Teen Driving in South Carolina
The South Carolina Beginner Permit Class D (Regular)
You must be a minimum of 15 years of age to qualify for a South Carolina Beginner Permit.
Applicants must provide valid identification in the form of an original birth certificate, social security card, proof of South Carolina residency and proof of insurance.
Teen applicants under the age of 18 must bring a parent or legal guardian during the application process to sign the Beginner Permit application.
Applicants for the Beginner Permit must pass a vision screening and a knowledge test.
After the teen driver receives the Beginner Permit they are allowed to drive from 6:00 AM to Midnight as long as they are accompanied by a driver that has been licensed for a minimum of 1 year and is at least 21 years of age.
The licensed driver must be seated in the front seat next to the Beginner Permit holder.
If the teen driver wishes to drive between Midnight and 6:00 AM, they must be accompanied by a licensed parent or guardian that sits in the front seat next to them at all times.
Before a teen driver can apply for a driver license they must hold the Beginner Permit for a minimum of 180 days.
Permit holders that are under 18 must complete 40 hours of practice driving with a licensed parent or guardian before they can apply for a driver license.
10 out of the 40 hours of practice driving must be nighttime driving.
The South Carolina Conditional License for 15 Year-Olds
15 year old drivers that have held a Beginner Permit for a minimum of 180 days qualify for a conditional license.
Applicants must be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian during the application process to sign the conditional license application.
Applicants must bring their Beginner Permit and a PDLA form that certifies the following:
Certification of School Attendance
Certification of Driver Education Course
Certification of Driver Practice
All three of these certifications can be submitted on one form offered at the South Carolina DMV website at http://www.scdmvonline.com/DMVNew/forms/pdla.pdf
All applicants for the conditional license must pass a vision screening and a DMV road test.
After the teen driver has met all of the requirements they will be issued a conditional license.
Conditional license holders may only drive unaccompanied from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM or until 8:00 PM during daylight savings time.
Outside of those hours the teen driver may drive until midnight if accompanied by a licensed driver that is a minimum of 21 years of age.
Between midnight and 6:00 AM a conditional license holder may only drive if they are accompanied by a licensed parent or legal guardian.
Teen drivers that hold a conditional license my not carry more than two passengers under the age of 21 unless they are immediate family members or students that are being transported to or from school.
Outside of those exceptions, you must be accompanied by a licensed adult that is a minimum of 21 years of age to transport more than 2 passengers under the age of 21.
Teen drivers may qualify for a full driver license when they are 16 if they have held the conditional license for 1 year without a conviction for a traffic violation and have not been at-fault in any accident during a 1 year period prior to application.
