South Carolina real estate license renewal and CE requirements

South Carolina real estate licenses must be renewed every two years by June 30, and active licensees must complete continuing education before submitting a renewal application. The South Carolina Real Estate Commission, part of the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR), sets the continuing education (CE) requirements, approves providers, and administers the renewal process through its online licensee portal. The renewal window opens April 1 each cycle, and licenses not renewed by the deadline immediately lapse with no grace period.

South Carolina real estate license renewal cycle and deadlines

Renewal applications open April 1 and must be submitted by June 30 of the licensee's assigned expiry year, per the SC LLR Renewal FAQ^[1]. The Commission does not accept renewal submissions before April 1. Licenses not renewed by June 30 lapse on July 1 under SC Code § 40-57-110(D)^[1].

Criminal background checks are required every third renewal cycle under SC Code § 40-57-340(A)^[1]. Background check results can take three or more weeks for the Commission to receive, so licensees in a background-check cycle should submit fingerprints early. The Commission has stated that background checks are not required for the current renewal cycle, per the SC LLR Renewal FAQ^[1].

The South Carolina real estate license renewal process

Renewal is submitted through the LLR online licensee portal after all continuing education credits are verified in the CE Broker system. Licensees log into their portal account, confirm their credits are reported, submit the renewal application, and pay the applicable fee. Paper renewal forms are also available for licensees who cannot use the online system.

CE must be completed before the renewal application is submitted, and licensees should plan to finish coursework with enough time for providers to report completions before the deadline.

Continuing education hours required for South Carolina renewal

The continuing education mandate in South Carolina is established by SC Code § 40-57-340^[2] and applies to all active associate and broker licensees. The requirement applies identically to first-time and subsequent renewals.

The Commission designates the core course topic for each cycle, and its content changes every renewal period. Elective hours may be selected from any approved elective offering. The Commission does not require CE for property manager, property manager-in-charge, or timeshare salesperson license types, per the SC LLR CE requirements page^[2].

Broker-in-Charge continuing education requirements

Broker-in-Charge (BIC) licensees follow a different CE composition than other brokers, with an additional mandatory course focused on BIC responsibilities.

The BIC-specific course covers advanced real estate topics designed for brokers-in-charge, per the SC LLR CE requirements page^[2]. BIC licensees who qualify for a partial CE exemption must still complete both the BIC course and the core course, though they are exempt from elective hours.

The mandatory core course and ethics

The mandatory core course changes each renewal cycle, with the Commission designating a new topic and content area each period. For the 2024-2026 renewal cycle, the core course is "Legal Hot Tips," covering SC Code of Laws, jurisdiction and enforcement, transaction brokerage, funds and compensation and trust monies, wire fraud and cyber security, and investigations, per the SC LLR Continuing Education page^[2].

Ethics training is not part of the state's CE mandate, per the SC LLR Real Estate FAQ^[3]. The core course topic rotates each cycle, and no cycle has designated an ethics-specific mandatory course. The distinction between state licensing obligations and professional association requirements matters here.

Since the 2022-2024 cycle, the Commission must approve all CE coursework, per the SC LLR FAQ^[3]. Core courses are classified as "CEC" (Continuing Education Core) or "DEC" (Distance Education Core) in the Commission's course approval system.

Taking South Carolina real estate CE courses online

Real estate education courses are available in multiple formats from the Commission's approved provider network, and delivery method does not affect whether credit is awarded.

Course pricing varies widely depending on the provider and format selected. Online self-paced video courses are the most common format, and most providers report completions to the CE Broker system automatically upon course completion.

How CE credits are tracked in South Carolina

The Commission relies on an electronic tracking system for verifying licensee CE compliance.

Course providers have 14 calendar days to report completions to CE Broker, per the SC LLR Renewal FAQ^[1]. Licensees should not send course completion certificates to the Commission office, as the CE Broker system serves as the official record. The Commission conducts a random CE audit after the renewal period closes, and selected licensees must document their completed coursework.

South Carolina real estate license renewal fees

Renewal fees vary by license type and are paid during the renewal process through the LLR online portal. The following fees are set by the SC LLR Renewal FAQ^[1]:

Military service members are exempt from paying license fees during the calendar year of active duty, per SC Code § 40-1-620^[1]. A license certification or verification request costs $5, and a name or address change with a new license card issued costs $10, per the SC LLR Self-Service page^[4].

What happens if you miss the renewal deadline

A license not renewed by the deadline immediately lapses, and there is no late-renewal grace period. Lapsed licensees must complete a formal reinstatement process rather than simply paying a late fee online, per the SC LLR Renewal FAQ^[1].

Reinstatement requires proof of completed CE, a reinstatement application, and payment of the base renewal fee plus a $15 per month penalty for each month the license has been lapsed. For example, an associate with a 2024 expiration date who submits reinstatement in August 2025 owes $255: the $45 renewal fee plus $210 in reinstatement penalties at $15 per month for 14 months.

Licensees have 24 months from the expiration date to complete reinstatement before the license is canceled, per SC Code § 40-57-110(E)^[1], as amended by 2024 Act No. 204 (effective May 21, 2024). A license expiring in 2025 must be reinstated by mid-2027. Retaking the licensing exam is not required for reinstatement; the exam requirement applies only when a license is canceled and the individual must reapply for licensure as a new applicant.

If a license is not reinstated within the 24-month window, it is canceled per SC Code § 40-57-110(E)^[1]. Canceled licenses cannot be renewed or reinstated. The individual must submit a paper application for licensure and meet all current requirements, which may include examination.

CE exemptions, carry-forward, and inactive licenses

South Carolina offers CE exemptions for long-tenured licensees, allows carry-forward of excess elective hours, and permits inactive status with reduced CE obligations.

CE exemptions

A partial exemption applies to licensees with 25 or more years of South Carolina licensure: they must still complete the mandatory core course but are exempt from elective hours, per SC Code § 40-57-340(B)(1)(d) and (B)(2)^[2]. BIC licensees with the partial exemption must still complete both the BIC course and the core course. A full exemption applies to licensees with 25 or more years of licensure who are also age 65 or older, per SC Code § 40-57-340(B)(1)(c)^[2].

Active duty military service members are exempt from CE for periods of active service, per the SC LLR CE page^[2]. Georgia residents licensed in South Carolina who meet Georgia's CE requirements can be exempt from South Carolina CE. Associates who complete broker pre-licensing courses (Unit IIIA and Unit IIIB) are exempt from CE for the renewal period during which the courses were taken. Exemptions are not effective until the Commission office sends confirmation.

Carrying forward extra CE hours

A licensee who completes more than the required hours during a renewal cycle may carry forward up to 4 hours of elective courses to the next renewal period, per SC Code § 40-57-340(C)^[3]. Core course hours cannot be carried forward. Only elective hours qualify for carry-forward.

Inactive license renewal

Inactive licensees do not have to complete CE but must still renew their licenses by the expiration date, per the SC LLR FAQ^[3]. Inactive licensees are prohibited from practicing real estate or property management under SC Code §§ 40-57-20 and 40-57-780^[4]. Inactive licenses are renewed in the same manner as active licenses.

Reactivating from inactive to active status requires proof of CE, a reactivation application, a reactivation fee, and a criminal background check if one has not been completed since 2021, per the SC LLR Self-Service page^[4].

Next steps for South Carolina license renewal

Check your CE status in the CE Broker system before the renewal window opens to confirm which courses you still need. Complete the mandatory core course first, then select electives from Commission-approved providers. Finish all coursework with enough time for providers to report completions before the deadline. Submit your renewal through the LLR online licensee portal during the open renewal window. If you are in a background-check cycle, submit fingerprints well before the deadline.