Real Estate License Information for South Carolina

Hi Friends,

Real estate licenses in South Carolina are issued and regulated by the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation. The department is responsible for ensuring that the steps are completed before a South Carolina real estate license is issued.

Pre-Licensing Course: South Carolina requires that all real estate license applicants complete a pre-licensing exam course. The course must be at least 60 hours long and is only valid when taken from an approved school. The purpose of the course is to prepare the student for the licensing exam. Courses are often offered outside of normal work hours, though students should expect to have to study outside of the classroom.

PSI Exam: The company PSI currently holds the contract to give the real estate license exam in South Carolina. hence the nickname "PSI exam." The exam is composed of two parts. One is specific to South Carolina real estate laws and the other is a general real estate section. The pre-licensing course will cover all of the information that will be on the exam. Many schools offer a practice exam so students can be sure they are ready to take the PSI exam.

Provisional License: Once the applicant passes the PSI exam, she is issued a provisional real estate license. With a provisional license, the applicant is considered a real estate agent. However, the agent must find a real estate broker to work with until his license is upgraded. A "broker in charge" is not the same as a broker. The broker in charge is a person charged with overseeing provisional licensees.

Salesperson License: A provisional license is only valid for one year. During that time, the agent is expected to upgrade her license to a salesperson license. To do so, 30 hours of post-licensing education from an approved school is required. There is no minimum waiting period before pursuing the 30-hour requirement; some agents will take the additional courses immediately after passing the PSI exam.

License Renewal: Salesperson licenses must be renewed every two years. The South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation requires renewal of licenses in every even-numbered year. To qualify, agents must have taken a minimum of eight hours of continuing education from an approved school. The exception to this is the first time a real estate agent renews his license, when the 30 hours of continuing education for the upgrade to a salesperson license will satisfy the requirement.

Thanks and Regards
Michael Earl