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Guide 01 / South Carolina

Which South Carolina real estate license?

The South Carolina Real Estate Commission issues five license types. Most people start with the Associate license, which the Commission called “salesperson” until 2024.

LicenseWho it is forEducationExamSC Exam Prep
AssociateFormerly “salesperson”Most people starting a real estate careerUnit I (60 hours) before the exam; Unit II (30 hours) before licensureNational and state portionsBuilt for this exam
BrokerAge 21+Associates with 5 years of active SC licensure in the last 7Unit III A and Unit III B (60 hours)National and state portionsNot covered
Broker-in-ChargeBuilds on BrokerBrokers who own or actively manage a firmBroker requirementsPass the Broker exam firstNot covered
Property ManagerAge 18+Licensees whose work is property management30 hours of property managementState exam onlyNot covered
Property Manager-in-ChargeBuilds on Property Manager, age 21+Property managers who run a firmProperty Manager requirements plus 7 hours of accounting and record keepingPass the Property Manager exam firstNot covered

Choosing your path

  1. 01

    New to real estate? Start with Associate.

    The Associate license requires Unit I and Unit II coursework, background checks, and passing scores on both the national and state portions of the exam.

  2. 02

    Focused only on property management?

    The Property Manager license is a separate path with a 30-hour property management course and a state-only exam.

  3. 03

    Already an associate?

    The Broker license requires 5 years of active South Carolina associate licensure within the last 7 years, 60 more hours of coursework, and its own national and state exams.

  4. 04

    Running a firm?

    Broker-in-Charge and Property Manager-in-Charge build on the Broker and Property Manager licenses. You pass that license’s exam first.

  5. 05

    Licensed in another state?

    You may need only the state portion, and Georgia and North Carolina applicants have reciprocity options. See the out-of-state guide.

Related guides

02The South Carolina Associate exam

What the exam formerly called the salesperson exam covers, how it is scored, and how to prepare.

12Already licensed in another state?

State-only testing, Georgia and North Carolina reciprocity, and the paperwork to send.

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