Driving Tests

Foreign Driver's License in South Carolina: Reciprocity Countries and Tests

informational·how to guide·Published April 28, 2026

Can I swap my foreign driver's license in South Carolina, and which countries skip the tests?

Yes, if your license is unexpired and comes from one of 13 reciprocity places, such as Canada, France, Germany, South Korea or Taiwan. The SCDMV then waives the knowledge and skills tests for your first South Carolina license. Everyone else takes both tests, and all applicants pass a vision test. Non-U.S. citizens apply at one of 30 SCDMV branches, and their license lasts 1 to 8 years.

Where these South Carolina license rules come from

The reciprocity list and the branch rule come from the SCDMV page for lawfully present non-U.S. citizens. The steps and documents come from the MV-94 checklist, Revision 06/2026. The license term, the fees and the driving rules for visitors come from the South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 56, Chapter 1. The SCDMV pages on visiting, moving, testing, road tests, vision and fees, Form 4030 and the South Carolina Driver's Manual add the details. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the SCDMV (scdmvonline.com) before you drive.

South Carolina reciprocity list: places that skip the knowledge and skills tests

South Carolina reciprocity list: places that skip the knowledge and skills tests
Group	Places	What to know
Countries	Canada, France, Germany	Same documents as every other non-citizen applicant
Countries that need a consulate letter	South Korea, Taiwan	Get the consulate letter before your branch visit
U.S. territories	American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands	People from U.S. territories are U.S. citizens
Freely associated states	Federated State of Micronesia, Republic of Marshall Islands, Republic of Palau	People from these states are not U.S. citizens

What the South Carolina test waiver covers

The waiver is for a first-time South Carolina license. Your foreign license must not be expired. If it just expired, ask the SCDMV before you go. Only a formal request from a country or its consulate adds a place to the list, so a country that is not named gets no waiver. The waiver covers tests only. It does not change the documents that you must show, and you still pass a vision test.

Which path fits your foreign license?

Your license is from a place on the reciprocity list

You skip the knowledge and skills tests. You pass the vision test, show your documents and give the name of an auto liability insurer licensed in South Carolina.

Your license is from South Korea or Taiwan

Get a letter from your consulate general that certifies your license is valid. The letter is valid for 30 days from its date, so plan your branch visit inside that time. The SCDMV accepts it instead of the translation document.

Your license is from any other country

You take the vision, knowledge and skills tests before the SCDMV issues your license.

Your license is not in English and your country is not South Korea or Taiwan

Bring a translation on SCDMV Form 4030, made by a qualified or certified translator.

How to apply for a South Carolina license with a foreign license

1
Choose one of the 30 branches
Only 30 SCDMV branches issue licenses and IDs to lawfully present people who are not U.S. citizens. In the SCDMV branch finder, filter the results to international customers.
2
Collect your original documents
The MV-94 checklist lists the documents for each visa status. Bring originals, not photocopies. Your proof of South Carolina address must show your name and your current residence address, not a PO Box.
3
Bring your licenses
Show your foreign license as proof of earlier driving. It may need to be shown, not surrendered. If you also have a license from another U.S. state, you surrender that one.
4
Give your insurer's name
Give the name and details of an auto liability insurer that is licensed in South Carolina.
5
Pass the vision test
The screening checks for 20/40 vision or better. Try our free question on the corrective lens restriction.
6
Take the other tests only if your place is not on the list
A license from a reciprocity place, or a valid license from another U.S. state, skips the knowledge and skills tests. All other applicants take them before the license is issued.

Tests for a foreign license from a country that is not on the list

You take three tests: vision, knowledge and road (the skills test). The knowledge test costs $2 each time, and you cannot use the manual or other aids during the test. Study the South Carolina Driver's Manual first. Our free practice questions are in English only.
For the road test, bring a safe vehicle with a valid plate, a registration card and an insurance card. After a first fail, you wait two business days to retest. Read our guide to the South Carolina road test for the later waits and the test tasks.

License term and fee for non-citizens in South Carolina

The SCDMV does not issue a license to a lawfully present non-citizen for less than 1 year or more than 8 years. If you are not a lawful permanent resident, the license ends on the later of two dates: the end of your authorized stay or the end of your work authorization. A license valid for 4 years or less costs $12.50. A license valid for more than 4 years costs $25. A REAL ID costs the same as a standard card and is optional. You do not need one to drive.

Driving in South Carolina on a foreign license without an SC license

A nonresident who is 16 or older and carries a valid license from the home state or country may drive in South Carolina. The home address must stay permanent, and the exemption ends when you move your residence to South Carolina. Try our free question on carrying your license when you drive.
A foreign citizen who is 18 or older and works in South Carolina may drive for 5 years on a valid home license. The SCDMV must find the home licensing rules at least as strict as South Carolina's, and the home country must give South Carolina residents the same right. Dependents are covered too.
A visitor from a non-English-speaking country is strongly advised to get an International Driving Permit at home. It is not a license. It translates your license into English, so carry it with your valid license.
A person who moves to South Carolina must get a South Carolina license.

Do international students and short-term residents need a South Carolina license?

If you are an international student or stay in South Carolina for a short time, read our guide for international students who drive in South Carolina to learn if you need a South Carolina license.

Key takeaways

13 places have reciprocity: Canada, France, Germany, South Korea, Taiwan, five U.S. territories and three freely associated states.
South Korea and Taiwan need a consulate letter that is valid for 30 days.
Reciprocity skips only the knowledge and skills tests. Everyone passes the vision test and shows the same documents.
Non-citizens apply at one of 30 branches, and the license lasts 1 to 8 years.
Next step: practice on the free South Carolina Class D practice test.

South Carolina foreign license: common questions

I also have a license from another U.S. state. Do I take the South Carolina tests?

No knowledge or skills test is needed if your license from another U.S. state is valid. You surrender that license to the SCDMV when you get your South Carolina license. As a non-citizen, you still apply at one of the 30 designated branches, pass the vision test and bring the documents on the MV-94 checklist.

Who can translate my foreign license for the SCDMV?

The translation goes on SCDMV Form 4030. A qualified translator also gives a letter of verification on the employer's letterhead. A certified translator can show an ATA certificate. Applicants from South Korea and Taiwan can show their consulate certification letter instead of the translation document.

Does South Carolina reciprocity cover a motorcycle license or a CDL?

Motorcycle licenses have their own reciprocity list. It has the same places as the driver's license list, but not South Korea or Taiwan. A commercial driver's license (CDL) is only for U.S. citizens and green card holders, so a non-citizen on a visa cannot get one.

Can I renew my South Carolina license when my visa is extended?

Yes. The SCDMV gives a one-year license extension if you change status in the U.S., have a change of status pending or ask for a visa extension. Bring all original entry documents, even if expired, and the U.S. immigration documents for your current stay. Renew at one of the branches that serve non-citizens.

I have a Puerto Rico driver's license. Do I have to take the South Carolina driving test?

No, if your Puerto Rico license has not expired. Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory on the South Carolina reciprocity list, so the SCDMV waives the knowledge and skills tests for your first South Carolina license. You still pass the vision test. People from U.S. territories are U.S. citizens, so you meet the same document rules as any other U.S. citizen. If your license must be translated, use SCDMV Form 4030.