South Carolina Real Estate CE Requirements (2026): 10 Hours Every 2 Years
Requirements Overview
The South Carolina Real Estate Commission (SCREC) requires 10 hours of continuing education per biennial renewal cycle. All licensees must complete the 4-hour SC Core Course, which covers a rotating topic — for the 2024-2026 cycle, it's 'Legal Hot Tips.' Salespersons and associate brokers have 6 hours of electives, while Brokers-in-Charge must also complete a 4-hour BIC Duties and Responsibilities course, leaving only 2 elective hours.
South Carolina introduced a carry-over provision effective June 2024, allowing up to 4 hours of elective coursework to roll into the next renewal period. Only elective hours carry over — mandatory core and BIC hours cannot. The open renewal period runs April through June of the expiration year.
Nonresident licensees can no longer use their home state's CE to satisfy South Carolina requirements. Lapsed licenses have a 24-month reinstatement window before cancellation. Both active and inactive licensees must renew to maintain their license status.
Mandatory Topics
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| SC Core Course | 4 | Every renewal | Mandatory core course required for all licensees. Topic changes each 2-year cycle. 2024-2026 cycle: 'Legal Hot Tips'. Required for salespersons, brokers, and broker-in-charge. |
| BIC Duties and Responsibilities | 4 | Every renewal | Required only for Broker-in-Charge (BIC) licensees. Topic changes by cycle. 2025-2027: 'Risk Management for Brokers-in-Charge'. |
Renewal Pathways
How You Can Complete Your CE
South Carolina CE Rules & Limits
Details specific to South Carolina that generic CE guides tend to miss:
- Carry-over — Up to 4 hours of elective courses may be carried over to the next renewal period (effective June 2024). Only elective hours carry over, not core/mandatory hours.
- Open renewal period: April – June of the expiration year.
- Nonresident licensees can no longer use their home state's CE to satisfy South Carolina requirements.
- Lapsed licenses have a 24-month reinstatement window from expiration before cancellation.
- Carry-over of up to 4 elective hours allowed (effective June 2024).
- Core course topic changes each 2-year cycle; BIC course topic also changes.
- Both active and inactive licensees must renew.
Provider Requirements
SCREC-approved providers. Completion typically reported to SC LLR automatically by approved providers.
Tips for South Carolina Real Estate Agents
- Take advantage of the carry-over provision: completing extra electives this cycle can reduce your load next cycle by up to 4 hours.
- Nonresident licensees must now complete SC-approved courses specifically — home state CE no longer counts.
- The SC Core Course topic changes each cycle, so don't assume last cycle's course will satisfy the current requirement.
- Plan your renewal during the April-June window; a lapsed license gives you only 24 months to reinstate before cancellation.
Sources
Each figure on this page is taken directly from the South Carolina Real Estate Commission (SCREC), Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR)'s official rules and continuing-education sources and recorded with the exact source excerpt. Last verified Mar 2026. Read how we compile and verify this data.