Driving Tests

South Carolina Conditional License at 15½: Requirements and Curfew

informational·how to guide·Published July 6, 2026

Can you get a license at 15 in South Carolina?

Yes. At 15½, and before you turn 16, you can get a conditional license from the SCDMV. You need your beginner's permit for 180 days, driver's education, 40 hours of practice (10 at night), proof of school attendance, and a passed vision test and road test. You may drive alone from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. (8 p.m. in daylight saving time).

Where the South Carolina conditional license facts come from

The age, hours, school, curfew and passenger rules come from the SCDMV Teenage Drivers page and the South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 56, Chapter 1 (sections 56-1-100, 56-1-130, 56-1-175 to 56-1-187 and 56-1-219). The SCDMV Driver's Manual (April 2026) and the SCDMV road test, vision test, beginner's permit and points system pages give the other details. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the SCDMV (scdmvonline.com) before you drive.

What is a South Carolina conditional license?

A conditional license is the first driver's license a South Carolina teen can get. It is for drivers who are at least 15½ and less than 16, and it comes after the beginner's permit. You may drive alone only in set daytime hours, and you may carry only a limited number of young passengers. To check how the age and the permit time work together, try our free question on who can get a conditional license.

South Carolina conditional license requirements

Age: at least 15½ and less than 16.
Beginner's permit: hold it for 180 days. You can apply on the 181st day.
Driver's education: finish a course of 8 hours in the classroom and 6 hours of driving.
Practice: drive at least 40 hours with a qualified, licensed person, including at least 10 hours at night.
School: be enrolled in a public or private school or be home schooled, with satisfactory attendance, and not be suspended or expelled. A high school diploma, a certificate or a GED also meets the rule.
Tests: pass the SCDMV vision test (20/40 vision or better) and the road test.

Who can supervise your 40 practice hours?

A licensed person from the list in Section 56-1-100(A)(1-7) of the law must supervise your practice hours. The list includes your father, your mother, your guardian, a person who has custody of you, and a responsible adult who has written permission from a person on the list. That permission must be signed in front of a notary. You drive these hours on your permit, so the beginner's permit rules also apply: from 6 a.m. to midnight, the supervisor must be at least 21, with at least one year of driving experience, in the front seat.

How to get a South Carolina conditional license

1
Hold the beginner's permit
Keep your permit for 180 days. Use this time for driver's education and your practice hours.
2
Finish driver's education, practice and the work zone course
Complete the 8-hour classroom and 6-hour driving course, and log 40 hours of practice with 10 hours at night. First-time drivers who must take driver's education must also take the SCDMV work zone safety course, an online presentation.
3
Get Form PDLA
Get the Certification of School Attendance, Driver's Education, and Driving Practice (SCDMV Form PDLA) from your driver training school or high school. Bring it to the branch.
4
Take the vision test and road test
Walk-ins for the road test are from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday). For a test between 2 and 4 p.m., make an appointment. You may also test with a third-party tester. Bring a safe vehicle with a valid plate, registration card and insurance card.

South Carolina conditional license curfew and driving hours

South Carolina conditional license curfew and driving hours
Time	Who must ride with you
6 a.m. to 6 p.m. (8 p.m. in daylight saving time)	No one. You may drive alone.
6 p.m. (8 p.m. in daylight saving time) to midnight	A licensed driver who is at least 21.
Midnight to 6 a.m.	A licensed person from the Section 56-1-100(A)(1-7) list, such as a parent or guardian.

Where must the supervising driver sit?

In a car, the supervising driver must sit in the seat beside you. On a motorcycle or moped, that person must be within a safe viewing distance of you. To test yourself on the summer hours, try our free question on driving alone in daylight saving time.

How many passengers can you carry on a conditional license?

You carry two passengers under 21, or fewer

You may drive them without an adult, if the time of day also lets you drive alone.

You want to carry three or more passengers under 21

A licensed adult who is at least 21 must ride with you.

You drive family members, or students to or from school

The two-passenger limit does not apply.

What happens if you get six points on a conditional license?

If traffic convictions give you six or more points while you hold a beginner's permit, a conditional license or a special restricted license, the SCDMV suspends your license for six months. A defensive driving course does not lift this suspension. The SCDMV can also use the same points for a separate point system suspension.

When do the conditional license restrictions end?

You earn full driving privileges at 17, or after you keep your conditional or special restricted license for one year with no traffic offenses and no at-fault collisions. After a traffic offense or an at-fault collision, you cannot get a regular license until one year after the last one or until you turn 17. You do not need to visit a branch: the SCDMV mails you a sleeve for your license. At 16, you can move to a special restricted license. It has the same night and drive-alone limits, but you may apply for a waiver to drive alone until midnight for work or certain activities.

Key takeaways

You can get a conditional license from 15½ to under 16, after 180 days on your beginner's permit.
You also need driver's education, 40 practice hours (10 at night), Form PDLA, and a passed vision test and road test.
Drive alone from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. (8 p.m. in daylight saving time). Until midnight, a licensed driver 21 or older must ride with you.
Carry no more than two passengers under 21 without a licensed adult 21 or older. Six or more points mean a six-month suspension.
Next step: practice on the free South Carolina Class D practice test. It is in English only and is not the official test.

South Carolina conditional license: common questions

Can I drive to school before 6 a.m. on a conditional license?

Not alone. From midnight to 6 a.m., a licensed person from the Section 56-1-100(A)(1-7) list, such as your father, mother or guardian, must sit beside you. From 6 a.m., you may drive to school alone. Students that you drive to or from school do not count toward the two-passenger limit.

Can I use driver's education from another state for a South Carolina conditional license?

Yes, if you attend a high school in another state and passed a course that is equivalent to an approved South Carolina course. The law says that the SCDMV must accept your certificate of completion. The SCDMV sets the steps to approve such courses, so ask the SCDMV before you apply.

Where do I get Form PDLA?

Get it from a driver training school or a public or private high school in South Carolina. Your driver's education program gives it to you when you complete the course. Do not download a copy online: the SCDMV accepts only completed forms from authorized issuers.

Can I drive a farm truck alone on a conditional license?

Yes, with limits. The law lets a conditional license holder drive a farm truck without an adult from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. when the owner uses the truck only for farm work, such as crops, dairy or livestock. You may not drive it on a freeway, and you may not use it for errands or general transportation.

Can parents be fined if a teen breaks the conditional license rules?

Yes. A parent or guardian who knowingly and willfully lets a dependent drive against a conditional license restriction can get a civil fine of up to $500. This rule does not apply on private property. Talk about the curfew and the passenger limit with your teen before the first drive alone.