How to Get a Real Estate License in South Carolina (2026): Cost & Steps

What a South Carolina real estate license costs

Application, paid to the state

$25

Exam, both parts

$67

License fee

$50

Required fees, total

$142.00

Military spouses can ask the Commission about its military spouse licensing options; see the South Carolina Real Estate Commission website. We couldn’t confirm the current price of the background checks, so budget for them separately.

Build your South Carolina startup budget

Sources: South Carolina Real Estate Commission associate license requirements (90 hours of courses, $25 application, $50 license fee, two background checks); South Carolina Real Estate Commission associate licensing page (application steps, supervision form, reciprocity); PSI South Carolina candidate bulletin (updated August 27, 2026) ($67 exam, question counts, passing scores, cancellation rules); South Carolina Real Estate Commission renewal page ($45 renewal, late and reinstatement fees); South Carolina Real Estate Commission FAQ (10 hours of continuing education). Fees and rules checked October 10, 2026. Exam and background-check prices can change, so confirm the total when you book.

Who can get a South Carolina associate license

Most people call it a real estate agent license. In South Carolina it is an associate license, and it lets you work under a broker-in-charge. Opening your own brokerage is a separate broker license.

The South Carolina Real Estate Commission says you need to be at least 18 and have a high school diploma or an equivalency certificate. You also need to pass the fingerprint and Social Security number background checks. There is no experience requirement. If your application shows a criminal conviction, the Commission can ask for an explanation and court records, so gather them early.

Already licensed elsewhere? South Carolina has reciprocity agreements only with Georgia and North Carolina. If you hold an active license in another state, or it expired less than six months ago, you only take the South Carolina part of the exam. Lawyers and people with a real estate bachelor’s degree can skip the courses.

The steps, in order

1. Take the 60-hour Unit I course. Use a school on the Commission’s prelicensing course calendar. You also owe a 30-hour Unit II course. You can send in the Unit II certificate after the exam, but it has to be in before your license is issued.

   For your first 60 hours, compare South Carolina real estate courses and Unit I packages from Colibri. The course guide also explains where the separate 30-hour Unit II fits.

   Start your 60-hour South Carolina Unit I course online with Colibri Real Estate. Compare course packages and exam-prep options, then plan the separate Unit II requirement described above.

   See South Carolina real estate courses

   We may earn a commission if you enroll through this link.

2. Apply online and pay $25. Use the online application on the Commission’s associate page. You upload ID, proof of residency, a copy of your diploma, GED or transcript, your Unit I certificate and a lawful-presence form. Some of the forms must be notarized. You have one year after you submit to finish the rest.
3. Get your background checks. After the Commission receives your application, it emails instructions for the fingerprint check and the Social Security number check. The Commission says the results can take three weeks or more to arrive, and your application can’t be approved without them.
4. Wait for your exam approval email. The Commission approves you and emails your exam registration information. PSI needs 48 hours after that email to load your approval, so don’t try to book sooner.
5. Book the exam with PSI and pass it. Book on PSI’s South Carolina page. The national part has 80 questions and 120 minutes, and you need 56 right. The South Carolina part has 40 questions and 80 minutes, and you need 28 right. There are a few extra unscored questions. Cancel or reschedule at least two days ahead or you lose the fee. Bring one government photo ID that matches your registration name and arrive 30 minutes early. PSI sends your scores to the Commission for you.
6. Finish your paperwork and activate under a broker. Once you pass, the Commission emails your final checklist: your Unit II certificate and a supervision form signed by your broker. Upload them in the Commission’s licensee portal. You then get an invoice for the $50 license fee, which you pay online, and your license is issued in about 3–5 business days. You have one year from passing to finish. If the form doesn’t name a brokerage, your license is issued inactive.

What South Carolina agents earn

Median pay, South Carolina agents on payroll

$56,580

Middle half earns

$39,990–$97,470

Top 10% earn over

$189,590

South Carolina agents on payroll

4,930

The bottom 10% of South Carolina payroll agents earn under $36,530. The national median is $52,830. Plan for both course units and the office's opening costs. Compare the amount retained after brokerage deductions with your own insurance, education and client-development expenses instead of treating gross commission as personal income.

Source: U.S. Labor Department pay survey, May 2025, South Carolina real estate sales agents. Covers agents on a payroll only. Checked October 10, 2026.

Coordinate your broker and Unit II before license issuance

South Carolina lets the 60-hour Unit I course lead into the application and exam process, while the 30-hour Unit II certificate is needed before licensing. Use that interval to choose a broker and complete the supervision paperwork.

Ask how the office will train a new associate on contracts, disclosures and the first client appointment. Compare all office and mentoring charges with the split. Have the broker affiliation ready for issuance; without a brokerage, the Commission issues the license inactive.

Set up your South Carolina agent business

Register the business and organize payments

Set up your agent business alongside the broker supervision agreement. Confirm the entity type and commission-payee arrangement allowed for your services, then follow the South Carolina LLC guide for an LLC. ZenBusiness can prepare the state filing once those details are settled.

Arrange errors and omissions (E&O) insurance

Discuss E&O before your first assignment so insurance is included in the onboarding budget. Compare E&O quotes from Simply Business with the brokerage policy, checking the insured services, deductible and claim-reporting contact. Keep the selected coverage with your transaction procedures.

Keep business records from day one

Record the Unit I and Unit II certificates separately, and save the background-check instructions with the application. Add the June renewal and continuing-education schedule to your calendar so training remains part of running the business.

See South Carolina business registration and tax requirements for the wider registration and tax checklist.

Use the second course to prepare for a real appointment

Choose a local property and ask your broker to help you rehearse a buyer consultation and offer discussion. Work through the investigation period and the next decisions the client will face. Follow that with supervised experience and a contact list that records a useful next action for every interested prospect.

Resources for preparing client conversations

• what homeowners insurance costs by state
• the cost of renting versus owning
• flood insurance deadline
• state comparison of agent and brokerage businesses
• mortgage lock-in study
• Plan your first client conversations and follow-up

Renew every two years and keep up your continuing education

South Carolina associate licenses renew every two years for $45. Licenses that aren’t renewed by June 30 of the renewal year lapse, and you can’t work with a lapsed license. You can reinstate within 24 months, and the Commission adds $15 for each month you are late.

Active licensees need 10 hours of Commission-approved continuing education each renewal cycle, completed before you renew, unless you qualify for an exemption. The Commission tracks continuing education through CE Broker, and the Commission’s continuing education page lists approved courses and providers. Georgia agents who are also licensed in South Carolina may be exempt if they meet Georgia’s requirements.

South Carolina agent questions