How to Transfer an Out-of-State Driver's License to South Carolina (2026)
Moving to South Carolina with an out-of-state driver's license? If South Carolina is becoming your permanent home, you generally have 45 days to transfer your license. The process is done in person at an SCDMV branch, and most people with a valid out-of-state license only need to pass a vision test.
This guide explains how to transfer an out-of-state driver's license to South Carolina in simple terms.It covers the documents you need, the cost, expired licenses, and special rules for military members, college students, and people moving from another country.
If you move to South Carolina permanently and already have a valid driver's license from another state, you have 45 days to transfer it to an SC license. You must do this in person at an SCDMV branch, bring proof of identity, your Social Security number, and two documents showing your SC address, and turn in your old out-of-state license. The fee is $25 for an 8-year license. You'll only need a vision test, not a written or road test, as long as your out-of-state license is valid or expired less than 9 months. Active duty military and students living in SC temporarily don't have to transfer at all, as long as their home-state license stays valid.
Who Needs to Transfer an Out-of-State Driver's License to South Carolina?
If you're permanently moving to South Carolina and already hold a valid driver's license from another state, you need to apply for a South Carolina driver's license. South Carolina law says you must surrender your valid out-of-state driver's license within 45 days of becoming a South Carolina resident, unless an exemption applies.
What if you are only in South Carolina temporarily?
If you are temporarily living in South Carolina as a student, military member, or another temporary resident, you generally do not have to get a South Carolina driver's license. You must, however, have a valid license from your home state if you want to drive.
Can You Drive in South Carolina With an Out-of-State License?
Yes, temporary residents can generally drive with a valid license from their home state.
The important question is whether you have actually become a South Carolina resident.
If you permanently move to South Carolina, you should not treat your old state's license as a long-term replacement for an SC license. South Carolina law requires residents to surrender their out-of-state licenses within 45 days..
If you are not sure whether you are considered a South Carolina resident, see the sections below on permanent residents, military members, and college students before relying on your out-of-state license.
What Documents Do You Need to Transfer Your License?
Before you go to the SCDMV, make sure you have the required documents.
- Your valid out-of-state driver's license. You'll turn this in when you get your new SC license.
- Proof of identity and U.S. citizenship. A certified birth certificate or valid U.S. passport works.
- Your Social Security number. This gets checked electronically against Social Security Administration records.
- Proof of your South Carolina address. For a standard license, SCDMV requires one qualifying address document. For a REAL ID, you need two. Documents may include a utility bill, lease, or bank statement, depending on SCDMV's current requirements.
- Name change documents, if needed.If your current legal name is different from the name on your other documents, bring documents showing the name change. For example, this could be a marriage certificate or court document.
How to Transfer Your Driver's License to South Carolina
The license transfer has to be done in person if you are doing it for the first time. Because an SCDMV employee will check your documents, complete the required checks, and give you a vision test.
Step 1: Gather Your Documents
Bring the required documents listed in the section above
Step 2:Bring Your Current Out-of-State License
Bring your current driver's license with you.
When you receive your South Carolina license, you must surrender your out-of-state license to the SCDMV. South Carolina does not allow you to keep multiple valid state driver's licenses.
If you don't physically have your old license anymore, you're not stuck. Bring a certified driving record from your previous state instead. It works as proof that you were a licensed driver there, even without the physical card in hand.
Step 3:Go to an SCDMV Branch
A first-time transfer of an out-of-state license must be done in person.
You will provide your documents, surrender your old license, complete the required checks, take the vision test, and pay the applicable fee.
Step 4: Take the Vision Test
You must pass a vision test when transferring a regular out-of-state driver's license to South Carolina.
For most people with a current valid out-of-state license, this is the only driving-related test they need to take.
Do You Need to Take a Knowledge Test for Driver License Transfer to SC?
Almost always, no. South Carolina waives the written knowledge test and the road test for anyone transferring a valid out-of-state license. This holds even if your old license has expired, as long as it's been expired for less than 9 months.
But if your old license has been expired for 9 months or longer, you'll need to pass the written test and the road test again, on top of the vision test. And if your license is currently suspended or revoked in any state, South Carolina cannot issue you a new license until that's resolved, no matter how long you've been driving.
Step 5: Pay the License Fee and Get Your Temporary Driving Certificate
Once your documents and vision test are complete, you'll pay the applicable driver's license fee. For most people, the standard eight-year South Carolina driver's license costs $25.
After that, you will receive a temporary driving certificate while your license is printed at a centralized location.
The permanent license is normally mailed within 7 to 15 business days. The temporary certificate can be used for driving and other accepted purposes for up to 30 days.
How Much Does It Cost to Transfer a License in South Carolina?
For most people, the answer is simple:$25. But certain situations do apply, which you can check in the table
| Situation | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard 8-year license transfer | $25 | Same fee whether or not you're getting a REAL ID |
| Knowledge test, if required | $2 | Only applies if your old license was expired for 9+ months |
| License valid for more than 4 years for certain non-U.S. citizens | $25 | no note |
| License valid for 4 years or less for certain non-U.S. citizens | $12.50 | no note |
The fee can change for special types of licenses, so check the current SCDMV fee information before your visit..
Does Your REAL ID Transfer to South Carolina?
No. Your REAL ID status does not simply move over when you move from another state. South Carolina still needs you to bring the full set of REAL ID documents, since state systems don't share document files with each other.
The one saving grace is you likely already have most of what you need, since the documents required for a REAL ID overlap heavily with what you're already bringing for the transfer itself.
The biggest difference to remember is your address documents.
For a standard SC license, you need one qualifying proof of your physical South Carolina address. But for a REAL ID, you need two
What Happens If You Miss the 45 Day Deadline?
SCDMV doesn't charge a late fee for missing the license transfer deadline, unlike the vehicle registration deadline, which does carry penalties. South Carolina law requires a new resident to surrender their valid out-of-state license within 45 days of becoming a resident, unless an exemption applies.
The important point is simple:
Don't wait until the last day.
The application has to be done in person, and you may need time to gather the required documents and find a convenient SCDMV branch.
If you have already passed the 45-day deadline, don't assume your old license is enough just because it has not expired. It is not entirely clear how the rule would be applied if you were pulled over while using a license that is still technically valid in your old state. There is no clear court guidance on this issue. The safest approach is to contact the SCDMV or visit a branch and get your South Carolina license situation sorted out.
Active Duty Military and Military Families
South Carolina treats military situations differently depending on whether you're stationed here temporarily or actually settling down for good.
If you're active duty and stationed in South Carolina but you're still legally a resident of another state, you don't need to transfer your license at all. This covers you, your spouse, and your dependents, as long as your home-state license stays valid. Federal law also protects military spouses specifically from being forced to change their legal residency just because of a military move, so spouses can keep their home-state license too.
If you're military and you do decide to make South Carolina your permanent home, you get a longer window than everyone else. Instead of 45 days, you have 90 days to transfer your license, and you'll only need a vision test, no knowledge or road test required, as long as your current license is valid.
Do College Students Have to Transfer Their License?
If you're attending college in South Carolina but you're still a legal resident of another state, you're not required to transfer your license. You can keep driving on your home-state license the entire time you're enrolled, the same way a temporarily stationed military member can. South Carolina law makes you eligible to get an SC license as a student if you want one, but it doesn't force you to.
If you decide to make South Carolina your permanent home, your situation is different, and you may need to apply for an SC license.
Can You Transfer a Foreign Driver's License to South Carolina?
If you're moving to South Carolina from outside the U.S., the process depends heavily on which country issued your license. South Carolina has official reciprocity agreements with a specific list of countries and territories. These are American Samoa, Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, France, Germany, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of Palau, South Korea, Taiwan, and U.S. Virgin Islands. If your license comes from one of these places and hasn't expired, you can skip the knowledge and skills tests entirely, the same waiver you'd get transferring from another U.S. state.
If your license is from South Korea or Taiwan, you're still eligible for the same testing waiver, but you'll need one more document first. You have to get a certification letter from your country's consulate confirming your license is valid, and that letter is only good for 30 days from the date it's issued. Time your DMV visit around that window, or the letter will expire before you get there.
If your country isn't on the reciprocity list, you'll go through the same process as a first-time driver in South Carolina, meaning the knowledge test, the road test, and the vision test. An International Driving Permit doesn't change this. It's just a translation of your existing license, not a document that lets you skip testing on its own.
Don't Forget Your Vehicle
Your driver's license is not the only thing you need to transfer within that 45-day timeline after moving. If you're bringing a car with you, South Carolina also gives you 45 days to register it here, and Vehicle registration is a separate process from your driver's license
You may have to deal with: South Carolina vehicle title,Vehicle registration, Infrastructure Maintenance Fee,License plate fee,County vehicle property tax, and South Carolina vehicle insurance.
For a regular passenger vehicle, SCDMV currently says the DMV charges can total about $305, including the $250 Infrastructure Maintenance Fee, $15 title fee, and $40 registration/plate fee, before county property tax.We cover this in detail in our full South Carolina Vehicle Registration Guide, since it's a big enough topic to deserve its own explanation.
Can You Register a Car in South Carolina Without an SC License?
Sometimes, yes.
SCDMV has special rules for people who do not have a South Carolina license or ID, including active-duty military members and students. You may have to complete a Statement of Vehicle Operation and meet other requirements
So don't assume that you must finish the driver's license transfer before you can do anything with your vehicle. The vehicle rules have their own requirements.
Common Mistakes
- Assuming the deadline is 90 days. That's the military rule. Civilians get 45 days.
- Assuming your REAL ID automatically transfers. It doesn't. You'll need to bring the full document set again, even if your old card already had the gold star.
- Trying to transfer online. There's no online option for a first-time transfer. It has to be done in person.
- Assuming you need to take the driving test again. You normally don't if your old license is valid or has been expired for less than nine months.
- Not realizing a suspended license anywhere blocks you. SCDMV checks your record from your old state, and an active suspension will stop your transfer cold.
- Forgetting the vehicle deadline runs on the same clock. Your license and your car registration both have a 45-day window, and the car side usually costs a lot more.
- Assuming military and student rules are the same as everyone else's.They aren't. Temporary military members and students may be exempt, while military members who become permanent SC residents have a separate 90-day rule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Go to an SCDMV branch in person with your required documents and current out-of-state license. You will surrender your old license, pass a vision test, and pay the applicable fee. A standard eight-year license costs $25.
Most permanent residents have 45 days from becoming a South Carolina resident. Military members and their dependents who become permanent residents have 90 days under the military rule.
A standard eight-year South Carolina driver's license costs $25.
Yes, if you are a temporary resident and your out-of-state license is valid. If you permanently move to South Carolina, you generally must apply for an SC license within 45 days.
Usually no. If your out-of-state license is valid or has been expired for less than nine months, you generally only need the vision test. If it has been expired for nine months or more, you must also pass the knowledge and road tests.
No. A first-time transfer has to be done in person at an SCDMV branch, since an employee needs to check your original documents and give you a vision test.
No. Even if your old license already had the gold star, South Carolina still requires you to bring the full REAL ID document set, including two proofs of address instead of one.
Not if you're stationed here temporarily and your home state is somewhere else. This applies to you, your spouse, and your dependents, as long as your home-state license stays valid. If you become a permanent SC resident, you get 90 days to transfer instead of 45.
No, as long as you're still a legal resident of another state and your home-state license is valid. You're eligible to get an SC license if you want one, but you're not required to.
Yes, if it's from a country South Carolina has a reciprocity agreement with, such as Canada, France, or Germany, and it hasn't expired. South Korea and Taiwan require an extra consulate certification letter. Licenses from other countries require the full knowledge, road, and vision tests.
There's no official late fee, but driving on an out-of-state license past 45 days can be treated as driving without a valid license, which could be a misdemeanor. It's best not to test this and simply transfer within the window.
- South Carolina DMV Complete Guide: Driver License, Registration & More (2026) Main Guide
- First Time South Carolina Driver's License Guide (2026) Driver License
- South Carolina Driver License Renewal Guide Driver License Renewal
- South Carolina REAL ID Guide: Requirements & Cost (2026) REAL ID
- Lost or Stolen South Carolina Driver's License Guide Replacement
For the current transfer process, fees, and forms, go straight to the source.
This guide is for informational purposes only and does not replace official SCDMV instructions. Always confirm current requirements and fees at dmv.sc.gov before your visit.