How to Start a Real Estate Business in South Carolina: Associate, Broker and BIC Licenses

Starting a real estate business in South Carolina happens in layers. First, you earn a personal license from the South Carolina Real Estate Commission. If you want to run your own office, you then add a broker license, a broker-in-charge (BIC) license for each office, and a business entity if you choose to form one. This guide follows that order, with the fees and deadlines the state has published, so you can plan your timeline before you pay for courses.

Information only: This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. Licensing rules and fees change. Confirm every figure with the agency named below before you pay or file.

Terms You Will See

Under 2024 Act 204, which took effect May 21, 2024, the entry-level salesperson license was renamed the associate license. Older forms, school catalogs and websites still use the old name, but it refers to the same license. Keep that in mind when you compare course providers.

Also note that REALTOR is not a state license. It is a membership designation from the National Association of REALTORS and its local boards. If you search for a realtor license in SC, you need the state license first. Membership in a local association comes after you are licensed.

What You Need Before You Start

Gather these items before you begin so the application does not stall:

• Proof of age. Associates must be at least 18. Brokers must be at least 21.
• Course certificates. Keep proof of every pre-licensing course you complete, including the hours and the provider name.
• A payment method for the exam application, the PSI exam, and the license application.
• A sponsoring broker-in-charge who will supervise you. Every associate and broker must be licensed under a BIC, so have one lined up before your license is issued.
• For a business: a South Carolina registered agent, a business name that passes the state's name rules, and a plan for where your office will be located.

Step 1: Pick the License That Matches Your Goal

Decide what role you want before you enroll in courses. The three licenses do different jobs:

• Associate. The entry license. You can list, show and negotiate property, but you must work under a broker-in-charge. You cannot open your own office on this license.
• Broker. A higher license that requires more education and years of experience. A broker can supervise associates and run a brokerage.
• Broker-in-charge (BIC). The license that lets a broker take responsibility for a particular office. If you open your own firm, you need a BIC license for each office.

Most new agents start as associates and work under an experienced broker for a few years before they consider a broker license.

Step 2: Complete the Pre-Licensing Education

The education requirements depend on the license you want:

• Associate: 60 hours of fundamentals and 30 hours of advanced courses. The 30 advanced hours must be completed within 5 years, and you can sit for the exam before you finish them. Ask the Commission when the 5-year period starts so you do not lose credit.
• Broker: 60 hours total, made up of 30 hours of Broker Management and 30 hours of Brokerage Principles. You must also have at least 5 years of active associate licensure within the past 7 years.

Before you enroll, confirm with the provider that its courses are accepted by the Commission for South Carolina credit. Keep the certificates. You will need them when you apply.

Step 3: Apply for the Exam and Pass the PSI Test

Submit the exam application to the Commission first. The Commission's posted fee schedule lists a $25 exam application fee. After your application is approved, you schedule the exam with PSI, the testing vendor. The exam has two portions, a state section and a national section. PSI's fee covers both portions and is $63 under the Commission's posted schedule.

Study for both parts. The state portion covers South Carolina laws and rules, so use material that is current for this state. Read the Commission's exam information before test day so you know what to expect.

Step 4: Apply for the License and Attach It to a BIC

After you pass the exam, submit your license application and pay the license fee. The Commission's posted schedule lists $50 for an associate license and $125 for a broker license. Your license must be issued under a sponsoring broker-in-charge, so your application should show the broker who will supervise you.

If your broker changes, the change must be reported to the Commission. Do not begin real estate activity under a new broker until the paperwork is in order. Ask the Commission how long the change takes to process.

Step 5: Add the Broker License If You Want to Supervise

To apply for a broker license, you must be at least 21 years old, complete the 60 hours of broker education described in Step 2, and show the required years of active associate licensure. The broker exam and application follow the same general process as the associate license. The Commission's posted schedule lists $125 for the broker license.

A broker license alone does not let you run an office. Opening your own office also requires a BIC license for that office, covered in the next step.

Step 6: Form Your Business and Get a BIC License for Each Office

You can operate as a sole proprietor, but most brokerages form a limited liability company (LLC). South Carolina's formation steps are straightforward:

1. Choose a name. The name must include the words limited liability company or limited company, or an abbreviation such as LLC, L.L.C., LC or L.C. It must also be distinguishable from other registered names on the Secretary of State's records. A name can be reserved for 120 days for a $25 fee. The reservation cannot be renewed.
2. Name a registered agent. Under S.C. Code Section 33-44-108, every LLC must designate and maintain a South Carolina agent with a street address for legal papers. The agent must be a South Carolina resident individual, a domestic corporation, another LLC, or an authorized foreign corporation or company.
3. File the Articles of Organization. Under S.C. Code Section 33-44-203, the filing fee is $110. File online through Business Entities Online at businessfilings.sc.gov. The Secretary of State states that online filings are returned within 24 to 48 business hours. Mailed and in-person filings take longer, and the state does not publish a mail turnaround window.
4. Confirm the annual report obligation. A standard LLC not taxed as a corporation does not file an annual report with the Secretary of State. If you elect corporate tax treatment, different rules apply, so confirm the details with a CPA.

Next, get a BIC license for each office. A BIC license costs $250 under the Commission's posted schedule. Ask the Commission whether your brokerage name needs its review or approval before you file the LLC, since a name that is available with the Secretary of State may still need Commission sign-off.

Step 7: Get Your Local Business License

South Carolina has no general statewide business license, and a Secretary of State filing is not a business license. Most cities levy business license taxes. Only nine counties do so: Beaufort, Charleston, Dorchester, Horry, Jasper, Marion, Orangeburg, Richland and Sumter. Your local license year runs from May 1 to April 30, and the license is due April 30. Renew through localblrenewal.com, or contact your city or county directly to confirm your obligation and the amount.

Do not assume a real estate license covers your local business license. They are separate requirements.

Step 8: Renew and Complete Continuing Education

Licenses renew every two years. Each renewal cycle requires 10 hours of continuing education (CE), including 4 mandated hours. Broker-in-charge licensees must also complete 4 additional advanced hours. Track your hours as you go, not in the last month before renewal.

Some exemptions exist. Under 2025 Act 27, licensees who are 65 or older with 25 years of South Carolina licensure may qualify for a CE waiver, and qualifying nonresidents may be exempt from CE. Confirm whether you qualify with the Commission. South Carolina has reciprocity only with Georgia and North Carolina, so a license from another state does not transfer here unless one of those states applies.

Fee Summary

Item	Fee	Where it applies
Exam application	$25	South Carolina Real Estate Commission
PSI exam (both portions)	$63	PSI testing vendor
Associate license	$50	South Carolina Real Estate Commission
Broker license	$125	South Carolina Real Estate Commission
BIC license	$250	South Carolina Real Estate Commission
LLC Articles of Organization	$110	South Carolina Secretary of State
Name reservation (120 days)	$25	South Carolina Secretary of State
Local business license	Set by your city or county	Local government

The Commission's fee figures come from its posted schedule, last revised in February 2020. Check the current amounts on the Commission's page at llr.sc.gov before you pay, because fees may have changed since that revision.

Tips for Getting It Right

• Start with an associate license, even if you plan to become a broker. The path to broker takes years of licensed experience, and you will learn the business under supervision.
• Interview brokers before you enroll. Ask how they train new associates, what their office costs, and whether they will supervise you under their BIC license.
• Calendar your CE, renewal, local license and LLC annual obligations on one shared list. Missed dates are the most common avoidable problem for small brokerages.
• Use current study materials and check them against the Commission's rules before the exam.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Opening an office on an associate license. An associate cannot run an independent brokerage. Plan the broker and BIC steps before you sign a lease.
• Forming the LLC first and asking questions later. Check the name reservation, the registered agent and the Commission's requirements before you file.
• Treating REALTOR as a license. The state license comes first. Association membership is separate.
• Using old fee or course information. Confirm current amounts with the Commission, since the posted schedule is dated.
• Letting CE lapse. Missing hours can delay renewal and interrupt your ability to practice.
• Skipping the local business license. A state real estate license does not cover city or county obligations.

What to Expect After You Start

If you complete the education, pass the exam, and attach your license to a sponsoring BIC, you can typically begin real estate activity under that broker's supervision once your license is issued. Many new agents take the first year to build relationships, learn local contracts and close their first transactions. The timeline varies with how quickly you complete courses, how fast the Commission and PSI process your paperwork, and how much time you can commit to the work. Income also varies widely, so plan your finances with a realistic budget rather than a projection from any single source.

For business planning help, the South Carolina Small Business Development Centers offer free advising at scsbdc.com. The U.S. Small Business Administration also lists South Carolina resources at sba.gov.

When to Talk to a Professional

A solo agent working under a broker may need little more than the steps above. A brokerage with partners, employees, multiple offices or outside investors is more complex. Talk to a South Carolina real estate attorney about your ownership structure, brokerage agreements and liability. Talk to a CPA about entity tax treatment and your personal tax obligations before you commit to a structure.

Disclaimer: This article is informational and is not legal, tax or licensing advice. Requirements, fees and deadlines can change. Confirm current rules with the South Carolina Real Estate Commission, the South Carolina Secretary of State, your local government and a qualified professional before you act.