Real Estate Agent License Requirements in South Carolina
- Training hours
- 90 hrs
- Upfront cost
- $138
- Exam
- SC Real Estate Salesperson (Associate) Examination – National and State portions
- Renewal cycle
- Every 2 years
- Issuing board
- South Carolina Real Estate Commission (SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation)
How to get licensed
- 1
Meet the prerequisites
Be at least 18 years old, High school diploma, GED certificate, or official college transcript (highest level of completed education); foreign degrees require an equivalency evaluation (e.g., via NACES or AICE)., pass a criminal background check. Requires both a fingerprint-based background check and a Social Security number check, initiated only after the Commission confirms receipt of the application. Per S.C. Code § 8-29-10 and a 2014 SC Attorney General opinion, DACA recipients are not eligible for a South Carolina professional license. A sponsoring broker is required via a Supervision Attestation Form submitted after passing the exam; a license is placed on Inactive status (and not mailed) if no brokerage is identified. [1]
- 2
Complete approved training
Complete 90 hours of training at a state-approved program. 90 hours total: a 60-hour Unit I 'Fundamentals of Real Estate' course (required before sitting for the exam) plus an additional 30-hour Unit II 'Advanced Real Estate Principle Course' (can be completed after passing the exam, as one of the final steps before license issuance). Exempt from the education requirement: applicants with a Juris Doctor/Bachelor of Law degree, a bachelor's-or-higher degree with a major in real estate, or Georgia reciprocity applicants licensed by written exam. [1]
- 3
SC Real Estate Salesperson (Associate) Examination – National and State portions
Pass the SC Real Estate Salesperson (Associate) Examination – National and State portions (fee: $63). $63 covers both the national and state portions together; $55 covers the state portion alone (relevant to North Carolina reciprocity applicants, who are only required to take the SC state exam). This vendor fee is paid directly to PSI and is separate from the Commission's own $25 application fee. [2]
- 4
Submit your application
Submit your application to South Carolina Real Estate Commission (SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation) with the $25 application fee. Typical processing time: License typically issued within 3-5 business days of the initial license fee being collected, once all required documents (exam pass, Supervision Attestation, Unit II certificate) are submitted. [4]
- 5
Receive your license
Once your application is approved, South Carolina Real Estate Commission (SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation) issues your Real Estate Associate License for South Carolina.
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee [2] | $25 |
| License fee [2] | $50 |
| Renewal fee [2] | $45 |
| SC Real Estate Salesperson (Associate) Examination – National and State portions [2] | $63 |
| Inactive license renewal (biennial) [2] | $120 |
The $25 application fee is paid to the Commission when submitting the initial application (separate from PSI's own exam fee). The new Associate license issuance fee is $50 (biennial). The standard active-license renewal fee is $45 (biennial); a late renewal fee of $15/month applies from July 1 through December 31, after which the licensee must reapply.
Renewal & continuing education
Renew every 2 years. 10 continuing education hours required per cycle.
Continuing education is due during the open renewal period (April-June of the expiry year). Active Associates and Brokers need 10 hours of CE per 2-year cycle (4 mandatory/core hours + 6 elective hours). Full CE exemption is available at 25+ years of SC licensure and age 65+; a partial exemption (core course only) is available at 25+ years of licensure. Georgia residents also licensed in SC who meet Georgia's CE requirements are exempt from SC's CE under the SC-GA reciprocity agreement.
Reciprocity
Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.
South Carolina's own reciprocity list, per the Commission's Associate licensing page, includes only Georgia and North Carolina. Georgia reciprocity applicants licensed by written exam are exempt from SC's pre-licensing education and from all SC exams. North Carolina reciprocity applicants (e.g., NC Provisional Brokers with 90 hours of NC post-licensing education, or 90 hours of SC pre-licensing education) are exempt from education but must still pass the SC state exam portion. Both pathways require a $25 initial licensure fee.
Cost calculator
- $25
- $50
- $63
Frequently asked questions
How many hours of pre-licensing education does South Carolina require?
90 hours total: 60 hours of Unit I (Fundamentals of Real Estate), required before the exam, plus 30 hours of Unit II (Advanced Real Estate Principle Course), which can be completed after passing the exam.
Who administers the South Carolina real estate exam, and what does it cost?
PSI Testing Service. The combined national and state exam costs $63; the state-only exam (for North Carolina reciprocity applicants) costs $55, paid directly to PSI, separate from the Commission's $25 application fee.
Does South Carolina require a sponsoring broker?
Yes. After passing the exam, applicants submit a Supervision Attestation Form identifying their brokerage; a license issued without a named brokerage goes on Inactive status.
Is a background check required?
Yes, both a fingerprint-based background check and a Social Security number check, initiated only after the Commission confirms receipt of the application.
Does South Carolina have reciprocity with other states?
Only with Georgia and North Carolina, per the Commission's own reciprocity page. Georgia written-exam licensees are exempt from SC's education and exam requirements; North Carolina applicants still must pass the SC state exam.
Sources
- [1] llr.sc.gov/re/recpdf/Real-Estate-Associate-License-Requirements.pdf — accessed 2026-07-12
- [2] llr.sc.gov/re/RECPDF/FEES.pdf — accessed 2026-07-12
- [3] llr.sc.gov/re/ce.aspx — accessed 2026-07-12
- [4] llr.sc.gov/re/associate.aspx — accessed 2026-07-12