Visiting the South Carolina DMV: road tests, walk-ins, what to bring and how to pay

What you can do online or at an SCDMV Express kiosk instead of a branch, how walk-ins and road test appointments work, and which documents, forms and payment to bring to an SCDMV branch.

Guide · South Carolina · Appointments · updated October 29, 2026

In South Carolina, driver licenses, ID cards, vehicle titles and registration are all handled by one state agency: the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV). It runs branch offices across the state, grouped into the Upstate, Midlands, Pee Dee and Lowcountry areas. Some vehicle steps also involve your county, because personal property taxes are paid to the county. This guide covers what you can do without a visit, how walk-ins and appointments work, and what to bring.

Check whether you need to visit at all

The SCDMV's online services page lists many transactions, including:

• Renewing a license, beginner's permit or ID card
• Replacing a lost license, permit or ID card
• Changing your address
• Renewing your vehicle registration, and replacing a lost decal or registration certificate
• Replacing or exchanging a plate, or turning one in
• Getting your driving record
• Scheduling a road test

The SCDMV warns that new security measures on some online transactions may delay processing. SCDMV Express self-service kiosks can renew a registration, print a duplicate registration and replace a lost or stolen decal without a branch visit.

Some things still need a branch. A first permit, license or ID is applied for in person. So is your first REAL ID, unless the SCDMV already has your documents on file (see the South Carolina driver license and ID card guide).

Walk-ins and appointments

The SCDMV does not describe general appointments for branch visits. Its scheduling page covers road tests (skills tests):

• Walk-in road tests: all branches accept walk-ins for regular and motorcycle skills tests from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., except Wednesdays. On Wednesdays, walk-ins run from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• Appointments: regular and motorcycle skills tests from 2 to 4 p.m. require an appointment. You book through the "Schedule a Road Test" link on the SCDMV scheduling page.
• Knowledge tests do not need an appointment, but you cannot take one after 4 p.m.
• Commercial (CDL) road tests always need an appointment, and only some branches give them.

The SCDMV says to check the Locations & Wait Times page to make sure the branch offers the test you need. You can filter branches by service, such as walk-in road tests, road test appointments or motorcycle skills tests. Regular road tests can also be taken with a third-party tester. For branches near you, see the South Carolina office list on this site.

What to bring

For a first beginner's permit, license or ID card, the SCDMV asks for your Social Security number and originals or government-issued copies of:

1. Proof of identity, U.S. citizenship and date of birth, such as a government-issued birth certificate or a valid U.S. passport.
2. Proof of your current, physical South Carolina address, dated within nine months of issue. For a REAL ID you need two.
3. Proof of every legal name change, if your name differs from your birth certificate: for example a marriage license, divorce decree or court order. The SCDMV says a U.S. passport in your legal name can replace these documents.

The complete list is the United States Citizens' Checklist (SCDMV Form MV-93). Lawfully present non-U.S. citizens use a different checklist (Form MV-94). Documents that need translating require the Translation Document (Form DL-4030). For REAL ID background, see REAL ID explained.

If you are moving from another state, bring your old license; you must surrender it. If you do not have it, bring a driving record from that state.

Forms to fill in beforehand

• Form 447-NC: the application for a beginner's permit, driver's license or ID card. It is also used for mail renewals.
• Form DL-49 (Surrender Agreement): needed with Form 447-NC when you replace a card at a branch.
• Form PDLA: the school attendance, driver's education and driving practice certificate for 15- and 16-year-olds. It comes only from driver training schools and high schools; the SCDMV says not to download copies.
• Form 400: the Title Application, for vehicles.

Paying

The SCDMV accepts cash, checks and credit or debit cards at any branch. A card must be in your own name, not a business's. Online transactions must be paid by card, and mailed transactions by check or money order made out to the SCDMV. The SCDMV notes a service fee of $1 plus 1.7% on card payments. It says this is not an SCDMV fee, and you can avoid it by paying cash in person. A returned check costs a $30 fee and stops many services until paid.

At the branch

Depending on what you are applying for, you may take:

• A vision screening. The SCDMV tests for 20/40 vision or better.
• A knowledge test. The SCDMV lists the fee as $2 per test.
• A road test in a safe vehicle you provide, with a valid plate, registration card and insurance card. Bring a licensed driver with you.

The SCDMV prints cards centrally, so you leave with a temporary certificate, valid for up to 30 days. Your card arrives by mail in 7 to 15 business days. A QR code on the certificate lets you track the card. If it has not arrived in 30 days, visit a branch.

Accessibility and phone help

If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), the SCDMV says to dial 7-1-1. Then ask the Relay South Carolina agent to call the SCDMV customer contact center at 803-896-5000.

For vehicle paperwork, see the South Carolina vehicle registration and title guide.