republic-os/legislation/us/states/sc/2017-2018/h-4715.md

---
type: "Bill"
title: "AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 50-23-11, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO WATERCRAFT DEALER DEMONSTRATION NUMBERS, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR A THIRTY-DOLLAR APPLICATION FEE, TO PROVIDE FOR THE EXPIRATION OF DEMONSTRATION NUMBERS, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE USE OF FEE REVENUE; TO AMEND SECTION 50-23-70, RELATING TO WATERCRAFT CERTIFICATE OF NUMBER FEES AND DECALS, SO AS TO PROHIBIT THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES FROM ISSUING DUPLICATE DECALS WHEN AD VALOREM TAXES ARE OUTSTANDING; TO AMEND SECTION 50-23-340, RELATING TO THE APPLICATION FEE FOR WATERCRAFT CERTIFICATE OF NUMBERS, SO AS TO REDUCE THE FEE TO TEN DOLLARS; TO AMEND SECTION 50-23-345, RELATING TO TEMPORARY WATERCRAFT CERTIFICATE OF NUMBERS, SO AS TO PROVIDE A CERTIFICATE OF NUMBER MAY NOT BE ISSUED UNTIL AD VALOREM TAXES ARE PAID FOR THE YEAR IN WHICH THE CERTIFICATE IS ISSUED; TO AMEND SECTION 50-23-370, RELATING TO THE EXPIRATION AND RENEWAL OF WATERCRAFT CERTIFICATES OF NUMBER, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE ISSUANCE OF RENEWAL NOTICES AND PROCESSING OF RENEWALS BY COUNTY AUDITORS, AND TO MAKE RENEWALS ANNUAL INSTEAD OF EVERY THREE YEARS, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE PROVISIONS OVER A THREE-YEAR PERIOD; BY ADDING SECTION 50-23-12 SO AS TO REQUIRE THE COMPLETION OF CERTAIN CHANGE IN STATUS FORMS FOR WATERCRAFT AND OUTBOARD MOTOR TRADE-INS; BY ADDING SECTION 50-23-35 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE ISSUANCE OF WATERCRAFT TITLES UPON PROVIDING EVIDENCE OF AD VALOREM TAX PAYMENT, AND TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONS; AND BY ADDING ARTICLE 26 TO CHAPTER 37, TITLE 12 SO AS TO PROVIDE PROCEDURES CONCERNING ASSESSMENTS AND PAYMENTS FOR PROPERTY TAXATION OF BOATS AND WATERCRAFT AND THE ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATES OF NUMBER FOR BOATS AND WATERCRAFT. - ratified title"
description: "AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 50-23-11, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO WATERCRAFT DEALER DEMONSTRATION NUMBERS, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR A THIRTY-DOLLAR APPLICATION FEE, TO PROVIDE FOR THE EXPIRATION OF DEMONSTRATION NUMBERS, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE USE OF FEE REVENUE; TO AMEND SECTION 50-23-70, RELATING TO WATERCRAFT CERTIFICATE OF NUMBER FEES AND DECALS, SO AS TO PROHIBIT THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES FROM ISSUING DUPLICATE DECALS WHEN AD VALOREM TAXES ARE OUTSTANDING; TO AMEND SECTION 50-23-340, RELATING TO THE APPLICATION FEE FOR WATERCRAFT CERTIFICATE OF NUMBERS, SO AS TO REDUCE THE FEE TO TEN DOLLARS; TO AMEND SECTION 50-23-345, RELATING TO TEMPORARY WATERCRAFT CERTIFICATE OF NUMBERS, SO AS TO PROVIDE A CERTIFICATE OF NUMBER MAY NOT BE ISSUED UNTIL AD VALOREM TAXES ARE PAID FOR THE YEAR IN WHICH THE CERTIFICATE IS ISSUED; TO AMEND SECTION 50-23-370, RELATING TO THE EXPIRATION AND RENEWAL OF WATERCRAFT CERTIFICATES OF NUMBER, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE ISSUANCE OF RENEWAL NOTICES AND PROCESSING OF RENEWALS BY COUNTY AUDITORS, AND TO MAKE RENEWALS ANNUAL INSTEAD OF EVERY THREE YEARS, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE PROVISIONS OVER A THREE-YEAR PERIOD; BY ADDING SECTION 50-23-12 SO AS TO REQUIRE THE COMPLETION OF CERTAIN CHANGE IN STATUS FORMS FOR WATERCRAFT AND OUTBOARD MOTOR TRADE-INS; BY ADDING SECTION 50-23-35 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE ISSUANCE OF WATERCRAFT TITLES UPON PROVIDING EVIDENCE OF AD VALOREM TAX PAYMENT, AND TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONS; AND BY ADDING ARTICLE 26 TO CHAPTER 37, TITLE 12 SO AS TO PROVIDE PROCEDURES CONCERNING ASSESSMENTS AND PAYMENTS FOR PROPERTY TAXATION OF BOATS AND WATERCRAFT AND THE ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATES OF NUMBER FOR BOATS AND WATERCRAFT. - ratified title"
jurisdiction: "us/states/sc"
legislature: "South Carolina General Assembly"
session: "2017-2018"
identifier: "H 4715"
citation: "South Carolina H 4715 (2017-2018)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Atkinson", "Burns", "Chumley", "Dillard", "Duckworth", "Forrest", "Hiott", "Hixon", "Johnson", "Kirby", "Ott", "Wheeler"]
version_count: 5
action_count: 19
vote_count: 2
first_action: "2018-01-25"
last_action: "2018-05-31"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/a4463547-98ed-40dd-b772-0992c92596c4"
source_url: "http://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=4715&session=122&summary=B"
source_hash: "21da9be9202df9f0ca291396c9a182f4c51e4f0f22f957aa6d3ea968c1ef1c72"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-sc"]
---

# South Carolina H 4715 (2017-2018) — AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 50-23-11, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO WATERCRAFT DEALER DEMONSTRATION NUMBERS, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR A THIRTY-DOLLAR APPLICATION FEE, TO PROVIDE FOR THE EXPIRATION OF DEMONSTRATION NUMBERS, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE USE OF FEE REVENUE; TO AMEND SECTION 50-23-70, RELATING TO WATERCRAFT CERTIFICATE OF NUMBER FEES AND DECALS, SO AS TO PROHIBIT THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES FROM ISSUING DUPLICATE DECALS WHEN AD VALOREM TAXES ARE OUTSTANDING; TO AMEND SECTION 50-23-340, RELATING TO THE APPLICATION FEE FOR WATERCRAFT CERTIFICATE OF NUMBERS, SO AS TO REDUCE THE FEE TO TEN DOLLARS; TO AMEND SECTION 50-23-345, RELATING TO TEMPORARY WATERCRAFT CERTIFICATE OF NUMBERS, SO AS TO PROVIDE A CERTIFICATE OF NUMBER MAY NOT BE ISSUED UNTIL AD VALOREM TAXES ARE PAID FOR THE YEAR IN WHICH THE CERTIFICATE IS ISSUED; TO AMEND SECTION 50-23-370, RELATING TO THE EXPIRATION AND RENEWAL OF WATERCRAFT CERTIFICATES OF NUMBER, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE ISSUANCE OF RENEWAL NOTICES AND PROCESSING OF RENEWALS BY COUNTY AUDITORS, AND TO MAKE RENEWALS ANNUAL INSTEAD OF EVERY THREE YEARS, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE PROVISIONS OVER A THREE-YEAR PERIOD; BY ADDING SECTION 50-23-12 SO AS TO REQUIRE THE COMPLETION OF CERTAIN CHANGE IN STATUS FORMS FOR WATERCRAFT AND OUTBOARD MOTOR TRADE-INS; BY ADDING SECTION 50-23-35 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE ISSUANCE OF WATERCRAFT TITLES UPON PROVIDING EVIDENCE OF AD VALOREM TAX PAYMENT, AND TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONS; AND BY ADDING ARTICLE 26 TO CHAPTER 37, TITLE 12 SO AS TO PROVIDE PROCEDURES CONCERNING ASSESSMENTS AND PAYMENTS FOR PROPERTY TAXATION OF BOATS AND WATERCRAFT AND THE ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATES OF NUMBER FOR BOATS AND WATERCRAFT. - ratified title

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **1/25/2018** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess122_2017-2018/prever/4715_20180125.htm)
2. **3/22/2018** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess122_2017-2018/prever/4715_20180322.htm)
3. **4/26/2018** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess122_2017-2018/prever/4715_20180426.htm)
4. **4/3/2018** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess122_2017-2018/prever/4715_20180403.htm)
5. **4/4/2018** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess122_2017-2018/prever/4715_20180404.htm)

## Votes

- Adopt — **100–0** (pass) · lower
- 2nd Reading — **43–0** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Atkinson — primary (person)
- Burns — primary (person)
- Chumley — primary (person)
- Dillard — primary (person)
- Duckworth — primary (person)
- Forrest — primary (person)
- Hiott — primary (person)
- Hixon — primary (person)
- Johnson — primary (person)
- Kirby — primary (person)
- Ott — primary (person)
- Wheeler — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2018-01-25** Introduced and read first time `introduction, reading-1`
- **2018-01-25** Referred to Committee on Ways and Means `referral-committee`
- **2018-03-22** Committee report: Favorable with amendment Ways and Means `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2018-04-03** Amended `amendment-passage`
- **2018-04-03** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2018-04-03** Roll call Yeas-100 Nays-0
- **2018-04-04** Read third time and sent to Senate `passage, reading-3`
- **2018-04-04** Scrivener's error corrected
- **2018-04-09** Introduced and read first time `introduction, reading-1`
- **2018-04-09** Referred to Committee on Fish, Game and Forestry `referral-committee`
- **2018-04-26** Polled out of committee Fish, Game and Forestry
- **2018-04-26** Committee report: Favorable Fish, Game and Forestry `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2018-05-09** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2018-05-09** Roll call Ayes-43 Nays-0
- **2018-05-10** Read third time and enrolled `passage, reading-3`
- **2018-05-14** Ratified R 265
- **2018-05-18** Signed By Governor `executive-signature`
- **2018-05-25** Effective date 01/01/20
- **2018-05-31** Act No. 223

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/a4463547-98ed-40dd-b772-0992c92596c4`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official South Carolina legislature records).