§ 56-1-80 — Application for license or permit.

(A) An application for a driver's license or permit must: (1) be made upon the form furnished by the department; (2) be accompanied by the proper fee and acceptable proof of date and place of birth; (3) contain the full name, date of birth, sex, race, and residence address of the applicant and briefly describe the applicant; (4) state whether the applicant has been licensed as an operator or chauffeur and, if so, when and by what state or country; (5) state whether a license or permit has been suspended or revoked or whether an application has been refused and, if so, the date of and reason for the suspension, revocation, or refusal; (6) allow an applicant voluntarily to disclose a permanent medical condition, provided that the disclosure is made on a form prescribed by the department and includes a certification from a physician licensed in this State, as defined in Chapter 47, Title 40 that affirms the existence of the medical condition. The medical condition must be indicated by a symbol designated by the department on the driver's license and contained in the driver's record. The motor vehicle record of a driver may not contain more than three permanent medical conditions unless item (8) or (9) applies; (7) allow an applicant voluntarily to disclose that he is an organ and tissue donor, which must be indicated by a symbol designated by the department on the driver's license and contained in the driver's record; (8) allow an applicant voluntarily to disclose that he is autistic, which must be indicated by a symbol designated by the department on the driver's license and contained in the driver's record. The applicant must provide documentation that he is autistic from a physician licensed in this State, as defined in Section 40-47-20; (9) allow an applicant voluntarily to disclose blood type, provided that the disclosure is made on a form prescribed by the department and includes a certification from a physician or medical provider. Blood type must be indicated by a symbol designated by the department on the driver's license and contained in the driver's record. The department may use the same symbol used to indicate voluntary disclosure of a permanent medical condition; and (10) include a statement that certain driver's license and driver's record information may be released, upon request, pursuant to subsection (B). (B)(1) The information contained on a driver's license and in the driver's department records pertaining to a person's permanent medical condition, as provided for in subsection (A)(6) or (8), or blood type, as provided for in subsection (A)(9), must be made available, upon request only to: (a) law enforcement, emergency medical services, and hospital personnel; (b) the medical advisory board pursuant to Section 56-1-221; (c) permitted entities pursuant to the Driver Privacy Protection Act, 18 U.S.C. 2721; and (d) the person to whom the records of the permanent medical condition applies. (2) The information contained on a driver's license and in the driver's department records pertaining to a person's organ and tissue donor status, as provided for in subsection (A)(7), must be made available, upon request only to: (a) law enforcement, emergency medical services, and hospital personnel; and (b) the South Carolina Donor Referral Network, as provided for in Section 44-43-910. (3) The information contained on a driver's license and in the driver's department records pertaining to a person's permanent medical condition, as provided for in subsection (A)(6) or subsection (8), and pertaining to a person's organ and tissue donor status, as provided for in subsection (A)(7), or blood type, as provided for in subsection (A)(9), may not be sold and is exempt from disclosure pursuant to Chapter 4, Title 30, the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act. (4) No cause of action may arise nor may liability be imposed against any person, government entity, or government entity officer, agent, or employee arising from any action taken by any person in reliance upon an inaccurate blood type indicated on a person's driver's license or driver's record when the license holder, physician, or medical provider provided the inaccurate blood type on the forms required pursuant to this section. (C)(1) Whenever an application is received from a person previously licensed or permitted in another state, the Department of Motor Vehicles may request a copy of the applicant's record from the other state. When received, the record becomes a part of the driver's record in this State with the same effect as though entered on the operator's record in this State in the original instance. Every person who obtains a driver's license or permit for the first time in South Carolina and every person who renews his driver's license or permit in South Carolina must be furnished a written request form for completion and verification of liability insurance coverage. (2) The completed and verified form or an affidavit prepared by the department showing that neither he, nor a resident relative, owns a motor vehicle subject to the provisions of this chapter, must be delivered to the department at the time the license or permit is issued or renewed.

Legislative History

HISTORY: 1962 Code SECTION 46-158; 1952 Code SECTIONS 46-157, 46-159; 1942 Code SECTIONS 5984, 5987, 6002; 1932 Code SECTIONS 5984, 5987, 6002; 1930 (36) 1057; 1959 (51) 421; 1974 (58) 1973; 1989 Act No. 148, SECTION 28; 1993 Act No. 181, SECTION 1298; 1994 Act No. 497, Part II, SECTION 121F; 1996 Act No. 459, SECTION 70; 2000 Act No. 225, SECTION 1; 2007 Act No. 92, SECTION 3, eff June 14, 2007; 2010 Act No. 277, SECTION 3, eff July 1, 2011; 2017 Act No. 19 (S.344), SECTION 1, eff May 9, 2017; 2022 Act No. 217 (H.3037), SECTION 1, eff July 1, 2022; 2024 Act No. 167 (S.968), SECTION 1, eff November 20, 2024. Code Commissioner's Note At the direction of the Code Commissioner, an incorrect reference to a subsection in Section 40-47-20 was removed. Editor's Note 2010 Act No. 277, SECTION 5, provides: "The requirements of Section 56-1-80 of the 1976 Code, as amended by Section 3 of this act, must be met upon the renewal of an existing driver's license or special identification card of a person convicted of a crime of violence as defined in Section 16-23-10(3) in this State on or after July 1, 2011." 2010 Act No. 277, SECTION 7, provides: "This act takes effect July 1, 2011, and applies to all persons convicted of a crime of violence as defined in Section 16-23-10(3)." 2022 Act No. 217, SECTION 3, provides as follows: "SECTION 3. (A) SECTION 1 takes effect July 1, 2022. "(B) SECTION 2 takes effect one year after the approval by the Governor." Effect of Amendment 2017 Act No. 19, SECTION 1, in (A), added (8), relating to autism designations placed on a driver's license, and made other nonsubstantive changes. 2022 Act No. 217, SECTION 1, in (A), rewrote (6), made nonsubstantive changes in (7) and (8), and added (9); and rewrote (B). 2024 Act No. 167, SECTION 1, in (A), in (6), in the third sentence, inserted "or (A)(9)"; inserted (9) and redesignated former (9) as (10); in (B), in (1) and (3), inserted "or blood type, as provided for in item (A)(9),", and inserted (4); in (C), inserted the (1) designator, and inserted the (2) designator in the last undesignated paragraph; and made a nonsubstantive change.