How to Get a South Carolina Real Estate License

Step-By-Step Guide to Become a Licensed Real Estate Agent

In addition to the beautiful touristy waterfronts and lush golf ⛳ courses, the Palmetto State is also home to companies like Michelin and BMW. The high number of universities, colleges, and other institutions of higher learning provide a high influx of students and a lot of them choose to permanently reside in the state. From Charleston, Myrtle Beach, Columbia, to Greenville, there are a lot of homes waiting to be listed. That all sounds nice, but do you know how to get started? Well, rest easy we are going to walk you through the process of getting your license quickly and easily.

You ready? Let’s break it down, step by step.

Step 1: Complete Required Pre-Licensing Education

SCREC requires you to complete two courses that give you the basics of real estate knowledge:

• Unit I – Salesperson Pre-licensing Course (60 hours)
• Unit II – Advanced Real Estate Sales Principles (30 hours)

The courses in Unit I include topics like:

• Contract law,
• Listing agreements,
• Real estate finance,
• Closings,
• South Carolina laws, etc.

After completing the 60-hour Unit I course, you can take the proctored licensing exam. You must take the Unit II before applying for the actual license.

The  30-hour Unit II (Advanced Principles Course) covers more hands-on parts of real estate. Everyone applying for a salesperson license in South Carolina must take it, although, you can choose to take it before or after the state exam.

Not a fan of school? Well, these classes just might change how you feel about school. You have so many options! Some of them are even entirely online which has huge advantages! Online classes means you can do them at your own pace and work them in around your own schedule even if you have a full-time job. Also, the classes are only a total of 90 hours! That may seem like a big number, but to get started in a new career, that number is just a speck in time. 

Students are always surprised how affordable these classes are. Take a look at the best real estate schools in South Carolina and see for yourself. If you’re still looking for a way to save some dough, Agent Advice offers a way to get yours for free.

Step 2: Pass The Course Proctored Exam 

After completing the course, you are required to take a final exam for each course in the presence of a proctor. You need to score at least 70% to pass. You can take the exam again if you don’t pass, so there’s no need to psych yourself out.

Upon passing the course final exam, you’ll be given a certificate of completion for the Unit II course. This certificate will let you apply for the real estate license, so be sure to hold on to it.

Step 3: Pass The South Carolina Licensing Exam 

It’s time to unleash your brainpower

After completing your Unit I course and doing your proctored exam, you can apply for the actual licensing exam. After the approval of your exam application, you will receive an examination eligibility letter. Examination eligibility is valid for ONLY one year, so don’t waste any time scheduling your test time.

You’ll have 200 minutes to complete 120 questions that are split into 2 portions: the state and national portion. The national portion takes 120 minutes for 80 questions. While the state portion gives you 80 minutes to answer 40 South Carolina related questions.

This sounds like a lot of testing, but it will fly by before you know it. Don’t know what you need to study? Your exam eligibility letter will have a Candidate Handbook which has study material that will help you prep for the exam. There’s also plenty of cram courses that will help you brush up right before the exam. Rest assured that you don’t have to pass this on the first try. Remember that you have a full year from when you get your exam eligibility to pass this exam. We think you’ll pass it on your first go because we know you, you’re motivated.

Remember to bring a valid photo ID and exam admittance form to your exam location.

Step 4: Complete Background Check Requirement

After you’ve applied for the exams, you must send in your fingerprints for a background check. You will receive instructions on obtaining the fingerprint checks after SCREC  has received the application. Since 2020, SCREC has required you to get background clearance from both the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).

Step 5: Find Sponsoring Broker

Finally, you’ll need to find a sponsoring broker. 🙋 Uhhh … should I know what a  ‘sponsoring broker’ is? Nope, we’ll tell you! So you’ve passed the exam but it doesn’t mean you’re ready just yet. When you first start out you’ll want an experienced organization to show you the ropes. Sponsoring brokers have been-there-done-that and they’re ready to show you how. Not only will they give you all the tools you need to start making sales but they’ll help you market yourself as an agent. 

You’ll get to choose a brokerage you like, that focuses on a niche you love, that has a company culture you love, and most importantly … has a good commission rate, so your paycheck is XL. Worried about finding a brokerage yourself? Agent Advice helps with warm introductions to hiring brokerages if you sign-up for a class through us. Phew!

You have total freedom to choose your sponsoring broker. Here’s some things agents look at when choosing a brokerage:

• Commission Rate
  • Look at each brokerage’s commission rate when you’re shopping around. If they’ve got a good rate, your commission checks will be larger than life. 💸
• Niche
  • Maybe you want a brokerage that focuses on a niche on a location or a specific category of real estate like commercial retail, single family homes, or fixer-uppers. So if you have a specific interest you can find a broker who shares that interest.
• Culture
  • Maybe the company’s culture is important to you. If so, get to know what they’re all about, how they work, and what’s important to them.

That’s all just to say that you have the freedom to choose a brokerage that fits you.

South Carolina wants you to be sponsored by a broker-in-charge and apply for a license within one year of passing the exam. Once you have a sponsoring Broker and provide proof to SCREC, you can wait for your license in the mail.

SCREC Criteria to get a real estate license

Let’s answer the most obvious question straight out of the gate. “What the heck is SCREC and why do I need to impress them?!” Well, SCREC is short for the South Carolina Real Estate Commission and it’s their job to make sure all agents in South Carolina are capable, qualified, and can lawfully work in the state. To do so, they have some basic criteria you must meet. Luckily, most of the requirements are pretty straightforward.

To qualify for a real estate salesperson’s license in South Carolina, you need to meet this criteria:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Must hold a high school diploma or equivalent
• Be lawfully eligible to work in the United States

Easy enough, right? Most of you will just blaze right by this step without even thinking about it.

How much does it cost to get a real estate license in South Carolina?

The current fees that you will be required to pay to obtain a South Carolina real estate license are: 

• Exam Application Fee: $25
• Examination administration fee: $63 for both portions and $55 for one.
• New Salesperson License: $50
• Renewal of a Salesperson License: $45

In addition to these fees, the Unit II course developer must submit two – 20 item examinations with each course. There is a fee of $100.00 to evaluate each Unit II Module. 

Prelicensing courses prices go from $200 and up depending on the provider you choose. Keep in mind that each education provider offers different services and features, so make sure you do your research before you settle for a specific school. 

Besides the costs we’ve just mentioned, you should also consider tutoring costs, any prep courses you may enroll to, study materials, and other costs to obtain your documentation and pass your licensing exam. 

How long does it take to get a real estate license in South Carolina?

The most time-consuming part of the real estate licensing process in South Carolina is the licensing courses. The first part, Unit I lasts for 60 hours and is usually finished in about two months, depending on your availability and concentration. 

After you submit your fingerprints for a background check, they will be processed in 3 days. 

The exam applications are processed as they are received, with the usual processing time being around 5-7 business days.

Once your application has been approved, you can schedule the exam, which is done on a first-come, first-serve basis. You will be scheduled based on the seating availability at the center of your choice.

After this, the remaining is up to you. You need to pass the exam within one year, the period of time for which your eligibility is valid.

How much do real estate agents make in South Carolina?

Agents in South Carolina earn $50,160 per year on average. The annual 90th percentile wage, on the other hand, or the amount the top 10% of agents in South Carolina earn is $83,620. 

The metro area with the highest average annual wage for real estate agents and the one where top agents get paid the most at the same time is the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort metro area. The average annual wage of real estate agents is $59,100, while the best agents in this area can earn $152,650 or more; one of the highest salaries in all US.