What States Have Real Estate License Reciprocity with South Carolina?

Maybe you’re a real estate agent looking to move from South Carolina. Or maybe you want to get your South Carolina real estate license but are curious about state reciprocity before you invest your time and money. If either of these scenarios apply to you, it’s helpful to understand South Carolina’s real estate reciprocity.

Read to learn what states have real estate license reciprocity with South Carolina. Also, find out how to get licensed in South Carolina if you already have your real estate license in another state.

What Is Real Estate License Reciprocity?

Real estate license reciprocity means you can apply for a real estate license in another state without taking the pre-licensing courses, provided you already have an active license in another state. However, not all states have real estate license reciprocity, so it's essential to research before you plan to practice real estate in a different state.

What States Have Real Estate License Reciprocity with South Carolina?

South Carolina offers license reciprocity for real estate agents who are both licensed Georgia real estate agents and residents of Georgia at the time of application. That said, whether or not your license will be accepted depends on the strength of your education and experience. The South Carolina Real Estate Commission (SCREC) has a section on the real estate license application for those from an outside jurisdiction. You must list all states where you previously held or still hold a license.

Once you do that, you must attach a Certificate of Licensure History to the form. This shows all the states you were licensed in during the last five years. The certificate needs to be dated within the past six months. SCREC will use all of this information to decide whether or not your license will carry over to South Carolina.

If you're looking to move to another state, you will need to research that state's real estate license application process.

How Can I Practice Real Estate in South Carolina?

To apply for a salesperson license by reciprocity in South Carolina, you must fill out an application, pay the $50 license fee, and provide all the required identification. Even if your previous license is accepted, you still must take the South Carolina portion of the real estate exam. This covers area-specific knowledge you'll need to succeed.

There's also a good chance that even if South Carolina offers reciprocity for your license, you'll still need to take a refresher course. To avoid taking an extra class, you must receive a permit within six months before taking the South Carolina real estate license exam.

If you received your license more than six months before taking the South Carolina exam, you must take the 30-hour licensing class on advanced real estate principles. You'll also need to take this class if you've been a South Carolina resident for over six months. The good news? You'll get to skip the 60-hour Unit I class on real estate principles and practices.

Are you ready to get your South Carolina real estate license? Visit South Carolina’s pre-license online real estate course to learn more. Find out the steps you can take to begin your South Carolina real estate career.