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How to Get a South Carolina Real Estate License

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South Carolina requires a real estate license for any person seeking to facilitate real estate sales.

General Requirements:

  • US Social Security Number
  • 18 years of age or older
  • Eligible to work in the US
  • High school diploma or equivalent
  • 60-hour real estate pre-licensing course and 30-hour post-licensing course
  • Take and pass licensing examination

South Carolina Real Estate Education Requirements

In order to become a fully licensed real estate agent in South Carolina you must complete 60 hours of pre-licensing education and then 30 additional hours within one year of obtaining your license. Until the 30 hours of post-license education are completed you will hold a “provisional license”; if the 30-hour education requirement is not fulfilled within one year, your license will be cancelled.

Courses must be completed with a pre-approved provider. The course is designed for candidates without any real estate experience and offers the information needed to pass the examination. After completing the course, you will receive the completion certificate necessary to register for the licensing examination.

Purchase a South Carolina Prelicensing Exam Study Guide

Regardless of which online course you choose for your prelicensing requirement, consider purchasing a South Carolina Prelicensing Exam Study Guide to increase your chances of success. It is a small price to pay to ensure you pass your exam on the first try.

Applying to the Commission for Examination Eligibility

Once you have completed your educational requirement you should apply to the Commission for examination eligibility. You can print the application form from the Commission’s website. You will need to sign the form in the presence of a notary public and submit the $35 application fee payable by check. The Commission will notify you of your eligibility within 7-10 business days.

Registering and Scheduling the Licensing Examination

PSI is the testing company commissioned to govern and administer the licensing examinations. You will need to register with PSI and then schedule your exam. Registering by fax or standard mail will require you to wait a few days before scheduling your test but registering online or over the phone will allow you to schedule the test at the same time. The $63 testing fee (for one testing session, both portions) is collected at the time of registration ($55 for one portion). Online registration is open 24 hours a day and accepts VISA or MasterCard. If registering over the phone, by fax or standard mail you will need the registration form found at the end of the Candidate Information Bulletin. PSI has several testing locations in the state of South Carolina.

Taking the South Carolina Real Estate Salesperson Examination

The South Carolina Real Estate Salesperson Examination is given via computer at a PSI testing center. You will be offered a tutorial regarding the use of the computer and an opportunity to practice prior to taking the exam.

The exam is divided into two sections (State and General) that you must pass within one year of each other. You may take the sections in the same testing session or separately. If you take the sections separately, you will be charged $55 for each session. The State portion is 30 questions and pertains to specific South Carolina laws and policies. The General portion is 80 questions and tests your general knowledge of real estate information. You will be allowed 60 minutes to complete the State section of the exam and 120 minutes to complete the General section.

Once you submit your answers, “pass” or “fail” will appear on your computer screen. The testing center staff will provide you with a printed official score report. If you fail one or both sections of the examination you may retake them for $55 each. You may schedule a retake one day after your failed attempt and consequently retake the exam within 48 hours.

You should always arrive 30 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment time.

Scoring

The passing score for each portion is 70%. Therefore you must answer 21 questions correctly on the State portion and 56 correctly on the General portion.

Obtaining a South Carolina Real Estate License

Upon successfully completing the examination specific instructions regarding obtaining your license will accompany your score report. You will need a sponsoring broker in order to be granted a license.

Official Resources:

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