Getting your South Carolina real estate license might seem daunting, but we’re here to guide you through the process.
Read on to learn about the 7 steps you’ll need to complete before starting your career in South Carolina real estate. To learn about how much it costs to get your real estate license, visit our South Carolina Pre-Licensing pricing page.
To start, you must:
Be at least 18 years of age.
Hold a high school diploma, GED or its equivalent
Be lawfully present and eligible to work in the United States.
Successfully complete 90 clock hours of approved Pre-Licensing associate courses. Learn more about your package options here.
The 60-hour Unit I Associate Pre-Licensing course must be taken prior to sitting for the South Carolina Associate licensing exam.
The 30-hour Unit II Advanced Real Estate Principles course can be taken after passing the licensing exam, but must be taken prior to applying for licensure. Both courses must be completed before obtaining initial licensure.
If you hold a law degree or have received a degree from a university with a major course of study in real estate, or if you have a current license in another jurisdiction and are seeking licensure in South Carolina, please see the South Carolina real estate commission's website for the education and examination requirements in detail for your specific situation.
After you complete all the course materials, there is a final exam for each course. The minimum passing score is 70%.
You must take the final exam in the presence of a proctor, so you’ll need to schedule an appointment with a proctor in advance. Find out more about proctoring here.
To sit for the South Carolina Associate examination, you must first submit your exam application.
Once the exam application is approved, you will receive an examination eligibility letter. Examination eligibility is valid for one year. PSI administers the South Carolina real estate associate licensing exam.
You will have 200 minutes to complete this 120 question test comprised of 2 portions, covering both state and national requirements. 120 minutes will be allotted for the 80 question national portion, and 80 minutes for 40 state questions. For more information, see the PSI candidate information bulletin.
Do you need help passing your South Carolina real estate license exam? The CE Shop also offers comprehensive Exam Prep tailored to South Carolina. If you have any additional questions, visit our South Carolina real estate exam frequently asked questions page.
After passing your licensing exam, you must become associated with a current and active sponsoring broker. This broker will be a career and education mentor providing you with an inside view into the day-to-day operations of a real estate agent.
Here are some questions to consider when searching for the right broker:
What is their reputation, both locally and nationally?
What kind of real estate agents are they looking for?
Are they technologically advanced and up-to-date with the latest systems?
How do they support their agents with education and training?
What kind of commission structure do they offer?
Do they offer benefits?
Do they provide their agents with leads and marketing material?
Is there room to grow with the brokerage?
Once the licensing requirements have been met, submit your license application online.
You are required to obtain a criminal background check to submit with your application.
For any applications submitted after June 30, 2020, instructions will be provided after the initial application is received on how to obtain your fingerprint background check. Find out more here.
NOTE: all pre-licensing applicants must have an application on file with the South Carolina Real Estate Commission before completing their criminal background check. Fingerprint reports submitted before an application is on file will not be accepted by the Real Estate Commission.
