South Carolina practice tests
In South Carolina you take one written knowledge test, on traffic laws, road signs and driving safety rules, at any SCDMV branch (before 4 p.m.) or through an authorized third-party tester, along with a vision test, before you get a beginner's permit. You can apply from age 15. The SCDMV does not publish how many questions the test has or the score needed to pass. Our free South Carolina practice has 6 tests of 20 questions, with road sign pictures mixed in as on the real test, and we count 16 correct (80 percent) as a pass; that size and mark are our own practice standard. Every answer comes from the South Carolina Driver's License Manual.
- 20 questions
- 16 to pass
The test in South Carolina
Every figure links to the page it was read from, with the date it was checked. Formats change; the source wins over this table.
| What | Figure | Source · checked |
|---|---|---|
| Knowledge test | One written test of traffic laws, road signs and driving safety rules; number of questions not publishedThe manual lists a vision test, a knowledge test of traffic laws, road signs and driving safety rules, and a driving test where required. Road signs are part of the one knowledge test, not a separate test. Neither the manual nor the SCDMV pages give the number of questions. Our six practice tests use 20 questions each; that size is our own choice. | SCDMV: South Carolina Driver's License Manual, PDFchecked 2026-11-01 |
| To pass | Not publishedThe SCDMV does not publish a pass mark for the knowledge test. Our practice tests count 16 of 20 (80 percent) as a pass; that mark is our own practice standard, not an SCDMV rule. | SCDMV: South Carolina Driver's License Manual, PDFchecked 2026-11-01 |
| Time limit | Not statedNo time limit is published. The Beginner's Permit page asks you to visit a branch before 4 p.m. to take the knowledge test. Our sets have no time limit. | SCDMV: Beginner's Permitschecked 2026-11-01 |
| Where to test | Any SCDMV branch, or an SCDMV-authorized third-party testerYou may take the vision and knowledge tests at any SCDMV branch. One-Stop Driver Training and Testing Programs (third-party testers at participating driver training schools) may give the tests if you are applying for a first-time regular (Class D) beginner's permit, driver's license or motorcycle license. No online knowledge test is offered on the SCDMV pages we read. | SCDMV: Driver's License Testingchecked 2026-11-01 |
| Test rules | No manuals, notes or electronic devices; talking or leaving the area fails the testYou fail the knowledge test if you leave the test room or area before finishing, talk to anyone, or take anything into the test area that could help you answer, including a cell phone, laptop or tablet reader. | SCDMV: South Carolina Driver's License Manual, PDFchecked 2026-11-01 |
| Languages | Not statedThe SCDMV pages and manual we read do not list the languages the knowledge test is offered in. | SCDMV: Driver's License Testingchecked 2026-11-01 |
| Fees: test and permit | $2 for each knowledge test; $2.50 for the beginner's permitYou pay $2.50 for the permit after you pass the knowledge test. A regular (Class D) beginner's permit can be renewed for $2.50 when it expires. | SCDMV: Feeschecked 2026-11-01 |
| Fee: driver's license | $25 for an eight-year licenseThe SCDMV says most South Carolina driver's licenses are valid for eight years and all eight-year licenses cost $25. A special restricted license with a waiver costs $25. You receive a temporary certificate at the branch and the card by mail in 7 to 15 business days. | SCDMV: Driver's Licensechecked 2026-11-01 |
| Minimum age | 15You must be at least 15 to apply for a regular beginner's permit. Under 18, an authorized adult must come with you to sign consent at the branch (with a picture ID), unless a driver training school representative submits it. You must pass the vision and knowledge tests. | SCDMV: Beginner's Permitschecked 2026-11-01 |
| Beginner's permit rules | 6 a.m. to midnight with a licensed driver aged 21 or older with one year of experience in the front seat; after midnight only with a qualified individualFrom midnight to 6 a.m. the supervisor must be one of the qualified people listed in SC Code 56-1-100, such as a parent, legal guardian or another person approved under that law. | SCDMV: Beginner's Permitschecked 2026-11-01 |
| Time with the permit | At least 180 days under 18; at least 30 days at 18 or olderUnder 18 you may apply for a license on the 181st day; at 18 or older, on the 31st day. The 30-day rule for adults took effect on 13 November 2024 according to the manual's revision history. | SCDMV: Beginner's Permitschecked 2026-11-01 |
| Before the first license (ages 15 and 16) | Driver education (8 hours in class, 6 hours driving) and 40 hours of practice, including 10 at nightYou must also have held the permit more than 180 days, be enrolled in school (or homeschooled) with satisfactory attendance, and bring the Certification of School Attendance, Driver's Education, and Driving Practice (SCDMV Form PDLA), which only authorized issuers provide. | SCDMV: Teenage Driverschecked 2026-11-01 |
| Conditional and special restricted licenses | Alone 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. (8 p.m. in daylight saving time); until midnight with a licensed driver aged 21 or older; after midnight with a qualified individualA conditional license is for ages 15 1/2 to 16; a special restricted license is for age 16. No more than two passengers under 21 unless a licensed adult aged 21 or older is with you, except family members or students going to and from school. A 16-year-old may apply for a waiver ($25) to drive alone until midnight for work or certain activities. Under 17, six or more points in the first year brings a six-month suspension. Full privileges come at 17, or after one year with no traffic offenses or at-fault collisions. | SCDMV: Teenage Driverschecked 2026-11-01 |
| What to bring | Social Security number, proof of identity, US citizenship and date of birth, and proof of your physical SC addressBring originals or government-issued copies, such as a government-issued birth certificate. A REAL ID needs two proofs of address. The full list is on the US Citizens' Checklist (SCDMV Form MV-93); lawfully present non-US citizens use Form MV-94. | SCDMV: Beginner's Permitschecked 2026-11-01 |
| Vision | 20/40 or betterThe SCDMV eye test checks for 20/40 vision. If you fail it, a licensed eye care professional must examine you. A Certificate of Vision Examination is valid for 36 months. | SCDMV: Vision Testschecked 2026-11-01 |
| Manual edition | South Carolina Driver's License Manual, PDF posted April 2026The copy linked from the Beginner's Permit page has no printed revision date (the file was created on 30 March 2026). It includes the changes in the SCDMV's Driver's License Manual Revision History, the latest dated 13 November 2024. An older copy on the Forms and Manuals page is marked Revised 06/2024. | SCDMV: South Carolina Driver's License Manual, PDFchecked 2026-11-01 |
Full tests
- Test 120 questions · untimed · pass 16difficulty 1 of 6
- Test 220 questions · untimed · pass 16difficulty 2 of 6
- Test 320 questions · untimed · pass 16difficulty 3 of 6
- Test 420 questions · untimed · pass 16difficulty 4 of 6
- Test 520 questions · untimed · pass 16difficulty 5 of 6
- Test 620 questions · untimed · pass 16difficulty 6 of 6
Handbook chapters
- Chapter 1: Getting your permit and licenseSouth Carolina license classes, the beginner's permit from age 15, supervision hours, the 180-day and 30-day holding periods, driver education, conditional and special restricted licenses, the knowledge and skills tests, fees and renewals.
- Chapter 2: Fitness to drive, distractions and state lawsSouth Carolina's vision standard, fatigue, the Hands-Free and Distracted Driving Act and its fines, aggressive driving, emotions, older drivers, littering, golf carts and other state laws.
- Chapter 3: Alcohol and other drugsHow alcohol and drugs affect driving, South Carolina's under-21 rules, the 0.02 and 0.15 BAC levels, implied consent, test refusal suspensions, and medicines.
- Chapter 4: Before you drive and basic controlTire pressure and tread, seat and mirror adjustment, safety belts, air bags, South Carolina child seat rules, securing loads, driver assistance features, steering methods and backing up.
- Chapter 5: Right-of-way and traffic signalsWho yields at intersections, four-way stops, left turns and highway entrances, and what South Carolina drivers must do at green, yellow, red and flashing signals, including turning right on red.
- Chapter 6: Road signs and pavement markingsSouth Carolina sign colors and shapes: warning, railroad, work zone, regulatory, guide, route, secondary road and hurricane evacuation signs, plus yellow and white lines, crosswalks and stop lines.
- Chapter 7: Turns, intersections, school buses and parkingTurning, turnabouts, intersection scanning, diverging diamonds and RCUTs, roundabouts, South Carolina school bus law, parking and hill parking, lane changes, merging, exiting, passing and the zipper merge.
- Chapter 8: Speed, space and communicatingScanning 20 to 30 seconds ahead, adjusting speed for curves, rain and floods, stopping distance, South Carolina's four-second following rule, side space, headlights, the horn and signaling 100 feet ahead.
- Chapter 9: Emergencies and avoiding collisionsBraking with ABS, swerving, accelerating out of danger, skids, pavement drop-offs, brake failure, tire blowouts, engine failure, a stuck accelerator, breakdowns and emergency contacts.
- Chapter 10: Sharing the road and special situationsPedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, trucks and the No Zone, emergency vehicles, traffic stops, the move-over law, slow-moving vehicles, night driving, work zones, rural roads, winter driving and towing a trailer.