Transfer Your Real Estate License to South Carolina: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: South Carolina Real Estate Commission (SCREC) / SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR) ↗
South Carolina recognizes real estate licenses from 2 named states (Georgia, North Carolina). Licensees from those states apply to the South Carolina Real Estate Commission (SCREC) / SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR) under the agreement — Georgia reciprocity applicants who were licensed by written exam and reside in Georgia are exempt from ALL South Carolina examinations; North Carolina reciprocity applicants take only the SC state portion; any other non-resident holding an active out-of-state license (or one expired no more than 6 months) is exempt from the national portion and takes only the SC state exam per S.C. Code Ann. Section 40-57-320(B)(6). From any other state, you apply as a new applicant. Fee: $25 (salesperson/associate application fee payable to SC Real Estate Commission; a separate SLED/FBI fingerprint background-check vendor fee applies).
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Verdict
Reciprocity with 2 states
South Carolina's agreement is a list, and the list is the law: if your state appears on it, the streamlined track below applies; if not, no amount of experience substitutes — you use the new-applicant track. Check the list before anything else, and remember it describes states South Carolina recognizes, which says nothing about the reverse direction.
SEED CORRECTION: SC does NOT recognize Georgia only. Per the Commission's official Feb 16, 2024 Reciprocity Alert, at its Jan 18, 2024 meeting the SC Real Estate Commission approved a reciprocity agreement with North Carolina, so it now holds reciprocal agreements with BOTH Georgia (since 1991) AND North Carolina. S.C. Code Ann. Section 40-57-120(A) lets the Commission enter reciprocal agreements; it cannot recognize prior out-of-state licensure absent such an agreement. Resident salesperson pre-licensing is 90 hours (60-hour Unit I Fundamentals + 30-hour Unit II Advanced Principles), waivable by a law/real-estate degree or by GA/NC reciprocity. Documents retrieved via Internet Archive because the live LLR server refused direct automated connections on 2026-07-21; content is the Commission's own current PDFs (dated 2024-2025).
South Carolina requirements at a glance
| Exam | Georgia reciprocity applicants who were licensed by written exam and reside in Georgia are exempt from ALL South Carolina examinations; North Carolina reciprocity applicants take only the SC state portion; any other non-resident holding an active out-of-state license (or one expired no more than 6 months) is exempt from the national portion and takes only the SC state exam per S.C. Code Ann. Section 40-57-320(B)(6) |
|---|---|
| Training hours | 90 hours |
| Additional requirements |
|
| Fees | $25 (salesperson/associate application fee payable to SC Real Estate Commission; a separate SLED/FBI fingerprint background-check vendor fee applies) |
| Processing time | Commission does not publish a fixed processing-time estimate; a submitted application remains valid for one year |
Step by step
- Confirm South Carolina's current requirements on the South Carolina Real Estate Commission (SCREC) / SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR) website — rules change.
- Submit the reciprocity/endorsement application to the South Carolina Real Estate Commission (SCREC) / SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR) (application linked on this page).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Be at least 18 years old and hold a high school diploma or recognized equivalent.
- Complete a state and federal fingerprint-based (SLED/FBI) background check.
- Reciprocity/non-resident applicants: submit a certified license history from every jurisdiction where currently or previously licensed.
- Non-resident applicants must file a Consent to Jurisdiction (irrevocable consent to service of process).
- Georgia reciprocity applicants are exempt from the 90-hour education requirement and all exams; North Carolina applicants qualify per the SC-NC reciprocal agreement.
- Pay the fees ($25 (salesperson/associate application fee payable to SC Real Estate Commission; a separate SLED/FBI fingerprint background-check vendor fee applies)) and allow Commission does not publish a fixed processing-time estimate; a submitted application remains valid for one year.
Official links
Coming from a specific state?
Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into South Carolina:
Frequently asked questions
Does my real estate license transfer to South Carolina?
South Carolina recognizes real estate licenses from 2 named states (Georgia, North Carolina). Licensees from those states apply to the South Carolina Real Estate Commission (SCREC) / SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR) under the agreement — Georgia reciprocity applicants who were licensed by written exam and reside in Georgia are exempt from ALL South Carolina examinations; North Carolina reciprocity applicants take only the SC state portion; any other non-resident holding an active out-of-state license (or one expired no more than 6 months) is exempt from the national portion and takes only the SC state exam per S.C. Code Ann. Section 40-57-320(B)(6). From any other state, you apply as a new applicant. Fee: $25 (salesperson/associate application fee payable to SC Real Estate Commission; a separate SLED/FBI fingerprint background-check vendor fee applies).
Do I have to retake real estate exams in South Carolina?
Georgia reciprocity applicants who were licensed by written exam and reside in Georgia are exempt from ALL South Carolina examinations; North Carolina reciprocity applicants take only the SC state portion; any other non-resident holding an active out-of-state license (or one expired no more than 6 months) is exempt from the national portion and takes only the SC state exam per S.C. Code Ann. Section 40-57-320(B)(6).
What does a South Carolina real estate license cost an out-of-state applicant?
$25 (salesperson/associate application fee payable to SC Real Estate Commission; a separate SLED/FBI fingerprint background-check vendor fee applies) (salesperson/associate application fee payable to SC Real Estate Commission; a separate SLED/FBI fingerprint background-check vendor fee applies).
How long does the South Carolina process take?
Commission does not publish a fixed processing-time estimate; a submitted application remains valid for one year — Commission does not publish a fixed processing-time estimate; a submitted application remains valid for one year.
Which states does South Carolina have real estate reciprocity with?
Georgia, North Carolina (2 states, verified 2026-07-21 against the South Carolina Real Estate Commission (SCREC) / SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR)). Licensees from all other states use the standard application.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- SC Real Estate Commission - Reciprocity Alert (Feb 16, 2024) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- SC REC - Associate/Salesperson Licensure Requirements and Application Process (v2.1, 09/29/2025) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- SC REC - South Carolina / Georgia Reciprocal Licensing Memorandum ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- SC REC - South Carolina / North Carolina Reciprocal Licensing Agreement ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]