South Carolina licensing
How to Get a South Carolina Real Estate License
South Carolina eligibility and application rules - minimum age, pre-licensing education, sponsoring broker, high school diploma, education exemption, and more - each cited to the South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 40, Chapter 57 (Real Estate Brokers, Salesmen, Property Managers and Timeshare Salespersons) and dated.
Published by Freehold · First published 2026-08-11 · Sources last verified 2026-08-17 · Review method
Your licensing route
From eligibility to an active license
Exact order can vary by state process. Each state-specific rule appears below with its source.
- 01Confirm eligibility
Check age and any residency, education, or background conditions.
- 02Complete approved education
Use the regulator's approved-provider list where one is published.
- 03Apply and take the exam
Follow South Carolina's application order, then sit the configured salesperson exam.
- 04Activate your license
Complete any sponsorship or initial-license step that South Carolina requires.
| Requirement | South Carolina |
|---|---|
| Minimum age | 18 |
| Pre-licensing education | 60 classroom hours plus 30 advanced hours |
| Sponsoring broker | Must be licensed under a broker-in-charge |
| High school diploma | Required |
| Education exemption | Law or real estate degree |
| Background check | Fingerprints to SLED and the FBI |
| Retake policy | 12-month eligibility period |
| Time limit | One year after passing |
| License activation | One classification, active or inactive |
| Reciprocity | State portion only |
| Exam provider | PSI |
Requirements change. Confirm with the South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 40, Chapter 57 (Real Estate Brokers, Salesmen, Property Managers and Timeshare Salespersons) before enrolling or paying anything.
More on what counts as real estate school, state by state.
Each requirement, and where it comes from
Minimum age
An applicant must attain the age of eighteen to be eligible for licensure as an associate, South Carolina's entry-level real estate license (renamed from 'salesperson' by a 2024 law).
Source: South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 40, Chapter 57, SECTION 40-57-310. Qualifications for licensure. — verified 2026-08-11
Pre-licensing education
Before applying, an associate candidate must complete 60 hours of classroom instruction in real estate fundamentals and 30 hours of advanced instruction within five years of applying, though the exam may be taken before the 30 advanced hours are finished; a law or related bachelor's/master's degree can substitute.
Source: South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 40, Chapter 57, SECTION 40-57-320. Conditions for license application; education; examination; fees. — verified 2026-08-11
Sponsoring broker
An individual holding an active associate license must be licensed under a broker-in-charge who is licensed by the commission, and may not be licensed under more than one broker-in-charge at the same time.
Source: South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 40, Chapter 57, SECTION 40-57-330. Broker-in-charge license requirements; active broker or associate must be licensed under broker-in-charge. — verified 2026-08-11
High school diploma
An associate applicant must graduate from high school or hold a certificate of equivalency recognized by the State Department of Education; there is no exception for work experience.
Source: South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 40, Chapter 57, SECTION 40-57-310(4). Qualifications for licensure. — verified 2026-08-17
Education exemption
A juris doctor, a bachelor of law, or a baccalaureate or master's degree with a major in real estate from an accredited college substitutes for the whole 90 hours of associate classroom instruction, as does another course of study the commission approves.
Source: South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 40, Chapter 57, SECTION 40-57-320(A)(1)(b). Conditions for license application; education; examination; fees. — verified 2026-08-17
Background check
Every initial applicant must submit to a state fingerprint-based records check by the State Law Enforcement Division, a fingerprint-supported national check by the FBI, and a social-security-number-based check from a commission-approved source, all at the applicant's own cost.
Source: South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 40, Chapter 57, SECTION 40-57-115. Criminal background checks required for initial applicants and licensure renewals. — verified 2026-08-17
Retake policy
Applying for the examination opens a twelve-month eligibility period in which both the state and national portions must be passed. An applicant who does not finish both inside that window may reapply only if the qualifying courses were completed fewer than three years before the new application.
Source: South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 40, Chapter 57, SECTION 40-57-320(B)(3). Conditions for license application; education; examination; fees. — verified 2026-08-17
Time limit
An applicant who passes both portions of the examination must apply for the license within one year, otherwise the applicant must reapply and retake every portion of the examination.
Source: South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 40, Chapter 57, SECTION 40-57-320(B)(4). Conditions for license application; education; examination; fees. — verified 2026-08-17
License activation
No individual may hold more than one license classification at a time, and a licensee may place the license on inactive status in writing. An inactive licensee is prohibited from practicing real estate brokerage, and reactivation needs the same classification, the fee and the prescribed continuing education.
Source: South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 40, Chapter 57, SECTION 40-57-110(A)-(B). Issuance and classification of license; inactive status; renewal; lapse. — verified 2026-08-17
Reciprocity
An applicant who holds an active real estate license in another jurisdiction, or whose out-of-state license expired no more than six months before applying, needs to pass only the state portion of the examination. That waiver does not excuse the chapter's education requirements.
Source: South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 40, Chapter 57, SECTION 40-57-320(B)(6). Conditions for license application; education; examination; fees. — verified 2026-08-17
Exam provider
South Carolina's real estate exam is administered by PSI.
Source: PSI — South Carolina Real Estate Candidate Information Bulletin, EXAMINATION SUMMARY TABLE — verified 2026-07-27
Once you are eligible
The South Carolina salesperson exam is 110 questions in 180 minutes, administered by PSI. Practice it free: South Carolina practice test · South Carolina exam prep · South Carolina broker exam · compare all 50 states
New to the whole process? How to become a real estate agent walks the five steps and what changes between states.
South Carolina licensing FAQ
How do you get a real estate license in South Carolina?
Meet South Carolina's eligibility rules, complete 60 classroom hours plus 30 advanced hours, apply to the regulator, and pass the salesperson exam. On sponsoring broker, South Carolina's rule is: Must be licensed under a broker-in-charge. Each requirement is set out below with the provision it comes from.
What are the requirements for a South Carolina real estate license?
South Carolina requires you to be 18 or older and to complete 60 classroom hours plus 30 advanced hours before sitting the salesperson exam, which is 110 questions in 180 minutes. Every figure on this page names the South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 40, Chapter 57 (Real Estate Brokers, Salesmen, Property Managers and Timeshare Salespersons) page it came from and the date we checked it.
How much pre-licensing education does South Carolina require?
Before applying, an associate candidate must complete 60 hours of classroom instruction in real estate fundamentals and 30 hours of advanced instruction within five years of applying, though the exam may be taken before the 30 advanced hours are finished; a law or related bachelor's/master's degree can substitute.
Sponsoring broker — what does South Carolina require?
An individual holding an active associate license must be licensed under a broker-in-charge who is licensed by the commission, and may not be licensed under more than one broker-in-charge at the same time.
How do you become a real estate agent in South Carolina?
Becoming an agent in South Carolina is the license plus one more step: complete 60 classroom hours plus 30 advanced hours, pass the 110-question salesperson exam, and then satisfy South Carolina's rule on sponsoring broker — Must be licensed under a broker-in-charge. A license you hold and a license you can practice under are not the same thing, and the difference is set out above with its source.
Nearby states
Licensing in more than one state? Each state's license requirements covers its own license law.
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