South Carolina § 56-1-170 - Restricted licenses; penalties for violations; hearings; special restricted driver's licenses.

§ 56-1-170. Restricted licenses; penalties for violations; hearings; special restricted driver's licenses.

(A) The Department of Motor Vehicles upon issuing a driver's license has authority, whenever good cause appears, to impose restrictions suitable to the licensee's driving ability with respect to the type of or special mechanical control devices required on a motor vehicle which the licensee may operate or other restrictions applicable to the licensee as the department determines to be appropriate to assure the safe operation of a motor vehicle by the licensee. The department may either issue a special restricted license or may set forth the restrictions on the usual license form. The department shall not discriminate against a handicapped person by treating him in a different manner than it treats a nonhandicapped person. A handicapped person shall have the option of taking the same test as a nonhandicapped person and, upon satisfactory completion of the test, shall be issued a license comparable to which a nonhandicapped person would be qualified to receive. A person who has been issued a driver's license without restrictions who was handicapped at the time of the issuance of the license may have his driver's license renewed without restrictions unless he has received an additional handicap.

The department may, upon receiving satisfactory evidence of any violation of the restrictions of the license, suspend or revoke the license. A licensee aggrieved by the action of the department may request a contested case hearing before the Office of Motor Vehicle Hearings in accordance with its rules of procedure.

Any person who operates a motor vehicle in any manner in violation of the restrictions imposed in a restricted license issued to him is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than one hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days.

(B)(1) If a person is employed or enrolled in a college or university at any time while his driver's license is suspended pursuant to this section, he may apply for a special restricted driver's license permitting him to drive only to and from work or his place of education and in the course of his employment or education during the period of suspension. The department may issue the special restricted driver's license only upon a showing by the person that he is employed or enrolled in a college or university, and that he lives further than one mile from his place of employment or place of education.

(2) If the department issues a special restricted driver's license, it shall designate reasonable restrictions on the times during which and routes on which the person may operate a motor vehicle. A change in the employment hours, place of employment, status as a student, or residence must be reported immediately to the department by the licensee.

(3) The fee for each special restricted driver's license is one hundred dollars, but no additional fee is due because of changes in the place and hours of employment, education, or residence. Of this fee, twenty dollars must be distributed to the general fund and eighty dollars must be placed by the Comptroller General into the State Highway Fund as established by Section 57-11-20, to be distributed as provided in Section 11-43-167.

(4) The operation of a motor vehicle outside the time limits and route imposed by a special restricted license by the person issued that license is a violation of Section 56-1-460.

HISTORY: 1962 Code SECTION 46-165; 1959 (51) 421; 1979 Act No. 166 SECTION 1; 1999 Act No. 115, SECTION 2; 2001 Act No. 79, SECTION 2.B; 2008 Act No. 279, SECTION 3, eff October 1, 2008; 2016 Act No. 275 (S.1258), SECTION 14, eff July 1, 2016.