If you are an aspiring real estate agent in South Carolina (SC), there are things you need to get familiar with. For instance, you need to know the pre-licensing courses and exam registration requirements. You will also need to get through with the background check, pass the licensing exam after going through the pre-licensing courses. Finally, before submitting the license application, you should complete the remaining education from a reputable institution.
Here is a complete guide on how to get South Carolina Real Estate License.
1. Know The Requirements
If you have been to other states, the process you will go through to get the SC real estate requirement is the same; but there are slight variations you need to know. First, before you commence the process, you must be at least eighteen years of age and holds a GED or high school diploma. Note that you don’t have to reside in SC to apply for the real estate license. Unless you meet these requirements, it becomes impossible to become an agent in SC.
Besides what we have already discussed above, here are additional requirements for those looking to become real estate agents in South Carolina.
Background and Fingerprinting Check
All applicants must be willing to go through a background check before turning in their applications ahead of the licensing exam. There is a credible online portal through which the exam can be done.
Pre-licensing Courses
There are 90 hours of real estate education that all aspiring agents must take before achieving their goals. The course touches on various integral areas such as agency principles, property and contract law, and real estate financing. This is an introductory course that you must take in South Carolina Real Estate School to become eligible for the licensing.
Professional Experience
If you are applying for the salesperson license, you don’t need to have any experience in the real estate industry to take the exam, but having any might be a huge plus in your career.
Fees
For the background check, during your application, you must pay around $40, and $63 for exam registration, and $75 goes to the application fee. If you are looking to become an agent, you will have to pay for the state-approved pre-licensing course. Note that the cost of the course varies based on the provider of your choice.
2. Go Through a Background Check
If you are a salesperson applicant in South Carolina, you need to undergo a background check before applying for the licensing exam. This process can be completed by visiting SR&I, which is a pre-employment service body. Once you are through with that, you want to submit your accurate information via the Authorization for Release of Information. Applicants will be prompted to open an account, issue authentic background information, and pay a $40 fee.
After submitting the online form, the background check will be completed within 72 hours, after which you will receive an email notification after the process is complete. You are free to take a look at the complete report through the SR&1’s dashboard.
3. Finish The Pre-licensing Coursework
To complete the course, you will need to set aside 90 hours to become eligible for the real estate agency license in South Carolina. This one also includes at least 60 hours of Real Estate Principles course before you can register for the licensing exam.
Note that this course is put in place to help you become a competent agent in the industry. A certificate of completion will be issued to you after you are done with the coursework. This is an integral part of your application process, and you must go through it in its entirety.
As already hinted, there are another 30 hours of pre-licensing coursework, but you can take this one right after you have passed the exam. However, you must be through with it before you can apply for the license. In these classes, you will cover practices, calculations, real estate principles, etc. You can learn more by clicking here.
Note that there are several real estate schools in South Carolina, and you need to do your research well. You can find reliable online resources to help you find the best school to complete your course.
4. Get Familiar with The Exam
The license exam is an important thing, so you need to get familiar with it ahead of the application process. To do this, you want to take your time and look at the various national and state-specific areas highly likely to be tested.
Your exam will contain at least 110 multiple-choice questions that cover both state-specific and national content, and unless you prepare well for the exam, there is a good chance you will perform poorly. The questions are categorized into 15 topic areas, so you want to focus more on the challenging ones.
Go Through South Carolina Specific Content
The SC specific portion of your exam is made up of 30 questions, and you will be given a maximum of one hour to answer them all. The topics covered in the exam questions include transfer property, fiduciary duties, agency laws, and property transfer. Note that more or fewer topics might be covered at times, which is why you must take your preparation seriously.
For many years, the state-specific areas that will be covered in the exam include:
- Agency and non-agency relationships
- Homestead exemption
- Time-sharing plan and vacation rental acts
- SC licensing requirements
- State statutes regulating activities of licensing
- Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
Go Through the General Practice Areas
Besides the knowledge of real estate and state-specific knowledge, 80 multiple-choice questions must be answered by the SC test takers. These are questions that comprehensively cover the national real estate topics.
Each applicant will be given a maximum of two hours to answer these questions correctly. The subjects covered include financing and real estate calculations, property and contract law, general agency principles, and property disclosures.
On the national portion of the licensing exam, here are the portions that are mostly covered:
- Financing
- Property ownership
- Property disclosures
- Land use controls and regulations
- Real estate calculations
- The practice of real estate
- Contracts
- Valuation and market analysis
- Leasing and property management
There is a need for you to gain confidence in your methods. As such, you might find it helpful to use free online resources and tools that will guarantee to pass the test. You want to take a look at them before sitting for the exam.
5. Study for The License Application Exam
The South Carolina Real Estate License exam will always have both state-specific and national content. We can’t over-emphasize the pre-licensing exam’s importance when helping you with the information you need to pass the preliminary test.
However, before you do any of that, it is recommended that you take an exam preparation course at South Carolina Real Estate School. By doing this, you will be exposed to helpful resources such as flashcards, online lectures, practice exams, and subject outlines.
Take The Real Estate Exam Preparation Course
Once you have gone through the South Carolina Real Estate Training, it is essential that you consider taking the real estate exam preparation course before you get licensed. Also, by taking the course, you can make the study process a breeze. You will also find it easier to digest a wide range of study materials that you need to pass the exam.
To take the preparation course, you will need to pay between $29 and $200 depending on your study. This will contain essential things such as lectures, outlines, and online communities to help people like you get ready for the licensing exam.
If you invest the time and take your studies seriously, there is a good chance you are going to pass the exam. However, suppose you need extra assistance with the studies, there is an Exam Preparation Master Program, and you can check it out from Real Estate Express.
You will be provided with real estate math questions, practice exams, and hundreds of definitions to get you ready for the license application exam from the website. The rule is that when you go through the program and fail to pass the exam, you will get a full refund.
Get Familiar Practice Exams and Sample Questions
Once you are done getting familiar with the exam topics, try to answer as many practice questions as possible. This should include taking a full-length, timed exam through online resources. By doing this, you will get lots of important information and get familiar with how questions will be framed in a real exam to improve passing chances.
6. Apply to Take the Licensing Exam
After you have studied enough for the exam and are confident that you are ready for the test, complete and turn in your application to the South Carolina Real Estate Commission (SCREC), and you will be given a chance to take the exam. After your application has been reviewed and you have qualified for the exam, complete the registration for a test date online.
Apply to Sit for The Real Estate Licensing Exam
To take the real estate licensing exam through SCREC, you must go through the registration process. To complete the registration, visit the online application portal, and you will need to pay an application fee of around $25. After you have turned in your application to take the exam, you will wait for between five and seven working days for the commission to review and approve your application.
Choose an Exam Date
Once the commission has approved your application to take the exam, through PSI’s Online Portal, you will be able to register for an exam date. There are two proportions of the salesperson exam: the state and national levels. You will need $63 to apply for both portions and only $55 to apply for one of them. Your method of registration will determine the processing time, but it should not take too long. However, the application will be processed if you do it online and through a telephone. The processing of Fax and mail registrations takes four days and two weeks, respectively.
You can choose to take your exam on any day, but Sundays. In South Carolina, the testing locations include;
- Charleston
- Charlotte
- Columbia
- Spartanburg/Greenville
- Myrtle Beach
- Beaufort/Hilton Head
We strongly suggest you study thoroughly for the exam and then registering for an exam date once you feel ready enough. However, once the commission has approved your application, you have up to 12 months to sit for the exam. Within that year, you are allowed to take the exam as many times as you want. The Real Estate Candidate Information Bulletin is the place to visit for more details.
7. Sit & Pass The Licensing Exam
You must arrive at the testing center at least 30 minutes ahead of time on the exam date. This will allow you enough time to get through with the sign-up procedures. Since the exam will be administered on a computer, you will have the chance to go through the tutorial before commencing.
Once the testing has started, the questions will appear one after another, and you will have around three hours to answer all of them. You need to wait for the pass or fail notification. As we have already said, there is nothing to worry about. Within a span of one year, you can sit for the test as many times as you wish.
You need to know the materials that you are allowed to carry on the exam day. They include;
Primary identification form
You will be required to produce at least one form of government-issued identification. They include passport, driver’s license, and state ID. They should have your signature and photograph or rather a complete physical description.
The second form of identification
The second ID must bear your signature alongside a pre-printed legal name. Note that both of these forms must have the same details you used in your application for the licensing exam. Unless that is achieved, you will not be allowed to take the exam.
Exam Eligibility Form
There is an exam eligibility form that you will be given once the commission has reviewed and approved your licensing exam application. Make sure to bring the form with you during the exam day. In this case, the people in charge will check to ascertain that the form’s details match the ones in your government-issued identification documents.
The Bottom Line
The South Carolina licensing training is vital because it improves your chances of passing the test. Note that you will not be licensed unless you pass the test, which means you won’t be recognized as a certified real estate agent in South Carolina.
Remember, you will not be allowed to carry any study item, food, and electronics when you show up at the exam center. You must not come with any personal items. Note that to pass the test, you must answer 21 state questions and 56 national questions correctly. Note that you will not be notified of your score if you pass the test, but you will be notified if you fail.
