Who Grants a License: Licenses are granted by the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (“SCREC”).
Qualifications to receive a License: A candidate must complete 60 clock hours of pre-licensing study at an SCREC-approved real estate school, pass a school-administered final exam, and pass a state exam. All candidates must be at least 18 years of age. For more information about qualifications, see Real Estate Salesman and Broker License Requirements on the SCREC website.
Applying for the Exams: Before registering for the state licensing exam, a candidate must apply to SCREC to obtain a letter or eligibility. Candidates should apply to take the state exam through the PSI (the testing vendor) website scheduling page. For more information, see the South Carolina Real Estate Commission, Department of Labor Licensing and Regulation.
Test Content: The South Carolina state real estate licensing exam is comprised of two separate portions, the national portion and the state-specific portion. Five to ten questions disbursed throughout both portions of the exam are considered "experimental" questions and are not scored. Both tests are comprised of multiple choice questions with four answer choices provided for each question. Test takers are allotted 120 minutes to complete the national portion, and 60 minutes to complete the state portion. A passing score requires that the test taker correctly answer 56 (out of 80) questions on the national portion, and 21 (out of 30) questions on the state-specific portion. The exam is presented in a computer-based format, but accommodations for paper-based tests and/or oral testing can be provided with special arrangements.
The national portion of the test consists of 80 questions, and tests the candidate's knowledge of general real estate concepts, including the following subject areas:
Property ownership
Land use controls and regulations
Valuation and market analysis
Financing
General principles of agency
Mandated disclosures
Contracts
Transfer of title
Practice of real estate
Real estate calculations
Subdivisions, including deed restrictions
Commercial, industrial and income property
The state-specific test consists of 30 questions, and tests the candidate's knowledge of the state-specific concepts, including the following subject areas:
South Carolina Real Estate Commission and Licensing Requirements
Statutes Governing the Activities of Licensees
South Carolina Agency Relationships and Issues
Consumer Protection Code
Homestead Exemption
Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
Vacation Time Sharing Plans Act
Residential Property Condition
Disclosure Statements
How to Apply for the License: Most of the required information is submitted prior to taking the state licensing exam. Candidates must provide the SCREC with the following documents: (1) completed application and application fee; (2) original South Carolina state real estate licensing exam score report(s); and (3) a certificate issued by an SCREC-approved school for completion of the 60-hour salesperson pre-licensure curriculum. All of the required documents must be submitted to the South Carolina offices within one year of the issuance of the letter of eligibility for the state exam. The address for SCREC is:
REAL ESTATE COMMISSION
Synergy Office Park, Kingstree Building
110 Centerview Drive, Suite 201
Post Office Box 11847
Columbia, SC 29211-1847
Fees: SCREC charges a license application fee.
Who administers the test: SCREC and PSI.
Post-Licensing Requirements: A new South Carolina real estate licensee must take 30 credit hours of post-licensing education within the first year of licensure.
License Renewal Requirements – A South Carolina real estate licensee must take 8 credit hours of continuing education (either online or in the classroom) from an SCREC-approved provider every two years.
Applicable Regulations: Real estate licensees in South Carolina are regulated under the South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 40, Chapter 57, and the South Carolina Administrative Code, Chapter 105.
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