsured motorists’ coverage equal to the minimum amounts of liability coverage (25/50/25). There is typically a $200 deductible.
Underinsured motorists’ coverage is like uninsured motorist coverage but pays for your injuries or property damage if the at-fault driver does not have enough insurance to cover your damages or medical bills. Auto insurers are required to offer you underinsured motorists’ coverage in South Carolina, but you are not required to purchase it.
Physical damage is auto insurance coverage that insures against damage to the insured’s own vehicle. The most common types are collision coverage and comprehensive coverage. These two coverages are optional to purchase.
Collision coverage pays for physical damage to your car as the result of your auto colliding with an object, such as a tree or another car. In the case of an accident involving an older car or any vehicle sustaining extensive damage, the cost of repairing the car can quickly exceed a threshold of the car’s actual cash value. In this case, insurers will “total” the car and pay you the actual cash value of the car, minus the deductible, rather than repairing it. As indicated by the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles Law 56-19-480(G), this threshold is 75% of the vehicle’s actual cash value (ACV).
Comprehensive coverage pays for damage to your auto from most other causes, including fire, vandalism, flooding, theft, falling objects, and collision with animals. Comprehensive coverage will also cover broken glass, such as damage to a windshield. In South Carolina, auto insurers cannot impose a deductible for safety glass repairs or replacements.
While not required by law, comprehensive and collision coverage may be required by your lender.
For additional information please contact https://scdmvonline.com/
MAILING ADDRESS
SCDMV
PO Box 1498
Blythewood, SC 29016
STREET ADDRESS
10311 Wilson Boulevard
Building C
Blythewood, SC 29016
803-896-5000
Affordable SR-22 Insurance For The Entire State of South Carolina, including:
Charleston, Columbia, North Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Rock Hill, Greenville, Summerville, Goose Creek, Hilton Head Island, Sumter, Florence, Spartanburg, Myrtle Beach, Greer, Aiken, Bluffton, Hanahan, Anderson, Conway, Fort Mill, Pawleys Island, and Beaufort.