South Carolina Beginner's Permit Rules: Hours, Supervisor, Practice
Who can ride with you on a South Carolina beginner's permit, and when can you drive?
With a South Carolina beginner's permit, you may drive from 6 a.m. to midnight with a licensed driver who is 21 or older, has at least one year of driving experience and sits beside you. From midnight to 6 a.m., that person must be a licensed parent, guardian or other adult on the state's list. At 15 or 16, you also need 40 practice hours, 10 at night.
Where these South Carolina permit rules come from
These rules come from South Carolina Code Title 56, Chapter 1, the SCDMV beginner's permit page and the SCDMV Driver's Manual, as of 2026. The practice-hour, points and phone rules also come from the SCDMV teenage drivers page, the SCDMV points page and Code Title 56, Chapter 5. Confirm the rules with the SCDMV (scdmvonline.com) before you drive.
Beginner's permit hours and who must ride with you
| Time of day | Who must ride with you | Where that person sits |
|---|---|---|
| 6 a.m. to midnight | A licensed driver who is 21 or older and has at least one year of driving experience | In the seat beside you (car) |
| Midnight to 6 a.m. | A licensed parent, guardian or other person from the state's list below | In the seat beside you (car) |
The state's list: who can supervise you after midnight
- Your father or your mother
- Your legal guardian
- A person who has custody, care and control of you
- A foster parent, preadoptive parent or group-home caregiver with written approval from the Department of Social Services
- A person who has stood in the place of a parent for at least 60 days in a row
- A responsible adult with written permission from one of the people above, signed before a notary (give the SCDMV a copy)
- Each person on this list must hold a driver's license to supervise you.
Driver's education and 40 hours of practice at age 15 or 16
If you are 15 or 16, you must practice driving for at least 40 hours, including 10 hours at night, with a licensed person from the list above. You also need a driver's education course of 8 classroom hours and 6 driving hours. When you finish the course, the program gives you SCDMV Form PDLA, which certifies your school attendance, driver's education and driving practice. A first-time driver who must take driver's education also takes the online work zone safety course on the SCDMV website.
How long to hold the permit before the road test
Driving without a permit in a driver's training course
A student who is 15 or older and enrolled in a South Carolina high school driver's training course may drive without a permit during the course, with a qualified instructor of the course. A person who is 15 or older in a licensed driver training school may drive only with a school instructor, in a car that the school owns or leases and that carries liability insurance at the legal minimum.
Who is responsible when a minor breaks the permit rules
- The adult who signs a minor's permit application is jointly liable with the minor for damage from the minor's negligent or willful driving, unless the minor has liability insurance in the amounts that state law requires.
- Under Tyler's Law, a parent or guardian who knowingly lets a dependent break a permit restriction, or drive without a valid permit or license, gets a civil fine of up to $500.
- If the dependent causes great bodily injury or death while breaking a restriction, the parent's or guardian's fine is up to $1,000.
Phone rules and points on a beginner's permit
The South Carolina Hands-Free and Distracted Driving Act applies to every driver on a public road, permit holders too. Do not hold or support a phone with any part of your body, do not read, write or send texts, and do not watch video or join a video call. An earpiece or a wrist-worn device is allowed for voice calls. A first offense is a $100 fine. A second offense within three years is a $200 fine and 2 points. The hands-free law guide lists the exceptions. A permit holder with 6 or more points has the driving privilege suspended for 6 months.
Key takeaways
- From 6 a.m. to midnight, drive only with a licensed driver who is 21 or older, has one year of experience and sits beside you.
- From midnight to 6 a.m., the supervisor must be a licensed person from the state's list, such as a parent or guardian.
- At 15 or 16, log 40 practice hours with 10 at night and hold the permit 180 days. At 18 or older, hold it 30 days.
- Keep your phone out of your hands: a $100 fine for a first offense, and $200 with 2 points for a second offense within three years.
- Next step: practice on the free South Carolina Class D practice test.
South Carolina beginner's permit: common questions
Can a 19-year-old supervise a permit driver in South Carolina?
Not from 6 a.m. to midnight. In those hours, the supervisor must hold a license, be 21 or older and have at least one year of driving experience. From midnight to 6 a.m., the rule changes: the supervisor must be a licensed person on the state's list, for example a parent, a guardian or an adult with notarized permission from a parent. Try a free supervising-driver question.
Can my parent sit in the back seat while I drive on my permit?
No. In a car, the supervising driver must sit in the seat beside you, at any hour. If your parent cannot sit in front before midnight, another licensed driver who is 21 or older with at least one year of experience can take that seat. After midnight, the person beside you must be on the state's list.
Is the adult who signs my permit application liable if I crash?
Yes, unless you have the required insurance. The adult who signs a minor's permit application is jointly liable with the minor for damage from the minor's negligent or willful driving. This does not apply when the minor has liability insurance in the amounts that state law requires.
Do I need a permit to take driver's education?
Not for the course itself. A student who is 15 or older in a high school or licensed driving school course may drive with the course instructor without a permit. In a driving school, you may drive only a car that the school owns or leases, with liability insurance.
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