South Carolina Insurance License
The South Carolina insurance license exam, in plain numbers.
Everything below is specific to South Carolina — the pass mark, the question counts, who runs the exam, and what the state requires before and after you sit it.
What you need to pass in South Carolina
| Edition | Scored questions | Correct to pass | Pass mark | Misses allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life & Health | 130 | 91 | 70% | 39 |
Administered by Pearson VUE for the South Carolina Department of Insurance. Time limit: 2 hours 30 minutes (150 minutes) for the combined exam. Roughly 30 of the scored questions (23%) come from South Carolina law — the block national courses cover most lightly.
Prelicensing
Not required. South Carolina has no prelicensing education requirement, though a course is strongly recommended.
Continuing education
24 hours every two years including 3 ethics, under Regulation 69-50. Dual-line producers must complete at least 8 hours in each line. Limited lines producers are exempt under Section 38-43-106, as are producers aged 65 or older with at least 25 years of South Carolina licensure.
License term
renewed on the Department's cycle
Regulator
The South Carolina Department of Insurance oversees licensing, headed by headed by a Director appointed by the Governor.
South Carolina Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association
If an insurer fails, these are the limits that apply to South Carolina policyholders. Verified against the NOLHGA state-by-state table dated 1 June 2025.
| What is protected | Limit |
|---|---|
| Life insurance death benefit | $300,000 |
| Life insurance cash surrender value | $300,000 |
| Hospital, medical, surgical, or major medical | $500,000 |
| Disability income and long-term care | $300,000 |
| Other health insurance benefits | $300,000 |
| Annuity benefits (present value) | $300,000 |
The Study Guide
Written for South Carolina, not for everyone.
Every rule explained in ordinary English before the terminology arrives. If two things are easy to confuse, we tell them apart in a sentence. No insurance background assumed.
You get two PDFs: a study guide that teaches the material, and a practice exam whose answer key explains why each answer is right. Printable flashcards, a master sheet of every number worth memorizing, and a four-week study plan are included.
Twisting versus churning. Twisting involves lying to move a customer, usually to a different company. Churning happens inside the same company and is about generating commission. If the question mentions misrepresentation, it is twisting. If it mentions the same insurer, it is churning.
South Carolina insurance exam questions, answered
How many questions are on the South Carolina insurance license exam?
The combined life and health exam has 130 scored questions. You need 91 correct to pass at 70%, which means you can miss 39.
What is the passing score for the South Carolina insurance exam?
70%. That works out to 91 correct answers out of 130 scored questions.
Who administers the South Carolina insurance license exam?
Pearson VUE, on behalf of the South Carolina Department of Insurance.
Does South Carolina require prelicensing education?
Not required. South Carolina has no prelicensing education requirement, though a course is strongly recommended.
How much continuing education does South Carolina require?
24 hours every two years including 3 ethics, under Regulation 69-50. Dual-line producers must complete at least 8 hours in each line. Limited lines producers are exempt under Section 38-43-106, as are producers aged 65 or older with at least 25 years of South Carolina licensure.
Is there a South Carolina life-only or health-only exam?
No. South Carolina tests life and health together as one combined exam, so there is no single-line edition.
How much does a South Carolina study guide cost?
A single-line guide is $9.99 and the combined life and health guide is $19.99. Each includes a study guide and a practice exam with a full answer key.
These are independent study aids. They are not state-approved prelicensing education courses and do not satisfy any state prelicensing requirement. They are not affiliated with any exam vendor or state insurance regulator. All practice questions are original. We publish no pass-rate claim and make no guarantee of any exam result. Content verified as of August 2026 — confirm current requirements with the South Carolina Department of Insurance.