The largest single step toward a South Carolina real estate license is the education requirement. The state asks for 90 hours of pre-licensing coursework from an approved school. For most people, this is also the part that takes the most time and the most discipline.
Here is what the 90 hours cover, how the two courses fit together, and how to get through them without falling behind.
How the 90 hours break down
The South Carolina Real Estate Commission (SCREC) splits the 90 hours into two courses. The first is the 60-hour Unit I Salesperson Pre-Licensing course. The second is the 30-hour Unit II Advanced Real Estate Principles course. Both must be taken through an SCREC-approved school.
Unit I is the foundation. It covers contracts, agency relationships, fair housing law, property types, and the day-to-day duties of an agent. Unit II builds on that and goes deeper into the principles the state exam leans on. You have to finish Unit I before you can apply to take the state exam. Unit II can be taken before or after the exam, but you must finish it before you apply for your license.
The course final exams
Each course ends with its own final exam. You need a score of at least 70% to pass. A proctor must watch you take the exam, even if you completed the course online. If you do not pass, you can retake the final as many times as needed. There is no penalty for a retake beyond the time it costs you.
This proctor rule catches some people off guard. An online course does not mean an unwatched final. Plan for it so it does not slow you down at the end.
Online or in a classroom?
Most schools offer both formats. An online, self-paced course lets you move as fast as you can learn the material and finish the unit tests. That speed is an advantage only if you have the discipline to sit down and study on your own. A classroom course runs on a set weekly schedule. It takes longer on the calendar, but the structure keeps you moving and gives you an instructor in the room.
Neither format is better for everyone. If you tend to put things off, the fixed schedule of a classroom may serve you better. If you are self-directed and busy, self-paced online may fit your life. Both cover the same 90 hours and lead to the same exam.
The 90 hours are the core of getting licensed, but they are one part of a larger process. Fortune Academy’s step-by-step guide to becoming a real estate agent in South Carolina shows how the education fits with the exam, background check, and broker affiliation.
Waivers for out-of-state license holders
If you already hold a real estate license in another state, you may be able to waive the Unit I course by providing a certificate of licensure. South Carolina still requires the 30-hour Unit II course if you have lived in the state for more than six months. Waiver rules change over time, so confirm your situation with the SCREC before you assume you can skip a course.
How to actually finish the hours
The 90 hours are not hard in the sense of being complicated. The challenge is time. Most people study around a full-time job, and the coursework is the easiest part to keep putting off. There is no state waiting period forcing you to slow down, which means your own pace sets the timeline.
A simple plan works best. Set aside fixed study blocks each week and treat them as appointments you do not cancel. People who do this often finish the coursework in about two months. People who study only when it is convenient often stretch it to four months or more. The material does not change based on how long you take. Your finish date does.
If you are worried about the state exam, an exam prep course sits on top of the 90 hours. It is not required by the state, but it is built around what PSI actually tests, especially the state-specific questions. Skipping it and going straight from coursework to the exam makes a retake more likely.
In short
South Carolina’s education requirement is 90 hours: a 60-hour Unit I course and a 30-hour Unit II course, both from an approved school, each ending in a proctored final you need 70% to pass. Finish Unit I before the state exam and both units before you apply for your license. Pick the format that fits how you work, set a study schedule, and the hardest part of getting licensed becomes routine.
