Hello, South Carolina Insurance.

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This information is intended to provide answers to commonly asked questions by insurance agents. It is not intended to replace detailed information found in your state’s statutes and regulations. Though we have made reasonable efforts to ensure that the information given is reliable and current, we cannot guarantee that it is. For more information please contact your state insurance department. See contact information below.

Hours Required

24 hours Biennially

Compliance Date

Effective January 1, 2017 - a valid personal and/or business email address is required by law. Please visit Online Services to update your email address. The Department will no longer be mailing hard copy renewal notices to licensees.  

• Producers must complete 24 hours of continuing education including a minimum of 3 hours of Ethics and a minimum of eight (8) credit hours must be complete in each line of authority.
• Resident agents must comply each two-year period ending with the producer's birth month and year of birth. Producers born in an even numbered year must comply by the end of the birth month in even numbered years. Producers born in an odd numbered year must comply by the end of the birth month in odd numbered years. 

Course Subject Requirements

• A minimum of 8 hours must be completed in each line of authority held by the agent.
• All agents must complete 3 credit hours of courses approved in ethics.
• All agents licensed in property and casualty or personal lines who may sell flood insurance must complete a one-time 3 credit hour course dealing with flood insurance and the NFIP.
• All agents licensed in life and health who may sell, solicit or negotiate long term care insurance must complete a initial 8-hour course prior to representing LTCI and a 4-hour refresher course every 24 months thereafter.
• Effective 9/25/2011 - agents who may sell, solicit or negotiate annuities must complete a one-time 4 hour annuities course.

  Approved Course Delivery Methods

• Self-study written, online or interactive online courses (passing grade of 70% required on final exam)
• Classroom

Exam Requirements
Self-study final exams are required to be monitored by a disinterested third party (i.e. someone who has no business or family connection with the student.) 

Carryover Credits
Producers who accumulate credits in excess of the continuing education requirements may apply these additional credits to the next biennial continuing insurance educational period.  No more than 18 credit hours in the line of authority in which they were earned may be carried forward to the next biennial continuing insurance education period.

CE Exemption
As of May 2022, South Carolina law has been amended to provide an exemption to continuing education requirements for insurance producers "who have twenty-five (25) years or more of licensure AND are sixty-five (65) years of age or older."
- Licensed producers meeting these qualifications may apply for exemption by completing the application form found at doi.sc.gov/continuing-education. Following receipt of the exemption request, the Department will review its records to verify the information stated in the application. Additional documentation may be requested.
- If a portion of the 25 years of licensure was through another state, the applicant must provide appropriate documentation from the other state department of insurance certifying licensure status. - The 25 years of licensure does not have to be continuous to qualify for an exemption if the applicant can demonstrate a total of 25 years' licensure.
- The licensure period will be calculated based on the date the applicant first received his or her producers' license regardless of the line of authority upon which the license was issued.
- Any questions regarding the CE Exemption process should be emailed to CE@doi.sc.gov

Course Repetition
Courses may not be repeated within two years of original completion date.

Non-Resident  

Non-residents are not required to complete South Carolina continuing education requirements as long as they meet their home state continuing education requirements.
Nonresident producers who have not completed a Long-Term Care Partnership training course in their home state or another state with a Long-Term Care Partnership training requirement are required to take the South Carolina Long-Term Care Partnership training course.
 

Credit Reporting
Cape will submit your credit hours to SBS within 15 calendar days of the completion of the course.  DO NOT SEND course completion certificates to SBS, they are provided for your personal records only.

Contact Information:

South Carolina Department of Insurance
Licensing Division
P.O. Box 100105
Columbia, SC  29202-3105
(803) 737-6223
South Carolina Department of Insurance

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