How licensing works in South Carolina
New South Carolina drivers start with a beginner's permit. Depending on age, the next step is a conditional license or a special restricted license, and then a full license.
| Stage | Age | Main rules |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner's permit | 15 or older | Licensed driver 21+ with one year of experience in the front seat. Hold 180 days. 40 practice hours, 10 at night (ages 15–16) |
| Conditional license | 15½ to under 16 | Alone 6 a.m.–6 p.m. (8 p.m. in daylight saving time). With a licensed adult 21+ until midnight. No more than two passengers under 21 |
| Special restricted license | 16 to under 17 | Same time and passenger limits as the conditional license |
| Full license | 17, or after one clean year | No traffic offenses or at-fault crashes during that year |
After midnight, permit, conditional and special restricted drivers may drive only with a supervisor listed in state law (SC Code § 56-1-100). The passenger limit does not apply to family members or to students going to or from school.
Driver education
Teens getting a first license at 15 or 16 need driver education: eight hours in the classroom and six hours of driving.
The South Carolina knowledge test
You can take the knowledge test at any SCDMV branch. It covers South Carolina traffic laws, safe driving and road signs from the Driver's Manual. No manuals or other testing aids may be used during the test.
You must also pass a vision test. The standard is 20/40 corrected in one eye. A vision certificate from a licensed eye care professional is valid for 36 months.
The skills (road) test
- Bring your permit, a licensed driver, and proof of liability insurance from a company licensed in South Carolina.
- The vehicle needs a valid plate, registration and insurance card, and working lights, brakes, wipers, mirrors, belts, signals, defroster and horn.
- Not wearing your seat belt during the test is an automatic fail.
- If you fail, wait two business days before a second try, seven days before a third and 30 days after that.
Rules specific to South Carolina
Phones
It is unlawful to use a wireless device while driving if it needs either hand. The hands-free law took effect on September 1, 2025, and police began writing tickets on March 1, 2026.
Alcohol and implied consent
For drivers under 21, a BAC of 0.02% or more means an immediate suspension of at least three months. Refusing a breath, blood or urine test means losing your privileges for at least six months. Even small amounts of alcohol affect vision, starting at about 0.02%.
Seat belts and children
South Carolina has a primary seat belt law. Children seven and younger ride in a car seat in the back seat: rear-facing under 2, then forward-facing, then a booster from age 4. A child may use an adult belt at age 8 or 57 inches, if it fits.
School buses
Stop for a school bus with flashing red lights or its stop arm out. On a highway with at least two lanes in each direction, only traffic behind the bus must stop. Oncoming traffic on the other side may continue with care.
On a multi-lane highway, traffic behind the bus stops, and traffic going the other way may continue with care.
- School bus with stop arm out
- Car behind the bus: stop
- Oncoming car on a road with two or more lanes each way: may continue
Points
Drivers 17 and older get a warning at six points and a suspension at 12 points. Teens are watched more closely: drivers under 17 with six or more points before a year on their license face a six-month suspension. Points are cut in half one year after the violation.
Golf carts
Golf cart drivers must be 16 or older with a valid license, and the cart needs an SCDMV decal. Daytime use is limited to within four miles of the registration address and to roads posted 35 mph or less.
Test tips
- Learn the key numbers: 15, 15½, 16, 17, 21, 180 days, 40 hours, 10 at night, 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., two passengers, 0.02%, 12 points.
- Know the difference between the conditional and special restricted licenses.
- Study road signs by shape and color.
- Read every option before choosing.
Next: the general rules of the road
This guide covers South Carolina's own rules. The knowledge test also covers right-of-way, turns, passing, parking and road signs. Study those in our national US driving study guide, then take the full practice tests.