What a South Carolina speeding ticket is

This page quotes the South Carolina Code of Laws (scstatehouse.gov, retrieved 29 Oct 2026): sections 56-5-1520, 56-5-1530, and 56-5-1580 on speed limits and on the speeding charge, section 56-7-35 on a speeding ticket at a traffic stop, section 56-1-720 on the driving record schedule, and sections 14-1-206, 14-1-207, 14-1-208, and 14-1-212 on assessments and surcharges. It does not apply them to any notice. Read any court, charge, speed limit, alleged speed, section number, and amount shown on your notice. Confirm what your notice says.

For the text of paragraph (A)(4) and subsection (B) of section 56-7-35 and subsection (E) of section 56-5-70, see What South Carolina law says about camera citations for speeding and traffic control devices. Confirm what your paper says.

The South Carolina Code text below is quoted from scstatehouse.gov as shown when retrieved on 29 Oct 2026. Tables are quoted line by line as printed.

What S.C. Code § 56-5-1520 says about speed limits

S.C. Code § 56-5-1520 is headed “General rules as to maximum speed limits; lower speeds may be required.”

§ 56-5-1520(A): “A person shall not drive a vehicle on a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and having regard to the actual and potential hazards then existing. Speed must be so controlled to avoid colliding with a person, vehicle, or other conveyance on or entering the highway in compliance with legal requirements and the duty of a person to use care.”

§ 56-5-1520(B): “Except when a special hazard exists that requires lower speed for compliance with subsection (A), the limits specified in this section or established as hereinafter authorized are maximum lawful speeds, and a person shall not drive a vehicle on a highway at a speed in excess of these maximum limits:”

(1) “seventy miles an hour on the interstate highway system and other freeways where official signs giving notice of this speed are posted;”
(2) “sixty miles an hour on multilane divided primary highways where official signs giving notice of this speed limit are posted;”
(3) “fifty-five miles an hour in other locations or on other sections of highways and unpaved roads are limited to the speed of forty miles an hour; and”
(4) “manufactured, modular, or mobile homes must not be transported at a speed in excess of ten miles below the maximum posted speed limit when the maximum posted speed limit is in excess of forty-five miles an hour, and never in excess of fifty-five miles an hour.”

§ 56-5-1520(C): “Thirty miles an hour is the maximum speed in an urban district. "Urban district" means the territory contiguous to and including any street which is built up with structures devoted to business, industry, or dwelling houses situated at intervals of less than one hundred feet for a distance of a quarter of a mile or more.”

§ 56-5-1520(D): “A local authority on the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation may determine that the maximum speed limit permitted under this article is less than thirty miles an hour in an urban district. If this determination is made, the maximum speed limit for the urban district is enforceable by all law enforcement officers authorized to enforce the traffic laws in the urban district. However, this subsection does not apply to highways within the state highway system contained in Section 56-5-1530.”

§ 56-5-1520(E): “The maximum speed limits set forth in this section may be altered pursuant to Sections 56-5-1530 and 56-5-1540.”

That is the statute’s statement. Section 56-5-1520 has other subsections, including subsection (F) on speed at intersections, curves, and other places and subsection (I) on the use of fine money, that this page does not cover; subsections (G) and (H) are quoted below. Section 56-5-1530 is quoted in the next block. This page does not quote section 56-5-1540, it does not list the speed limits posted on particular roads, and it does not say whether a particular road is in an urban district.

What S.C. Code § 56-5-1530 says about speed limits set by the Department of Transportation

§ 56-5-1530(a): “Establishing speed zones. Whenever the Department of Transportation shall determine upon the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that any maximum speed hereinbefore set forth is greater or less than is reasonable or safe under the conditions found to exist at any intersection or other place or upon any part of the state highway system, the Department of Transportation may determine and declare a reasonable and safe maximum limit thereat, which shall be effective when appropriate signs giving notice thereof are erected. Such maximum speed limit may be declared to be effective at all times or at such times as are indicated upon such signs; and differing limits may be established for different times of day, different types of vehicles, varying weather conditions, and other factors bearing on safe speeds, which shall be effective when posted upon appropriate fixed or variable signs.”

§ 56-5-1530(b): “Setting maximum limits in state highway extensions in urban districts. The Department of Transportation shall determine the proper maximum speed for all state primary highway extensions into and through urban districts and shall declare a reasonable and safe maximum speed limit thereon which may be greater or less than the maximum speed otherwise permitted under this article for an urban district and such maximum speed limits shall be effective at all times during hours of darkness and at other times as may be determined when appropriate official signs giving notice thereof are erected upon such street or highway.”

That is the statute’s statement. This page quotes all of section 56-5-1530. It does not say whether a sign is erected or posted at a particular place.

What S.C. Code § 56-5-1520 says about first-offense fines

§ 56-5-1520(G): “A person violating the speed limits established by this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction for a first offense, must be fined or imprisoned as follows:”

(1) “in excess of the above posted limit but not in excess of ten miles an hour by a fine of not less than fifteen dollars nor more than twenty-five dollars;”
(2) “in excess of ten miles an hour but less than fifteen miles an hour above the posted limit by a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than fifty dollars;”
(3) “in excess of fifteen miles an hour but less than twenty-five miles an hour above the posted limit by a fine of not less than fifty dollars nor more than seventy-five dollars; and”
(4) “in excess of twenty-five miles an hour above the posted limit by a fine of not less than seventy-five dollars nor more than two hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days.”

That is the statute’s statement. This page quotes all of subsection (G), with its wording kept as printed. Section 56-5-1520 has other subsections, including subsection (I), that this page does not cover. This page does not calculate a fine for any speed or any notice.

What S.C. Code §§ 56-5-1520(H) and 56-5-1580 say about the speed shown on the ticket

§ 56-5-1520(H): “A citation for violating the speed limits issued by any authorized officer must note on it the rate of speed for which the citation is issued.”

§ 56-5-1580 is headed “Contents of complaint and summons or notice to appear charging speeding.” It reads: “In every charge of violation of any speed regulation in this article, the complaint and summons or notice to appear shall specify the speed at which the defendant is alleged to have driven and the maximum speed applicable within the district or at the location.”

That is the statute’s statement. This page quotes all of subsection (H) of section 56-5-1520 and all of section 56-5-1580. Read the speed limit and the alleged speed printed on your notice.

What S.C. Code § 56-7-35 says about a speeding ticket at a traffic stop

§ 56-7-35(A)(1): “A law enforcement officer who issues a uniform traffic ticket for a violation of a local ordinance or traffic laws relating to speeding must do so incident to and contemporaneous with a traffic stop.”

§ 56-7-35(A)(2): “A copy of the citation must be given directly to the offender by the law enforcement officer issuing the citation at the time of the traffic stop for the offense.”

§ 56-7-35(A)(3): “A law enforcement agency may not utilize the United States mail, a parcel delivery service, electronic means, or otherwise to send to the operator or owner of a motor vehicle or motorcycle, as defined in Section 56-3-20, a uniform traffic citation alleging a violation of a local ordinance or the traffic laws relating to speeding. This subsection does not prohibit the law enforcement agency from sending the operator or owner an additional copy of a uniform citation that was issued to the operator or owner during the traffic stop for the offense upon request of the operator or owner.”

§ 56-7-35(C): “The provisions of this section do not apply to:”

(1) “toll collection; or”
(2) “issuance of a uniform traffic citation alleging the violation of Section 56-5-2770.”

That is the statute’s statement. This page does not say how that statement applies to a particular citation, license, or insurance policy. Section 56-7-35 has other paragraphs and subsections, including paragraph (A)(4) and subsection (B), that this page does not cover. This page does not quote section 56-3-20 or section 56-5-2770, and it does not cover section 56-5-70(E), which also refers to citations for speeding.

What S.C. Code § 56-1-720 says about the driving record schedule for speeding

S.C. Code § 56-1-720 is headed “Point system established; schedule of points for violations.” It reads: “There is established a point system for the evaluation of the operating record of persons to whom a license to operate motor vehicles has been granted and for the determination of the continuing qualifications of these persons for the privileges granted by the license to operate motor vehicles. The system shall have as its basic element a graduated scale of points assigning relative values to the various violations in accordance with the following schedule:”

“VIOLATION”	“POINTS”
“Driving too fast for conditions, or speeding:”
“(1)” “No more than 10 m.p.h. above the posted limits”	“2”
“(2)” “More than 10 m.p.h. but less than 25 m.p.h. above the posted limits”	“4”
“(3)” “25 m.p.h. or above the posted limits”	“6”

That is the statute’s statement. This page does not say how that statement applies to a particular citation, license, or insurance policy. The schedule in section 56-1-720 has other rows, for other violations, that this page does not cover.

What S.C. Code Title 14 says about assessments and surcharges

§ 14-1-206(A): “A person who is convicted of, pleads guilty or nolo contendere to, or forfeits bond for an offense occurring after June 30, 2008, tried in general sessions court must pay an amount equal to 107.5 percent of the fine imposed as an assessment. This assessment must be paid to the clerk of court in the county in which the criminal judgment is rendered for remittance to the State Treasurer by the county treasurer. The assessment is based upon that portion of the fine that is not suspended and assessments must not be waived, reduced, or suspended.”

§ 14-1-207(A): “A person who is convicted of, pleads guilty or nolo contendere to, or forfeits bond for an offense occurring after June 30, 2008, tried in magistrates court must pay an amount equal to 107.5 percent of the fine imposed as an assessment. This assessment must be paid to the magistrate and deposited as required by Section 22-1-70 in the county in which the criminal judgment is rendered for remittance to the State Treasurer by the county treasurer. The assessment is based upon that portion of the fine that is not suspended and assessments must not be waived, reduced, or suspended. The assessment may not be imposed on convictions for violations of Sections 56-3-1970, 56-5-2510, and 56-5-2530, or another state law, municipal ordinance, or county ordinance restricting parking in a prohibited zone or in a parking place clearly designated for handicapped persons.”

§ 14-1-208(A): “A person who is convicted of, or pleads guilty or nolo contendere to, or forfeits bond for an offense occurring after June 30, 2008, tried in municipal court must pay an amount equal to 107.5 percent of the fine imposed as an assessment. This assessment must be paid to the municipal clerk of court and deposited with the city treasurer for remittance to the State Treasurer. The assessment is based upon that portion of the fine that is not suspended, and assessments must not be waived, reduced, or suspended. The assessment may not be imposed on convictions for violations of Sections 56-3-1970, 56-5-2510, and 56-5-2530, or another state law, municipal ordinance, or county ordinance restricting parking in a prohibited zone or in a parking place clearly designated for handicapped persons.”

§ 14-1-212(A): “In addition to all other assessments and surcharges, a twenty-five dollar surcharge is imposed on all fines, forfeitures, escheatments, or other monetary penalties imposed in the general sessions court or in magistrates or municipal court for misdemeanor traffic offenses or for nontraffic violations. No portion of the surcharge may be waived, reduced, or suspended.”

That is the statute’s statement. Sections 14-1-206, 14-1-207, 14-1-208, and 14-1-212 each have other subsections, on how the money is sent and used, that this page does not cover. This page does not cover other sections of the South Carolina Code on assessments or surcharges, and it does not say whether any other assessment or surcharge applies to a particular ticket. It does not quote section 22-1-70 or the sections on parking that sections 14-1-207 and 14-1-208 name. This page does not say which court hears a particular ticket.

This page does not calculate a total payable amount, and it does not add any assessment or surcharge to a fine. Read any amount shown on your notice.

Paths the notice describes (not which to choose)

Read which law enforcement officer or agency issued your notice, the court named on it, the charge, the date, any amount, and the response instructions printed on it. We do not tell you which path to choose or what step to take.

Violation.com does not collect South Carolina fines, assessments, or surcharges. If you upload a speeding notice, we summarize what the notice shows. It is not legal advice.

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Sources retrieved 29 Oct 2026:

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Information on this page was last checked against official sources on November 8, 2026.