How To Get Your Real Estate License In South Carolina

An applicant who does not hold a current real estate license in another state must:

1. 1. Meet the requirements. Be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident alien or legally present in the U.S, and be at least 18 years old; Provide a physical address for contact by the Commission; Show proof of high school graduation or the equivalent; Submit to a Commission approved criminal background check.
2. 2. Complete an approved 60-hour South Carolina real estate salesperson prelicensing course (Unit I).  Before you can sit for the South Carolina real estate salesperson license exam, you must successfully complete an approved South Carolina 60-hour salesperson prelicensing course in fundamentals of real estate principles and practices, often called “Unit I.” You have 5 years to pass the South Carolina licensing exam after completing the course. If you miss the deadline, you must retake the course.
3. 3. Apply for Examination Eligibility. After completing the Unit I education, apply for Examination Eligibility from the Commission by submitting form REC 231. Eligibility, once granted, is valid for 1 year. If you are unable to pass the licensing exam within that year, you must reapply to the Commission before you can register to take or retake the PSI exam.
4. 4. Start the 30 hours of Unit II Education. While waiting for the Commission to grant Examination Eligibility, get started on the 30 hours in advanced real estate principles courses, often called “Unit II,” that are required for licensure. The Unit II requirement does not need to be completed prior to taking the licensing exam, however, the courses must be complete before a license will be issued.
5. 5. Pass the Licensing Exam. After meeting the education and/or experience requirements, pass the real estate licensing examination. You must earn a score of 70% or higher to pass. Applicants have 1 year from obtaining Examination Eligibility from the Commission to pass the licensing exam. If this deadline is not met, you must reapply to the Commission before you can register to take or retake the PSI exam.
6. 6. Find a sponsoring broker-in-charge and apply for a license. You must be sponsored by a broker-in-charge and apply for a sales license within 1 year of passing the licensing exam. The broker-in-charge will receive your license via mail from the Commission. If you already hold a real estate license in another state, you may obtain a South Carolina license with modified requirements.

Broker license: You must have three (3) years of “Active” licensed salesperson experience prior to attempting to qualify for a broker license. You must complete the Commission approved Broker IIIA and IIIB pre-licensing courses (60 additional hours)

Continuing Education and Renewal Date: June 30th every 2 years.

- Licenses expire June 30th every two years beginning with the year in which the license was first issued.

Hours Required by SCREC: 10 hours

-4 mandatory hours
    -4-hour Core course
-6 elective hours

For information on continuing education exemptions or dual credit, contact the Real Estate Commission directly.

Expiration Date of Course: Course expiration dates vary but are generally 6 months after enrollment date.
Final Exam: While students are required to demonstrate mastery of the content at certain levels of the course, there is no passing score requirement for the final exam.
Certificate: With few exceptions, online course completion certificates are available for download at course conclusion and posted directly to your dashboard account. 

You will have to complete post-licensing education (30 hours) and upgrade to a full salesperson license before the expiration of your provisional license.

The 30 Post License hours consists of 5 courses in the following topics: Agency and Property Disclosures, Contracts, Ethics, Measurements and Valuation, Real Estate Specialty Topic.

Continuing Education and Renewal Date: June 30th every 2 years.

- Licenses expire June 30th every two years beginning with the year in which the license was first issued.

Hours Required by SCREC: 10 hours

-8 mandatory hours
    -4-hour Core course
    -4-hour BIC course
-2 elective hours

For information on continuing education exemptions or dual credit, contact the Real Estate Commission directly.

Expiration Date of Course: Course expiration dates vary but are generally 6 months after enrollment date.
Final Exam: While students are required to demonstrate mastery of the content at certain levels of the course, there is no passing score requirement for the final exam.
Certificate: With few exceptions, online course completion certificates are available for download at course conclusion and posted directly to your dashboard account. 

At this time South Carolina does not require Property Managers to take Continuing Education to renew their license.