new south carolina drivers license - SC

For New Residents Licensed in Another State

Military Personnel (and their dependents) and students temporarily in South Carolina are not required to obtain a South Carolina Driver's license. However, you must have a driver's license from your home state to operate in South Carolina.

If you are a new resident, you may use a valid driver's license from your former state for up to 90 days. However, you must convert to a South Carolina driver's license before the end of the 90-day period. If your name has changed since birth, you must provide all legal documents (adoption records, marriage certificate, certificate of naturalization, court ordered name change) supporting all name changes from birth to present. For more information about documents you will need to get a S.C. license, seeAccepted Forms of Identification.(SEE BELOW) If your driver's license from your home state has expired, you must also pass the knowledge and road tests. To schedule a road test, you should call the DMV office where you would like to take the skills test.

Each qualified driver can have only one driver's license. You may not have a valid license from South Carolina and another state. To qualify for a SC driver's license, you must pass the eye exam given at all DMV offices or submit a statement of visual acuity from an eye care professional. A South Carolina license is valid for ten years and must be renewed by your birthday in the tenth year.

Note that Section 23-3-460 of the SC Code of Laws states that a person who has been convicted anywhere of an offense listed in 23-3-430 must register with the county sheriff within 10 days of establishing residency in South Carolina. A copy of the Sex Offender Registry Law is available upon request.

Conditional License for 15 Year Old Drivers

If you are 15 years old and have held a beginner's permit for at least 180 days and passed the vision and skills tests, you are eligible for a conditional license.  Application may be made on the 181^st day for a Conditional Provisional License after passing the vision and skills tests. 

To get a Conditional License:

• Bring your parent or legal guardian with you to sign your application.
• Bring your beginner's permit.
• Submit Form PDLA that certifies you have:
  • Completed a driver's education course
  • Had satisfactory school attendance
  • Practiced driving with your licensed parent or guardian for 40 hours, including 10 hours of driving practice at night.

Form PDLA allows you to submit all of these certifications and is available at your high school or driver training school:

• You must pass the vision and road skills tests. You must wait two weeks to re-test if you fail the skills test on the 1^st or 2^nd attempt to pass.  You must wait 60 days if you fail on the 3^rd or subsequent attempt before being re-tested.

Driving Restrictions:

• You may drive alone during daylight hours from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. (or 8 p.m. during daylight savings time).
• From 6 p.m. (or 8 p.m. during daylight savings time) until midnight, you may drive if a licensed driver who is at least 21 years of age accompanies you.
• Between midnight and 6 a.m., you may drive if your licensed parent or legal guardian accompanies you.
• You cannot transport more than two passengers under the age of 21 unless you are accompanied by a licensed adult who is at least 21 years old. The only exception is if you are transporting family members or students to and from school.
• You may obtain full driving privileges when you are 16 if you have had your license for one year and have no traffic offenses or been involved in any at-fault accidents. If you are under the age of 17 and accrue six or more points on your record before you have held your license for one year, your license will be suspended for six months.

DMV Brochure "Ready for the Road?" (DMVB-35) outlines the above information step by step.  For more information about driver license testing,click here.

Special Restricted License for 16 Year Old Drivers

If you are 16 years old and have held your beginner's permit for at least 180 days and passed the vision and skills tests, or have a conditional license, you are eligible for a special restricted license.

To get a Special Restricted License you must:

• Bring your parent or legal guardian with you to sign your application.
• You must bring your beginner's permit.
• You must submit Form PDLA that certifies you have:
  • Completed a driver's education course
  • Had satisfactory school attendance
  • Practiced driving with your licensed parent or guardian for 40 hours, including 10 hours of driving practice at night.

Form PDLA allows you to submit all of these certifications and is available at your high school or driver training school.

• You must pass the vision and road skills tests.

Driving Restrictions:

• You may drive alone during daylight hours from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. (or 8 p.m. during daylight savings time).
• From 6 p.m. (or 8 p.m. during daylight savings time) until midnight, you may drive if a licensed driver who is at least 21 years of age accompanies.
• Between midnight and 6 a.m., you may drive if your licensed parent or legal guardian accompanies you.
• You cannot transport more than two passengers under the age of 21 unless you are accompanied by a licensed adult who is at least 21 years old. The only exception is if you are transporting family members or students to and from school.

You will obtain full driving privileges when you are 17 if you have had your special restricted license for one year and have no traffic offenses or been involved in any at-fault accidents. If you are under the age of 17 and accrue six or more points on your record before you have held your license for one year, your license will be suspended for six months.

Waiver of Time Restrictions:

If the time limitations for a special restricted driver's license cause problems for you at your job or school, they can be waived. You must prove to the department that they interfere with your job, education or travel between home, school, vocational training or employment opportunities by submitting two separate statements:

1. A statement from your parent or legal guardian
2. A statement on letterhead from your employer or school official

Both statements must give the reason for the waiver.  The fee for the waiver is $12.50.

DMV Brochure "Ready for the Road?" (DMVB-35) outlines the above information step by step.  For more information about driver license testing,click here.

Regular Driver License for Drivers 17 Years Old and Older

If you are at least 17 years old and have held a beginner's permit for 180 days, you are eligible for a regular SC Driver's License.  To get a Regular Driver's License:

• If you are under 18 years of age and have never been licensed, you must bring your parent or legal guardian with you to sign your application.
• If you are 18 years old or older, you do not need the signature of your parent or legal guardian.
• You must bring your beginner's permit.
• You must pass the vision and road skills tests.

DMV Brochure "Ready for the Road?" (DMVB-35) outlines the above information step by step.  For more information about driver license testing,click here.

 Accepted Forms of Identification

If you are a United States citizen applying for a first time beginner's permit, driver's license or identification card, you must provide documentation showing proof of your identity and citizenship, proof of your social security number and proof of residency in South Carolina. If you are applying for an ID or beginner’s permit, you do not need to provide proof of insurance. If you are applying for a driver’s license, you must provide automobile liability insurance information from an insurance company licensed to do business in South Carolina.

If you are a new resident moving to South Carolina from another state, you must also meet these same requirements.

Different documents are required to prove identity, social security number and citizenship. For a listing of all acceptable documents to obtain a SC Driver’s license or beginner’s permit, click here for Form MV93 Checklist for First Time Issuance of Driver’s License, Beginner’s Permit or Identification Card.

Proof of Identify and Citizenship

You may provide any document from the Proof of Citizenship/Proof of Identify, Name and Date of Birth section on Form MV93 Checklist for First Time Issuance of Driver’s License, Beginner’s Permit or Identification Card.

If you do not have a birth certificate and wish to obtain a certified copy of your birth certificate, contact State Office of Vital Records at the Department of Heath and Environmental Control (DHEC).

Additional Documentation Required

If your name has changed since birth, you must provide all legal documents (adoption records, marriage certificate, certificate of naturalization, court ordered name change) supporting all name changes from birth to present. 

If your birth certificate indicates that you were not born in the United States, you must also provide an additional document  from the documents listed under the Proof of U.S. Citizenship section on the MV-93 Checklist for First Time Issuance of Driver’s License, Beginner’s Permit or Identification Card above proving US citizenship.  

If you were born before 1918 and do not have a birth record, you must provide two documents from the following list:

• Social Security Check
• Social Security Card
• Military ID
• Marriage License
• Letter from the Social Security Administration
• Medicaid Card
• Life insurance policy at least 5 years old
• Out of state driver license or identification card

If your original birth certificate is not in English, a qualified translator must translate it. A qualified translator is a person who routinely translates documents from another language into English as part of their work responsibilities.  Examples of a qualified translator include:  a professor or instructor at an area college, university or high school who is authorized to teach a specific language; a person from a company or corporation who is authorized to translate corporate documents by the company; a translator certified to do translations professionally. The translated version of the birth certificate must be an original document.  

If you were born in the US and need to get a copy of your birth certificate, you may contact the National Center of Health Statistics to get contact information for your birth state.

Social Security Number

You must provide proof of your Social Security number and, if possible, your original social security card. The name on your social security card must match the name on your identity documents. All Social Security Cards will be checked for authenticity under a black light in the DMV office. If you do not have your original social security card, you may substitute any of the documents listed under the Proof of Social Security Number section on theMV-93 Checklist for First Time Issuance of Driver’s License, Beginner’s Permit or Identification Card, provided that the document includes your name and social security number.

The following documents on the list of acceptable documentation will be accepted in lieu of a Social Security Card only after the information can be verified through an online social security check:

• Letter from the Social Security Administration
• Payroll stub with employer’s name, your name and your social security number
• Original W-2 Form with employer’s name and address and your name, address and social security number

Proof of Residency

To prove you are a resident of South Carolina, you must provide any of the documents listed under the Proof of Residency section on theMV-93 Checklist for First Time Issuance of Driver’s License, Beginner’s Permit or Identification Card.  The documentation must contain both your name and physical address. Post Office mailing addresses are not acceptable.

Insurance Information

Before a driver’s license can be issued or renewed, you must furnish current automobile liability insurance information. You must provide the company name of your automobile insurance company, which must be authorized to do business in South Carolina. If you or any relative in your household does not own a vehicle, you must indicate that fact on your application.

Applicants Under 18 Years of Age

If you are under 18 years of age, you must have a parent or legal guardian sign your application to accept responsibility for you.  If you are an emancipated minor, you must submit proof of emancipation with a court order, marriage certificate or active military orders. Only an original document or certified copy will be accepted.

United States Citizen With Credentials From Other States

If you are a new resident to South Carolina, you must meet the same requirements as any other United States citizen. In addition to your out-of-state driver’s license or ID card, you must provide proof of identity, proof of your social security number, proof of residency and, if applying for a driver’s license, your automobile liability insurance information. Before you obtain your SC credential, you must surrender all out-of-state licenses and/or identification cards. If you have lost your out-of-state beginner permit, driver’s license or identification card, you must also complete an affidavit of lost permit or license along with your South Carolina application. Click here for MV-93 Checklist for First Time Issuance of Driver's License Beginner's Permit or Identification Card.

Applicants with a Valid License from Another State

If you have a valid driver's license from another state and your documents have been verified, you may be issued a South Carolina driver’s license by passing the vision test and surrendering your out-of-state license. If your out-of-state license has expired by 9 months or more, you must successfully complete the knowledge, skills and vision tests.

Applicants with a Valid Beginner Permit from Another State

Beginner's permits issued in other states cannot be used to drive in South Carolina. To drive on South Carolina roads and highways, you must have a South Carolina beginner's permit. If you have had your out-of-state beginner's permit for at least 180 days, you may take the skills test to apply for your South Carolina driver's license. If you fail the skills test, you may return the next day and try again unless the driver's license examiner recommends that you wait until you have had more practice. If you are issued a South Carolina beginner's permit, you must have held it for 180 days before you can apply for a driver's license. The time that you held an out-of-state beginner's permit counts toward the 180-day period. For more information about beginner’s permits, please refer to the Beginner Permitsection of this website.

Applicants from United States Territories

If you are an applicant from a United States Territory (Puerto Rico-PR, Virgin Islands-VI, American Samoa-AS, Guam-GU), you must provide the same documentation as any other United States citizen.

If your name has changed since birth, you must provide all legal documents (adoption records, marriage certificate, certificate of naturalization, court ordered name change) supporting all name changes from birth to present.

If your original birth certificate is not in English, a qualified translator must translate it and the translated birth certificate document presented must be an original. A qualified translator is a person who routinely translates documents from another language into English as part of their work responsibilities.  Examples of a qualified translator include:  professor or instructor at an area college, university or high school who is authorized to teach a specific language; a person from a company or corporation who is authorized to translate corporate documents by the company; a translator certified to do translations professionally.

A qualified translator must also translate a driver’s license unless an international driving permit accompanies it. The translated driver’s license document presented must be also an original.

If your birth certificate or driver’s license must be translated, Form DL-4030 Translation Document is available online or at any of our DMV Branch Offices.

International Customers Who are not US Citizens

International customers are citizens of US protectorates, immigrants, refugees, asylees, and other non-immigrants who are granted temporary entry into the United States. International customers who are not US citizens can only obtain a SC driving credential or ID at one of the following service centers:

All persons authorized by the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, or the U.S. Department of State to live, work, or study in the United States on a temporary or permanent basis will be eligible to apply for a beginner's permit, driver's license or identification card.

The expiration date of the driver’s license will be determined by the applicant's authorized period of stay in the United States or the expiration date of the applicant's employment authorization document, but will not exceed 5-years. 

Applications for beginner permits, driver’s licenses and identification cards for International customer will be accepted at sixteen of our DMV offices across the state. To apply for a South Carolina credential, all International customers who are not US citizens must provide the following each time they apply for an original, renewal or duplicate credential:

• Proof of Identity (SC Code Section 56-1-80 and 56-1-90(2))
• Proof of Date and Place of birth (SC Code Section 56-1-80 and 56-1-90(2))
• Current authorization to live, work or study in the U.S. (SC Code Section 56-1-40(7) and 56-1-80)
• Social Security Card or Letter from the Social Security Administration stating that the applicant is not allowed to work in the United States (SC Code Section 56-1-90)
• Proof of SC residency (SC Code Section 56-1-40(7) and Section 56-1-80(3))
• Automobile liability insurance information (if applying for a driver’s license) (SC Code Section 56-1-80(C))

At the time of application, all applicants must provide proper documentation to prove that the US Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, Department of State or the US Citizenship and Immigration Services authorizes them to live, work or study in the United States on a temporary or permanent basis, and that they are within their current authorized period of stay, depending on current immigration and visa status.

 Form MV-94 International Customer Checklist for Issuance of Driver’s License, Beginner’s Permit and Identification cards lists the documentation requirements for each of the areas listed above for the most common immigration and visa statuses.

If your name has changed since birth, you must provide all legal documents (adoption records, marriage certificate, certificate of naturalization, court ordered name change) supporting all name changes from birth to present. 

 If your documents are not in English, a qualified translator must translate them and the translated documents presented must be original. A qualified translator is a person who routinely translates documents from another language into English as part of his or her work responsibilities.  Examples of a qualified translator include:  professor or instructor at an area college, university or high school who is authorized to teach a specific language; a person from a company or corporation who is authorized to translate corporate documents by the company; a translator certified to do translations professionally.

Applicants applying for a driver’s license must also submit a valid driver’s license from their country of origin as proof of prior driving experience. A qualified translator must also translate a driver's license unless an International Driving Permit accompanies the license. Applicants who cannot show proof of prior driving experience must first obtain a beginner’s permit and hold it for 180 days before applying for a driver’s license.

Once international customer applicants have presented acceptable documentation at one of the sixteen international customer-processing centers, they are eligible to receive a temporary 60-day paper credential. This paper document will authorize them to drive while their documentation is being verified in our central headquarters.  Applicants with a temporary paper credential must also carry with them at all times their immigration documents, including passport or other immigration document displaying the applicant’s photograph, name and date of birth.

If DMV central headquarters can verify all the documentation submitted by the applicant, a photo credential with an expiration date based on the authorized period of stay will be mailed to the applicant. 

Applicants from United States Protected Territories

If you are an applicant from a United States Protected Territory (Northern Mariana Islands-MP, Federated States of Micronesia-FM, Republic of Marshall Island-MH, Republic of Palau-PW), you must meet the same requirements as a United States citizen. However, your application must be processed in one of the 16 offices designated for processing International citizens.

If your name has changed since birth, you must provide all legal documents (adoption records, marriage certificate, certificate of naturalization, court ordered name change) supporting all name changes from birth to present. 

 If your original birth certificate is not in English it must be translated by a qualified translator and the translated birth certificate document presented must be an original. A qualified translator is a person who routinely translates documents from another language into English as part of their work responsibilities.  Examples of a qualified translator include:  professor or instructor at an area college, university or high school who is authorized to teach a specific language; a person from a company or corporation who is authorized to translate corporate documents by the company; a translator certified to do translations professionally.

A qualitifed translator must also translate a driver’s license unless an international driving permit accompanies the license. The translated driver’s license document presented must be also an original.

If your birth certificate or driver’s license must be translated, Form DL-4030 Translation Document is available online or at any of our DMV Branch Offices.

South Carolina waives the requirement for knowledge and skills testing for first time applicants from those countries that have established a formal reciprocity agreement with South Carolina, as long as the applicant’s out-of-country driving credential has not expired.

For a country to establish reciprocity with South Carolina, the Department must receive a formal request from that country or the consulate for that country. At the present time, ONLY the following countries have formal reciprocity agreements with South Carolina.

Form MV-94 International Customer Checklist for Issuance of Driver’s License, Beginner’s Permit and Identification cards lists the documentation requirements for the most common immigration and visa statuses.

Adult Consent for Minors Applying For Beginners Permit and Drivers License

If you are under the age of 18, you must have an adult sign the application for a beginner’s permit or driver’s license, unless you have been declared an emancipated minor and can provide court documents, a marriage license or military orders showing emancipated minor status. The adult must sign the application in the presence of a DMV employee.DMV employees MAY ONLY accept applications that are not signed in the presence of a DMV employee if the application is submitted by driver training schools.

Unless you can prove you are an emancipated minor, a parent or guardian must sign your application. Responsible adults other than a parent or guardian may sign for a minor applicant ONLY IF they complete and sign DMV form 447CM, Consent for Minor.

Exchange students under the age of 18 must have the signature of the member of the host family that signed the contract accepting responsibility for the exchange student. It is the responsibility of that person to determine if the contract allows the person to sign the application for a beginner’s permit or driver’s license.

Driver License Fees

Knowledge Tests $2.00 each
Beginner's Permit $2.50 
CDL Application $15.00 
5 Year Driver's License (65 years old and older, CDL, and special licenses) $12.50 
10 Year Driver's License (Field Office Only) $25.00 
Duplicate Driver's License $10.00 (online and in field offices)
ID Cards $5.00 fee is only charged to persons between 5 years and 16 years of age 
Copy of Driving Record $6.00