FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 20, 2001

CONTACT: SID GAULDEN, 803-896-8755

COLUMBIA – The South Carolina Department of Public Safety has announced that its Division of Motor Vehicles will be increasing fees in several areas to comply with recent legislation. The increased fees will help offset shortfalls in this year’s state budget, which resulted in DPS taking a $10.7 million budget cut. Three million was cut from DMV’s budget and nearly $13 million for Project Phoenix, a plan to upgrade computer technology and services, went unfunded.

"This additional funding will keep the doors of DMV offices open," said DPS Director B. Boykin Rose. "DMV has already lost 25 percent of its staff due to budget cuts. Without the fee increases, we would be looking at closing around 23 DMV offices."

The fee increases are required by Bill 4022, which was passed by the General Assembly in June and signed by the Governor on July 18. The bulk of the fee increases will affect drivers whose licenses have been suspended and fees for driver license reinstatements, provisional licenses, temporary alcohol licenses and route-restricted licenses. Those fees will be raised to $100. The current amounts vary. The additional fees will take effect July 23. (Please see attached sheet for further explanation of fee increases).

The majority of the revenue generated from the fee increases will go toward DMV operations, including adequately staffing DMV offices and paying for technology upgrades as part of Project Phoenix, a long range plan to upgrade computers. The fee increases are expected to generate around $7.5 million. Portions of the revenue will also go to the DPS Highway Patrol and State Transport Police as well as the Department of Transportation. Three DMV offices still could be closed as a result of state budget cuts.

The other fee increases, which took effect July 16, were authorized through a state budget proviso that allows DMV to charge a $20 "expedited" fee for certain documents, such as titles. Customers are only required to pay the expedited fee, in addition to the regular fee for the transaction, if they wish to have the document back within 72 hours or less. Otherwise, they will continue to pay the normal fee and will receive their transaction within 30 days. The followings transactions can be expedited: commercial customer registrations, titles and duplicate titles, accident reports, title researches, histories and odometer readings and unclaimed vehicles. Requests for expedited documents may be submitted by mail or at any DMV branch office.

"Our hope is that the fee increases will help us restore some of our workforce at DMV and continue with our plans to upgrade and replace old DMV equipment," said DMV Deputy Director David Burgis.

H.4022 (Size and Weight Exemption for Declaration of Emergency; Reinstatement and Other License Fees) This bill became law on July 18, 2001.

The Bill adds Section 56-5-70 so as to provide that during a state of emergency and for thirty days thereafter, requirements relating to registration, permitting, length, width, weight and load and time of service are suspended for commercial and utility vehicles that do not exceed a gross weight of nine thousand pounds and width of twelve feet if the vehicles are responding to the state of emergency.

The bill also amends Section 56-1-1320 relating to the issuance of a provisional driver's license by raising the fee for the license from five dollars to $100 dollars and designating the additional $95 dollars to be credited to the General Fund for use by DPS in the hiring, training and equipping of members of the Highway Patrol and State Transport Police. A provisional driver's license is issued for first offense DUI and is not valid for more than six months from the date of issue shown on the license.

The bill also amends Sections 56-1-286 and 56-5-2951 relating to the issuance of a Temporary Alcohol Restricted Driver's License by raising the fee for the license from $20 dollars to $100 dollars. A Temporary Alcohol Restricted License is issued when a person requests a hearing for an alcohol-related violation, other than the "minor in possession" violation. The additional $80 dollars is designated to be placed by the Comptroller General into a special restricted account to be used by the Department of Public Safety to defray the expenses of the Division of Motor Vehicles.

The bill also amends several sections relating to the issuance of a route restricted driver's license by raising the fee for the license from $20 dollars to $100 dollars. A route restricted driver's license allows individuals to drive, while they are under suspension, only to and to and from their home, school or place of employment. The additional $80 dollars is designated to be placed by the Comptroller General into a special restricted account to be used by the Department of Public Safety to defray the expenses of the Division of Motor Vehicles. The bill further provides that no additional fee is due because of changes in the place and hours of employment, education or residence. The sections related to route restricted licenses that are amended are for individuals under suspension for the following offenses: 56-1-170 (Violating License Restrictions); 56-1-740 (Points); 56-1-745 (Controlled Substance Violation); 56-1-746 (Alcohol Violations Such as Minor in Possession); 56-5-750 (Failure to Stop For a Blue Light);56-5-2951 (Implied Consent for Person 21 & Older); 56-9-430 (Failure to Satisfy Judgement Relating to Automobile Accident); 56-10-260 (Filing False Certificate of Insurance); 56-10-270 (Operation of an uninsured vehicle).

Finally, the bill amends Section 56-1-390 by raising the fee for reinstating a license that is under suspension. The fee is raised from $30 dollars to $100 dollars. The additional $70 dollars is designated to be placed by the Comptroller General into a special restricted account to be used by the Department of Public Safety to defray the expenses of the Division of Motor Vehicles.

 

SI/102/01

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