South Carolina Road Test: What to Bring, What's on It, Retest Waits
What do I need for the South Carolina road test, and how long do I wait after a fail?
For the South Carolina road test, bring a safe vehicle with a valid license plate, registration card and insurance card, plus a licensed driver, your old license or beginner's permit, and liability insurance information. After a first fail, wait two business days to retest. After a second fail, wait seven calendar days. After a third or later fail, wait 30 calendar days.
Where these South Carolina road test rules come from
The checklist, tasks, hours, rain rule and retest waits come from the SCDMV regular license testing page and the South Carolina Driver's Manual (April 2026). Third-party testers are described on the SCDMV third-party tester page. The conditional license rule comes from the SCDMV teenage drivers page, and the tester fee and random retest rules come from South Carolina Code Section 56-1-15. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the SCDMV (scdmvonline.com) before you drive.
How long must you hold a beginner's permit before the road test?
The road test is also called the skills test, and a regular license is a Class D license. At ages 15 to 17, you must hold your beginner's permit for 180 days, and you can apply on the 181st day. At 18 or older, you must hold it for at least 30 days. If you are 15½ to under 16, you can get a conditional license, and you must pass the vision and road test for it. The guide to beginner's permit rules in South Carolina explains the supervised driving that fills those days.
What to bring to a South Carolina road test
- A safe vehicle with a valid license plate, registration card and insurance card.
- A licensed driver.
- Your old license or beginner's permit, if you have one.
- Vehicle liability insurance information from a company licensed to do business in South Carolina.
- Your glasses, if you wear them. The test includes a vision test.
Which parts of the car must work on test day?
- Headlights and brakes
- Windshield wipers
- Safety belts
- Turn signals
- Mirrors
- Speedometer
- Defroster
- Horn
Who rides with you, and what fails the test at once?
An SCDMV employee tests you. Only you and the employee may be in or around the vehicle, so your licensed driver cannot ride along. The test has three parts: a vision test, a check of the basic safety features of the vehicle, and an on-the-road drive. You fail the test at once if you do not use your seat belt.
What you do on the South Carolina road test
- Turn on your headlights, windshield wipers and turn signals (including four-way flashers).
- Test your brake lights.
- Make lane changes and right and left turns.
- Identify road signs.
- Parallel park and park on a hill.
- Back up 100 feet, and back up in a straight line.
- Do a three-point turnaround.
Two-point turnabouts, interstate driving and the 18-inch curb rule
The SC Driver's Manual says you could also be asked to do a reverse or forward two-point turnabout and to drive on the interstate. When you park along the road, do not park more than 18 inches from the curb or edge of pavement. The free question on parking within 18 inches of the curb tests that rule, and the one on the three-point turnabout tests the turn.
When can you take the road test at an SCDMV branch?
| Time | How you test |
|---|---|
| 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., every day except Wednesday | Walk-in |
| Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. | Walk-in |
| 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. | Appointment required |
Taking the road test with a third-party tester
You can take the road test at any SCDMV branch or with a third-party tester. The SCDMV contracts with companies and governmental subdivisions to give its road tests. To find an authorized test site outside an SCDMV branch, search the Class D Third-Party Tester List on the SCDMV third-party tester page.
How long do you wait to retake the South Carolina road test?
| Attempt that you fail | Wait before the retest |
|---|---|
| First | Two business days |
| Second | Seven calendar days |
| Third or later | 30 calendar days |
What happens after a failed test or an unsafe car
Key takeaways
- Hold the beginner's permit 180 days at ages 15 to 17 (apply on the 181st day), or 30 days at 18 or older.
- Bring a safe car with a valid plate, registration card and insurance card, a licensed driver, your old license or permit and insurance information.
- Wear your seat belt. You fail at once without it.
- Retest waits: two business days, then seven calendar days, then 30 calendar days.
- Next step: practice the rules of the road on the free South Carolina Class D practice test.
South Carolina road test: common questions
Can I use a rental car for my SC road test?
Yes. Your name must show as insured on the rental contract. The rental car must also meet the rules for any test car: it must be safe, have a valid license plate, registration card and insurance card, and have all eight parts on the list, from headlights to horn, in working condition.
Can I take my road test in the rain?
Yes. You may take the South Carolina road test in the rain as long as you can see with your windshield wipers on an intermittent or low speed. You turn on the wipers during the test, and they must be in working condition, so check them before test day.
Does a third-party road test cost more than the SCDMV?
It can. State law lets a third-party tester charge a fee higher than the SCDMV fee for the test. Ask the tester for its fee before you book. Third-party testers work under a contract with the SCDMV, and the SCDMV must approve them before they test drivers.
Can the SCDMV make me retake the road test after I pass?
Yes, if you passed with a third-party tester. State law tells the SCDMV to randomly retest applicants who passed with a contracted tester, to make sure that instructors certify the results correctly. The retest happens when you get your first driver's license at the SCDMV, so be ready to drive the test again.
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