Meet licensure requirements. Applicants for real estate salesperson must be at least 18 years of age and have a high school diploma or GED. Applicants must have successfully completed at least 60 hours of approved real estate fundamentals classes. Applicants must apply for a provisional salesperson license, and need to be sponsored by a broker-in-charge. The requirements for a real estate broker license in South Carolina include being at least 21 years of age and having a high school diploma or GED. Broker applicants need to successfully complete 150 hours of approved real estate courses, and have at least three years of active licensed experience within the past five years preceding application.
Request an application packet from the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation (LLR). Regular application packets can be obtained online (see References section for link), but those who are requesting mutual recognition will need to request an application packet by phone. Candidates can call the LLR at 803-896-4501 or 803-896-4400.
Review the License Law Booklet and become familiar with South Carolina's real estate rules and regulations.
Request an FBI criminal background check. You will be required to provide this information with your application to the LLR.
Complete the application, making sure that page 2 of the application is signed by a notary public.
Mail the application, background check, and fees to:
South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation
110 Centerview Drive
Post Office Box 12517
Columbia, SC 29211
Wait for your approval letter.
Register and pay the fee to take the exam through PSI, South Carolina's testing provider. Once you have received your approval letter from the state, you can register online or by phone to take the South Carolina Real Estate Examination and pay the testing fee.
Schedule your examination and choose your location. After registering online at PSI, and PSI has verified that you are approved to take the exam, you will be able to schedule your test date and exam location.
Pass the exam. You will have to receive a passing test score of 70 percent to be eligible for licensure.
Once you have passed the exam, you will need to apply for the license within one year of the testing date.