How to get a South Carolina life & health license
Requirements, exam, fees and the order to do things in — from the South Carolina Department of Insurance and the exam handbook.
Step by step
- Study for the exam — South Carolina doesn't require a pre-licensing course for this license, but most first-time candidates take an exam-prep course.
- Schedule and pass the state exam with Pearson VUE ($59). Read the candidate handbook.
- Get fingerprinted if required — Producers: fingerprints required (IdentoGO, since 2017; apply first, then schedule); cost not stated.
- Apply for the license through NIPR or the South Carolina Department of Insurance ($25).
- Get appointed by an insurance company (agents) and keep up with continuing education — 24 hours per renewal (license term: 2 years (birth month)).
Pre-licensing & exam prep courses
- Kaplan Financial Education — state-approved pre-licensing and exam prep, the long-running market leader
- ExamFX — pre-licensing and exam prep with a pass guarantee
- AceableAgent — mobile-first pre-licensing courses
- XCEL Solutions — low-cost online pre-licensing and exam prep
Pick a course approved in South Carolina (optional here, but it lifts pass rates). Some links may be affiliate links.
South Carolina Life & Health requirements
| Life | Accident & Health | |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-licensing education | None required | None required |
| Exam vendor | Pearson VUE | Pearson VUE |
| Exam fee | $59 | $59 |
| Questions / time | 85 · 120 min | 85 · 120 min |
| License application fee | $25 | $25 |
| Fingerprints | Producers: fingerprints required (IdentoGO, since 2017; apply first, then schedule); cost not stated verify | Producers: fingerprints required (IdentoGO, since 2017; apply first, then schedule); cost not stated verify |
| Continuing education | 24 hours · 2 years (birth month) | 24 hours · 2 years |
Life: No prelicensing education required; Pearson VUE since 5/1/2023; combined Life/A&H exam 140 q/150 min $59.
Accident & Health: Separate A&H exam or combined L/A&H.
Minimum age 18. Sources: Pearson VUE South Carolina Insurance Candidate Handbook · SCDOI Producer Resources · SCDOI Adjuster Resources · NIPR South Carolina resident licensing. Checked 2026-10. Values marked verify haven't been confirmed against an official source yet.
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Life & Health license rules across the US
Other South Carolina licenses
Property & Casualty license · Adjuster license · All South Carolina insurance licenses
Questions
How long does it take to get a life and health insurance license in South Carolina?
South Carolina has no required pre-licensing hours, so many candidates sit the exam within 1–3 weeks of studying. After you pass, license approval usually takes a few days to a few weeks after fingerprints clear.
How much does a South Carolina Life & Health license cost?
State fees (exam + application) come to about $168, plus fingerprints and a course if you take one.
Who runs the South Carolina insurance exam?
Pearson VUE. Book the exam on the vendor's site after reading the candidate handbook.