DMV South Carolina · Facts and practice test
South Carolina DMV: age, fees, test facts
Sourced procedural facts for South Carolina DMV, plus a free 76-question practice test with real sign images and audio.
Quick facts
Minimum permit age
15 years old for a regular/motorcycle beginner's permit
Knowledge test fee
Knowledge test fee is $2.00; beginner's permit issuance fee is $2.50
Supervised driving before road test
40 hours total, including 10 hours night driving, before the Conditional license/road test (under 16); also 8 classroom + 6 driving hours of driver's ed required
Documents to bring
Government-issued birth certificate, Social Security number, two proofs of current physical address (for REAL ID); see SCDMV Form MV-93 checklist
Find an office / appointment
SCDMV Schedule Appointment page and Appointment Search tool let residents book appointments; Locations & Wait Times page lists all offices.
REAL ID status
REAL ID (gold star) optional vs standard 'Not for Federal Identification' card; required for flights/federal buildings/military bases from May 7, 2025.
Motorcycle license
Minimum age 15 for a motorcycle beginner's permit; requires vision and knowledge test, then a road skills test to obtain full license.
Commercial license (CDL)
18 minimum for intrastate-only CDL (restricted, cannot cross state lines); 21 required to remove restriction for interstate driving.
Official source: South Carolina DMV (SCDMV)
Things like renewing registration, REAL ID, or a change of address are outside what this page covers -- go straight to the official South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles site.
Getting a license in South Carolina
Getting your first permit
In South Carolina, the minimum permit age is 15 years old for a regular/motorcycle beginner's permit. When you apply for a permit or license, bring: government-issued birth certificate, Social Security number, two proofs of current physical address (for REAL ID); see SCDMV Form MV-93 checklist. SCDMV Schedule Appointment page and Appointment Search tool let residents book appointments; Locations & Wait Times page lists all offices.
Fees, retakes, and practice hours
Knowledge test fee is $2.00; beginner's permit issuance fee is $2.50. Before the road test, the state requires 40 hours total, including 10 hours night driving, before the Conditional license/road test (under 16); also 8 classroom + 6 driving hours of driver's ed required.
REAL ID, motorcycle, and CDL
REAL ID (gold star) optional vs standard 'Not for Federal Identification' card; required for flights/federal buildings/military bases from May 7, 2025. For a motorcycle license: minimum age 15 for a motorcycle beginner's permit; requires vision and knowledge test, then a road skills test to obtain full license. For a commercial license (CDL): 18 minimum for intrastate-only CDL (restricted, cannot cross state lines); 21 required to remove restriction for interstate driving.
The South Carolina bank has 76 questions across 8 topics
Passed? Don't forget insurance
New drivers in the household need to be added to the policy, and shopping several carriers is the best way to keep the cost down, wherever you live.