(a) Road maintenance fee established. The owners of every vehicle required to be registered and licensed in Greenville County by the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles shall pay annually to the Greenville County tax collector a road maintenance fee of $25 on each such vehicle. The road maintenance fee established herein shall also apply to each dealer and wholesaler plate issued to duly licensed motor vehicle dealers and wholesalers in Greenville County by the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. (The road maintenance fee shall not apply to manufactured homes.) The road maintenance fee shall be included on motor vehicle tax notices and, as to each dealer and wholesaler plate issued to duly licensed motor vehicle dealers and wholesalers in Greenville County, in such manner and method as determined by the Greenville County Administrator. The proceeds from the collection of such fees shall be deposited into the county general fund special road maintenance account. The proceeds of such fund shall be specifically used to maintain and improve the county road system as well as to pay for the debt service on any outstanding general obligation bond issued for county road improvements. Any interest earned on these funds shall accrue to this account. Funds not used in any fiscal year shall be carried forward and used for the construction, maintenance, and improvement of county roads and related drainage, as well as to pay the debt service on any general obligation bond issued exclusively for county road improvements.
(b) Civil penalties. In the event the road maintenance fee is not paid by its due date, a penalty of $10 each day the road maintenance fee is unpaid shall be levied against such individual. Each day a violation occurs shall be deemed a separate and distinct offense. This penalty shall apply to each vehicle fee that remains unpaid. In the event the road maintenance fee and penalties remain unpaid after the expiration of 60 days from the due date of the road maintenance fee, the fees and penalties may be enforced by judgment and attachment or such other means as provided under the laws of the State of South Carolina. Nothing in this section shall be construed as a limitation on the time for the bringing of an action to collect such fees and penalties. In addition to the penalties provided herein, the county may recover reasonable attorney’s fees and other expenses of litigation or collection.
(c) Prohibition. It shall be unlawful for any person required to pay the road maintenance fee described in subsection (a) of this section to drive or allow another person to drive a vehicle on a county road without having paid the road maintenance fee therefor on or before its due date.
(d) Any person, firm, corporation or agent, who shall violate the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished within the jurisdictional limits of magistrate’s court. Each such person, firm, corporation or agent shall be deemed guilty of a separate offense for each and every day or portion thereof during which any violation of any of the provisions of this section is committed or continued.
(e) Refund of fee. In the event a registration is cancelled and the auditor orders a refund of property tax pursuant to S.C. Code, § 12-37-2725, as amended, a refund of the road maintenance fee shall also be made in the same manner and proportion as the property tax is refunded.
(1976 Code, § 14-11) (Ord. 2474, §§ 2-5, passed 6-29-1993; Ord. 2513, §§ 2, 3, passed 10-19-1993; Ord. 2626, § 3, passed 9-6-1994; Ord. 4906, § 2, passed 6-6-2017; Ord. 5467, passed 11-15-2022)
Cross-reference:
Road maintenance fee for motor vehicle dealers and wholesalers, see § 7-11