1.2 South Carolina License Requirements
Key Takeaways
- Salesperson applicants must be at least 18, hold a high school diploma or GED, and pass SLED and FBI background checks
- Pre-license education is 90 hours total: Unit I Fundamentals (60 hours) qualifies you to sit the PSI exam; Unit II Advanced Principles (30 hours) is required before the license is issued, not before the exam
- The salesperson exam is delivered by PSI: 120 scored questions (80 national + 40 state) plus 5–10 unscored pretest items
- Passing requires 70% on each portion separately — 56/80 national and 28/40 state — within 200 minutes total
- The PSI exam fee is $63 per attempt; if you pass one portion you must pass the other within six months or retake both
Salesperson (Associate) Requirements
South Carolina's entry path is the salesperson (often called associate) license. Four gates must be cleared in order: eligibility, education, examination, and background.
1. Eligibility
- Be at least 18 years of age.
- Hold a high school diploma or GED.
- Demonstrate honesty, truthfulness, and good reputation (the License Law's character standard).
- Be lawfully present in the United States to receive a state license.
2. Pre-License Education — 90 Hours (Split Around the Exam)
The salesperson license requires 90 classroom-equivalent hours at a SCREC-approved school, split into two units — but the two units sit on opposite sides of the exam. This sequencing is a favorite exam point.
| Unit | Hours | When | Typical content |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit I — Fundamentals of Real Estate | 60 | Before the PSI exam (qualifies you to test) | Property rights, agency, contracts, financing, valuation, fair housing |
| Unit II — Advanced Real Estate Principles | 30 | After passing the exam, before the license is issued | SC license law, disclosure, ethics, math, closing/settlement practice |
| Total | 90 |
In other words, you only need to finish Unit I (60 hours) to become eligible for the PSI exam. Unit II (30 hours) is taken after you pass but must be completed before SCREC will issue the license.
Common trap: Both units total 90 hours for the license, but they are not both prerequisites to testing — only Unit I is. Unit III (60 hours) is the separate broker education and does not count toward salesperson eligibility.
3. The PSI Salesperson Examination
The state contracts with PSI to deliver the computer-based exam. Memorize this table — the state portion frequently asks about the exam itself.
| Detail | Salesperson exam |
|---|---|
| Scored questions | 120 (80 national + 40 state) |
| Unscored pretest items | 5–10 (do not affect your score) |
| Time limit | 200 minutes total (about 120 min national, 80 min state) |
| Passing standard | 70% on each portion, scored separately |
| Required raw scores | 56/80 national and 28/40 state |
| Exam fee | $63 per attempt, paid to PSI |
| Result reporting | Pass/fail issued at the test center the same day |
4. Background Investigation
Applicants submit fingerprints for a two-tier background check:
- SLED — South Carolina Law Enforcement Division state criminal history.
- FBI — national criminal history through the approved fingerprint vendor.
A criminal record is not an automatic bar; SCREC reviews the offense, recency, and rehabilitation. Failure to disclose, however, is itself grounds for denial.
Split-Scoring Mechanics
Because the two portions are scored independently, you can pass one and fail the other. The retake rule is strict:
- Pass both portions → eligible to apply for the license.
- Pass one portion, fail the other → retake only the failed portion, but you must pass it within six months of the date you passed the first portion. Miss that window and both portions expire — you start over.
- Fail both → reschedule and retake the full exam (fee applies each attempt).
Worked example: You pass the national portion on March 1 but fail the state portion. You have until roughly September 1 to pass the state portion. Pass it August 15 — you keep the national credit. Pass it September 20 — the national credit is gone and you re-sit all 120 questions.
Broker Requirements
The broker license is the next tier and requires real-world experience on top of more education and a separate exam.
Experience
Applicants must have been actively licensed as a salesperson for at least three years (active status, not merely holding the license) and must document that activity. Time spent inactive or lapsed does not count.
Broker Education — 60 Hours
Beyond the salesperson's 90 hours, candidates complete 60 hours of broker-level education, the Unit III sequence.
| Course | Hours | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Unit IIIA — Advanced Real Estate Principles / Brokerage | 30 | Trust accounting, agency supervision, risk management |
| Unit IIIB — Real Estate Brokerage Management | 30 | Office operations, recordkeeping, broker liability |
| Total | 60 |
Broker Examination
| Detail | Broker exam |
|---|---|
| Structure | National portion + South Carolina state portion (PSI) |
| Passing standard | 70% on each portion, scored separately |
| Delivery | Computer-based at a PSI test center |
Note on the BIC step: Passing the broker exam earns a broker license, but to manage an office and hold escrow you must additionally qualify as a Broker-in-Charge (BIC), which carries its own application and a dedicated education course.
Fees Snapshot
Fees change periodically; always confirm the current amount on the LLR/SCREC fee schedule before paying. The exam fee below is the verified PSI charge.
| Item | Salesperson | Broker |
|---|---|---|
| PSI exam fee (per attempt) | $63 | $63 |
| Initial license application | confirm on SCREC schedule | confirm on SCREC schedule |
| Background check / fingerprints | vendor fee | vendor fee |
The Application Sequence (Salesperson)
Follow the steps in order; skipping ahead stalls the file.
- Complete Unit I (60 hours) of pre-license education and pass its course final — this qualifies you to sit the exam.
- Register and sit the PSI exam; pass both portions (70% each).
- Complete Unit II (30 hours) of advanced principles — required before the license can be issued.
- Submit fingerprints for the SLED and FBI background checks.
- File the license application through the LLR online portal and pay fees.
- Affiliate with a sponsoring Broker-in-Charge — a salesperson license is issued inactive until a BIC accepts you.
- BIC activates the license, after which you may perform licensed activity.
Exam trap: Passing the PSI exam does not let you practice. The license is inactive until a BIC sponsors and activates you — unaffiliated salespersons cannot list, sell, or hold themselves out as agents.
Education Waivers
Limited waivers exist. A licensed attorney or a holder of a four-year college degree with a real estate major may petition SCREC to waive specific pre-license courses. Waivers apply to education only — the PSI exam and background check are still required of everyone.
How many hours of pre-license education must a South Carolina salesperson applicant complete, and how are they divided?
A candidate passes the national portion of the PSI exam but fails the state portion. What does South Carolina require?
What is the PSI exam fee for the South Carolina salesperson exam, per attempt?
After passing the PSI exam and clearing the background check, can a South Carolina salesperson begin practicing immediately?