South Carolina IFTA Calculator

South Carolina is one of the Southeast's fastest-growing freight states, anchored by the Port of Charleston — the fourth-busiest container port in the United States. BMW's North American manufacturing hub in Spartanburg generates significant finished vehicle and automotive parts freight on I-85 and I-26. Amazon, Walmart, and major retailers have built enormous distribution centers along I-77 and I-26 corridors in the past decade. I-95 runs the length of the eastern portion of the state connecting Florida to the Northeast. I-85 enters from Georgia through Gaffney before crossing into North Carolina near Gastonia. I-26 runs from Charleston northwest through Columbia to Asheville.

South Carolina's IFTA rate of $0.220 per gallon is one of the lowest in the Southeast, dramatically lower than North Carolina at $0.365 to the north and Georgia at $0.324 to the southwest. This creates a clear strategy for I-85 and I-95 corridor runs — fuel up heavily in South Carolina before heading north into North Carolina. On a 150-gallon fill, the $0.145 rate difference between SC and NC saves $21.75 per fill.

Standard weight limits are 80,000 lbs on interstates. South Carolina has an extensive permit system for oversize loads through the SCDOT. Port of Charleston drayage operations involve heavy container movements on US-17, I-26, and I-526 in the Charleston area — these routes are heavily used and have specific commercial vehicle timing restrictions near the terminal gates.

Weigh stations on I-95 near Santee, on I-85 near Gaffney, and on I-26 near Orangeburg are active and use WIM technology. Summer humidity and heat in South Carolina from June through September create challenging conditions for brakes and tires on heavily loaded vehicles. For IFTA compliance, South Carolina's DOR handles IFTA filings efficiently — the low rate typically generates net refunds for carriers fueling here before runs through more expensive neighboring states, so maintaining accurate fuel records is particularly valuable.