South Carolina's safety rule has no weight exemption in it.
Carriers in South Carolina often assume the 26,001 lb line their neighbours use. The state's safety regulation does not contain one. It applies the adopted federal parts to motor carrier vehicles engaged in interstate and intrastate commerce over the highways of South Carolina, and changes exactly one thing: the minimum driver age.
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What South Carolina adopted
South Carolina takes the federal safety regulations into state law and applies them to carriers that never leave the state. The instrument is S.C. Code Regs. 38-424.
- Parts adopted
- 49 CFR Parts 382, 383, 385, 387 and 390-399, plus hazardous materials Parts 107 and 171-180
- In the rule's own words
- “any rule or regulation which fixes the minimum age of vehicle drivers at 21 years is hereby changed insofar as South Carolina intrastate carriers are concerned to establish a minimum age of 18 years”S.C. Code Regs. 38-424
When it reaches you
South Carolina intrastate threshold
no weight carve-out in the rule
S.C. Code Regs. 38-424 applies the adopted parts to motor carrier vehicles engaged in interstate commerce and intrastate commerce over the highways within the State of South Carolina. The rule text sets no pound threshold of its own, so the operative definition is the federal one in 49 CFR 390.5: 10,001 lbs gross vehicle or combination weight rating, or actual weight, whichever is greater.
Covered regardless of weight
- Placarded hazardous materials, under the adopted Parts 107 and 171-180
- Passenger-carrying vehicles meeting the 49 CFR 390.5 thresholds
Cross a state line — or run an in-state leg of trade that starts or ends out of state — and the federal definition applies instead, at 10,001 lbs (49 CFR 390.5). The state threshold only ever helps a carrier whose work is entirely inside South Carolina.
Don't borrow the neighbours' number
Georgia's and North Carolina's rules both state a threshold on their face. South Carolina's does not. If a vendor or a forum post tells you South Carolina exempts intrastate vehicles under 26,001 lbs, ask them which subsection says so before you rely on it.
Drivers aged 18 to 20, intrastate only
S.C. Code Regs. 38-424 lowers the federal minimum driver age from 21 to 18 for South Carolina intrastate carriers. That driver still needs a complete qualification file under 49 CFR 391.51 — the age rule changes who may drive, not what you have to keep.
What every driver file must hold
Once the rules apply, the contents are federal and identical in every state: 11 records per driver across two separate files, plus related obligations. A missing or incomplete required record is a recordkeeping violation — up to $1,584 per day and $15,846 per violation (49 CFR Part 386, Appendix B).
Driver Qualification File
49 CFR 391.51
- Application for employment · At hire
- Motor vehicle record — at hire · At hire
- Road test certificate or equivalent · Once
- Motor vehicle record — annual inquiry · Every 12 months
- Note of annual review of driving record · Every 12 months
- Medical examiner's certificate · Expires — up to 24 months
Driver Investigation History File
49 CFR 391.53
- Driver's written authorization · At hire
- Previous employer responses · Within 30 days of hire
Related obligations
49 CFR Parts 380 & 382
- Pre-employment drug & alcohol test result · At hire
- Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse query · Pre-employment, then annually
- Entry-level driver training certificate · Once
We build the files for you
$999 one-time Audit-Ready Setup for South Carolina carriers with up to 30 drivers, with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Then $8 per driver per month ($79 minimum) to track every expiry date.
Is there a 26,001 lb exemption for intrastate carriers in South Carolina?
Not in S.C. Code Regs. 38-424, which is the safety rule that adopts the federal parts. It applies to motor carrier vehicles engaged in interstate and intrastate commerce in South Carolina without stating a weight threshold, so plan against the 49 CFR 390.5 definition at 10,001 lbs unless you can point to a specific exemption that covers your operation.
Can a 19-year-old drive for us inside South Carolina?
S.C. Code Regs. 38-424 changes the minimum age to 18 for South Carolina intrastate carriers. That is a state rule for in-state operation only; the federal minimum of 21 for interstate operation is unchanged, and the driver's qualification file is required either way.
Which parts does South Carolina adopt?
49 CFR Parts 382, 383, 385, 387 and 390-399, together with the hazardous materials regulations in Parts 107 and 171-180. Part 391 sits inside that range.
Other states
- Georgia · 10,001 lbs
- Florida · 26,001 lbs
- North Carolina · 26,001 lbs
- Alabama · 26,001 lbs
- Tennessee · over 26,000 lbs
General information, not legal advice. State rules are amended; verify S.C. Code Regs. 38-424 in its current form before relying on it for your operation. Federal citations are to Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations.