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South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles: Translation Requirements for Documents in Another Language
Yes: SCDMV accepts certified translations from professional services such as eVerbary.
Who may translate: Qualified (employer letter) or ATA-certified
- $24.95 per page
- Usually 24 h for 1–3 pages
- Signed certificate of accuracy, PDF
- See the price before you pay
How we know · policy checked on October 21, 2026
SCDMV says documents not in English must be translated by a qualified translator, with a letter of verification on employer letterhead, or by a certified translator who shows an ATA certificate, and the translation goes on its Translation Document, Form 4030.
A professional translator working for a service such as eVerbary fits the qualified-translator path. We translate the document; the branch still checks the form, the letter and your identity documents.
SCDMV at a glance
Does it accept eVerbary? Yes
SCDMV accepts a translation by a qualified translator whose employer verifies him on letterhead, or by an ATA-certified translator, on Form 4030 (Lawfully present non-US citizens' checklist, MV-94), so a certified translation from a professional service such as eVerbary meets it. Policy checked on October 21, 2026.
- Translation
- Required, on SCDMV Form 4030
- Who may translate
- Qualified (employer letter) or ATA-certified
- Foreign license
- Shown as experience; five reciprocity countries
- Price
- $24.95 per pageUp to 250 words, certification included
- Delivery
- 24 hoursStandard for one to three pages
- Certificate
- SignedCertificate of translation accuracy, PDF
Checked on October 21, 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page. Policies change: confirm on SCDMV's own page before you submit.
Worth knowing about SCDMV
Form 4030
The translation must be made on SCDMV's Translation Document.
Employer letter
A qualified translator brings a verification letter on letterhead.
Korea and Taiwan
A consulate letter replaces the translation of the license.
SCDMV requirements in detail
Translation
Who may translate
A qualified translator, with a letter of verification on employer letterhead qualifying him as a translator, or a certified translator, who can present an ATA certificate (Lawfully present non-US citizens' checklist, MV-94).
What Form 4030 asks
The applicant's name and address, the document's details, and a translator section: the languages, ATA or other accreditation, address, telephone, affiliation, signature and date. The form is refused if the translator section is incomplete (Form 4030).
Documents covered
Form 4030 has sections for a foreign birth certificate, a foreign driver's license and vehicle documents such as a foreign title or registration (Translation Document, SCDMV Form 4030).
Original or copy
Original documents, not photocopies, unless the checklist says otherwise; all are subject to verification (Lawfully present non-US citizens' checklist, MV-94).
Foreign license
A license from another country may be shown, not surrendered, as proof of prior driving experience. Knowledge and skills tests are waived only for reciprocity countries (Lawfully present non-US citizens' checklist, MV-94, reciprocity list).
Where to apply
Non-US citizens apply at one of the 30 branches that serve lawfully present non-US citizens (Lawfully present non-US citizens).
Qualified or certified: the two paths
South Carolina is one of the few states that spells out who counts as a translator. Its checklists for lawfully present non-US citizens (MV-94) and US citizens (MV-93) give two paths.
A certified translator shows an ATA certificate. A qualified translator shows a letter of verification, on the employer's letterhead, saying that he works as a translator.
Either way, the translation is written on Form 4030, not on a separate sheet alone.
The form's translator section asks for ATA accreditation or "other accreditation", the translator's address, phone and affiliation, and a signed declaration that the translation is accurate; SCDMV refuses the form if that section is not complete.
If you order from us for the SCDMV, upload Form 4030 with your document and say in the order notes that it is for the SCDMV, so the translator can complete the translator section and the employer letter can be requested with the order.
Foreign licenses and the reciprocity list
SCDMV waives the knowledge and skills tests for a first-time applicant whose unexpired license comes from a country with a formal reciprocity agreement: Canada, France, Germany, South Korea and Taiwan, plus US territories and freely associated states (Lawfully present non-US citizens).
Everyone else takes both tests and may show the foreign license as proof of driving experience (Lawfully present non-US citizens' checklist, MV-94).
South Korean and Taiwanese drivers follow a different step: they bring a letter from their consulate certifying that the license is valid, dated within 30 days, which SCDMV accepts in place of the translation document; a birth certificate that needs translating still goes on Form 4030 (Lawfully present non-US citizens).
US territory birth certificates not in English must also be translated (US citizens' checklist, MV-93, driver's license page).
Need a certified translation for SCDMV?
$24.95 per page of up to 250 words, certification included, usually within 24 hours for one to three pages. See the price before you pay.
Documents people usually translate
- Foreign birth certificates
- Foreign driver's licenses, as proof of driving experience
- Foreign marriage certificates and divorce decrees for a name change
- US territory birth certificates not in English
- Foreign vehicle titles and registrations
What an eVerbary translation includes
- A complete English translation of every page, stamps, seals and handwritten notes included, laid out like the original so each line can be matched.
- A signed certificate of translation accuracy on letterhead, with our contact details, delivered as a PDF you can upload or print.
- $24.95 per page of up to 250 words, certification included; 24 hours for one to three pages as standard. Regular clients who need it can get delivery in as little as 30 minutes, on request.
- Notarization added at checkout ($34.90 per order) when the office asks for a notarized translation.
Submitting the translation to SCDMV
Bring the original foreign document, the completed Form 4030 and the translator's ATA certificate or employer letter to an SCDMV branch; non-US citizens must use a branch that serves international customers (Lawfully present non-US citizens' checklist, MV-94, Lawfully present non-US citizens).
What we do not do
eVerbary translates documents; it is not the DMV and does not issue licenses, International Driving Permits or REAL ID decisions. For the SCDMV that means we translate your documents; we do not provide consulate letters for South Korean or Taiwanese licenses, or proof of lawful presence.
How to order
- Scan or photograph every page of the document, front and back, including any stamps on the reverse.
- Upload it, choose the language and "certified", and see the price before paying.
- Receive the PDF, usually within 24 hours for one to three pages, and submit it with the copy of the original wherever the office asks for it.
Frequently asked questions
Does the SCDMV accept a translation from a translation company?
Yes, if the translator is a qualified translator with a letter of verification on employer letterhead, or an ATA-certified translator, and the translation is on Form 4030 (Lawfully present non-US citizens' checklist, MV-94).
What is SCDMV Form 4030?
The Translation Document: a one-page form with the applicant's details, the document's details and a translator section that must be complete for the form to be accepted (Translation Document, SCDMV Form 4030).
Do I surrender my foreign license?
No. A license from another country may be shown, not surrendered, as proof of prior driving experience (Lawfully present non-US citizens' checklist, MV-94).
Which countries skip the driving tests?
Canada, France, Germany, South Korea and Taiwan, plus US territories and freely associated states, if the license has not expired (Lawfully present non-US citizens).
I have a Korean license. Do I need a translation?
SCDMV accepts a validity letter from the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea, dated within 30 days, in place of the translation document (Lawfully present non-US citizens).
Sources
South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles's own pages, read on October 21, 2026.
Translating documents for SCDMV?
Upload a scan of your license or certificate and see the price and delivery time before you pay.