1.3 License Maintenance and Renewal

License Term and the Staggered Renewal Date

South Carolina real estate licenses are biennial — valid for two years — and all expire on June 30. A common misconception is that everyone renews in odd-numbered years. In fact the population is staggered: roughly half of licensees renew in even years and half in odd years, and your renewal year is fixed by the date you were originally licensed. The renewal window opens months ahead so licensees can finish continuing education before the deadline.

Exam trap: If a question says "all SC licenses renew in odd years," it is wrong. The schedule is staggered — the correct anchor is "biennial, expiring June 30, with the odd/even year determined by initial licensure."

Continuing Education — 10 Hours

Active salespersons and brokers must complete 10 hours of SCREC-approved continuing education each two-year cycle. The structure is fixed:

The core course is updated each cycle to cover current law changes, agency disclosure, and trust-account rules; it cannot be substituted with electives. A daily cap limits how much CE you can credit in a single day, so do not leave all ten hours to the final week.

Broker-in-Charge add-on

A Broker-in-Charge (BIC) must, within the same 10-hour total, complete a dedicated BIC course addressing supervision, recordkeeping, and escrow management, in addition to the 4-hour core. The BIC course displaces elective hours — it is not added on top of 10.

Who is exempt from CE

CE Carryover

Licensees who earn more than the required hours may carry over up to 4 elective hours into the next renewal cycle. Carryover applies to electives only — the 4-hour core must be retaken fresh every cycle because its content changes.

CE Tracking via CE Broker

South Carolina records continuing education through CE Broker, the official tracking system. Approved providers report completions electronically, usually within a few business days, and licensees can confirm their transcript online before renewing. Keep your own certificates: if a provider's roster is delayed, your certificate is the backup proof at renewal.

Renewal, Late Renewal, and Reinstatement

Renewal is completed online through the LLR portal. The sequence each cycle is: confirm CE in CE Broker → log in to LLR → answer the conduct/background questions → pay the renewal fee. Active practice may continue only while the license is current.

If you miss June 30

A license not renewed by June 30 becomes lapsed. Two consequences follow immediately:

• You may not practice. Performing licensed activity on a lapsed license is itself a disciplinary violation, separate from the late fee.
• A late penalty accrues and reinstatement costs climb the longer the lapse continues. CE must still be completed before the license can be reinstated.

Lapsed for an extended period

If a license stays lapsed beyond the reinstatement window (generally past the next renewal cycle), SCREC can require the holder to reapply as a new applicant and retake the licensing exam. The longer the gap, the more likely re-examination and additional education are required — do not assume an old license can simply be revived.

Worked scenario: A salesperson forgets to renew by June 30 and keeps showing homes that July. Two problems arise: the license is lapsed (a late penalty and CE completion are owed to reinstate), and every showing performed while lapsed is unlicensed activity subject to separate discipline. Stopping practice the moment a license lapses is the only safe move.

Active vs. Inactive Status

A license can be valid yet inactive. A salesperson whose affiliation with a BIC ends goes inactive — the license still exists and renews, but no licensed activity is permitted until a new BIC activates it. This differs from a lapsed license (failure to renew) and from suspension/revocation (discipline).

Keeping Information Current

Licensees must promptly notify SCREC through the LLR portal of changes that affect the record, including:

• Change of business or mailing address.
• Change of legal name.
• For salespersons, a change of supervising Broker-in-Charge — leaving one BIC and joining another is a status change that must be reported so the license is correctly affiliated.

Failing to report these changes can delay renewal notices and, in the case of an unreported BIC change, leave a salesperson unaffiliated and therefore unable to practice.