How to Become a Real Estate Agent in South Carolina

If you're considering starting a real estate career in South Carolina it doesn’t matter if you’re in Charleston, North Charleston, Columbia, Mount Pleasant, Rock Hill, or any other city in the state, you'll need to earn a South Carolina real estate license.

To earn your real estate license in South Carolina, you must: 

• Be at least 18 years old
  
• Complete 90 hours of approved education
  
• Submit to a total of three criminal background checks
  
• Pass the South Carolina salesperson licensing exam
  
• Secure employment with a sponsoring broker
  

While the process to become a real estate agent is similar in most states, each state has unique steps that must be followed. The six steps to becoming a South Carolina real estate agent are as follows:

Step 1: Be at Least 18 Years of Age

In addition to being at least 18 years of age, you must also be lawfully eligible to work in the United States and show proof of high school graduation or equivalent.

Step 2: Complete Your Required Education

The state of South Carolina Real Estate Commission requires you, as a salesperson applicant, to complete a required 60-hour South Carolina Real Estate Principles course. Before applying for a license, you must also complete a 30-hour Advanced Real Estate Sales Principles course.

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Step 3: Complete and Submit Your Real Estate Salesperson License Application

After you complete your required education, you can apply for your real estate license. Visit the South Carolina Real Estate Commission's website to apply for your license. Your application and fee are good for 1 year, so you must take the exam within a year of applying. You can indicate who your employing broker will be on your application or wait until after you take the exam.

Step 4: Complete 3 Criminal Background Checks

You are required to submit a total of three criminal background checks: two (state and national) are fingerprint-based, and one is social security number-based. The state fingerprint-based criminal background check is conducted by the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and the national fingerprint-based criminal records check is conducted by the FBI. The Commission has approved SR&I to conduct the additional social security number-based criminal records check. 

Step 5: Receive Authorization to Test & Take the South Carolina Salesperson Licensing Exam

Once your application has been approved, you will receive an email from the exam provider notifying you of your authorization to register for the exam. Once you receive your authorization to take the exam, register and pass the salesperson’s exam with the exam provider, PSI Services LLC. To schedule your exam, visit the PSI website.

Step 6: Obtain an Employing Broker Sponsor

To practice as a real estate salesperson, you must be sponsored by a licensed South Carolina Employing Broker within one year of passing your exam. You can either apply with a sponsoring broker or if your employing broker is confirmed at least 48 hours before the exam date, you can receive your photo license at the PSI exam site after completing your exam. If you have yet to confirm a broker before the exam, you can do it afterward through South Carolina Real Estate Commission's website.