South Carolina Official Driver’s Manual Notes

Types of Driver’s Licenses and Permits

Proof of Qualification: South Carolina (SC) issues licenses as proof of passing examinations and qualification for specific vehicle types.
Classification Criteria: The class of license is determined by the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ( $GVWR$ ) or Gross Vehicle Weight ( $GVW$ ).
Non-Commercial License Classes: * Class D: For non-commercial passenger vehicles (cars/trucks) not exceeding $26,000\,pounds$ GVW. Includes mopeds and three-wheel vehicles (excluding motorcycles with sidecars). * Class E: For non-commercial, single-unit vehicles exceeding $26,000\,pounds$ GVW (e.g., large trucks, motor homes). * Class F: For non-commercial combination vehicles exceeding $26,000\,pounds$ GVW (e.g., motor homes with a towed trailer). * Class G: Moped-specific license. Minimum age is $15$ . Only requires a vision and knowledge test. Not needed if holding another valid class. * Class M: For two-wheel motorcycles, motorcycles with sidecars, or three-wheel vehicles.
Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs): * Class A: Combination vehicles with a Gross Combination Weight Rating ( $GCWR$ ) of $26,001$ or more pounds, provided the towed vehicle exceeds $10,000\,pounds$ GVWR. * Class B: Single unit of $26,001$ or more pounds GVWR, or such vehicle towing a unit not exceeding $10,000\,pounds$ GVWR. * Class C: Single/combination vehicles not meeting A or B, but designed for $16$ or more passengers or placarded for hazardous materials.
One License Rule: It is illegal to hold more than one valid driver’s license. Multiple vehicle qualifications result in endorsements on a single license.
Possession Requirements: Drivers must possess a valid license, vehicle registration, and insurance card for the vehicle being operated.

Licensing Requirements and Documentation

US Citizens: Must provide original documents for proof of citizenship, identity, date/place of birth, Social Security Number, and SC address (Ref: Form MV-93).
International Customers: Must use specific branch offices and provide documents found in the International Customers’ Checklist (Ref: Form MV-94).
Beginner’s Permit: * Eligibility: Must be at least $15$ years old and pass vision and knowledge tests. * Supervision (6 a.m. to midnight): Must be accompanied by a licensed driver at least $21$ years old with at least $1$ year of experience in the front seat. * Supervision (Midnight to 6 a.m.): Must be supervised by individuals listed in SC Code Section $56-1-100(A)(1-7)$ . * Duration: Must be held for at least $180\,days$ before applying for a license.
First-Time License (Age 17 or older): Must hold a beginner's permit for more than $180\,days$ .
First-Time License (Age 15 or 16): Requirements include: * Hold permit for >180\,days. * Complete $8\,hours$ classroom and $6\,hours$ driving education. * Satisfactory school attendance (PDLA form). * Practice for $40\,hours$ , including $10\,hours$ of night driving, with a parent, legal guardian, or authorized adult.

Graduated Driver’s License (GDL) Program

Purpose: To develop skills for individuals aged $15$ to $17$ through restricted unsupervised driving.
Conditional License (Age 15.5 to under 16): * Must have held permit for $180\,days$ and completed PDLA requirements. * Driving Restrictions: Unsupervised from $6\,a.m.$ to $6\,p.m.$ ( $8\,p.m.$ during daylight savings). Supervised from $6/8\,p.m.$ to midnight by a licensed $21$ -year-old. After midnight, must be supervised by listed legal guardians (Section $56-1-100(A)$ ). * Passengers: Max $2$ passengers under $21$ unless with a licensed adult, except for school transport.
Special Restricted License (Age 16 to under 17): * Same driving and passenger restrictions as the Conditional License. * Waiver: 16-year-olds can apply for a waiver for work or school activities to drive alone until midnight (not after). Requires letters from parent and institution and a $25$ fee.
Regular License: Earned at $17$ or after holding a restricted license for $1\,year$ without at-fault collisions or traffic offenses. Receive a sleeve in the mail rather than visiting the SCDMV.

Testing Procedures

Required Tests: Vision, knowledge, and skills tests.
Knowledge Test Rules: No talking, no manuals, no electronic devices (phones, iPads, tablets). Failure occurs if the room is left before completion.
Third-Party Testers: "One Stop Driver Training and Testing Programs" allow driving schools to administer knowledge/skills tests for Class D and M.
Vehicle for Skills Test: Must be safe, have current registration/insurance, and working headlights, brakes, wipers, belts, signals, mirrors, speedometer, defroster, and horn. Note: Using a seatbelt is mandatory to avoid automatic failure.
Skills Test Maneuvers: Includes vision/knowledge test, light/wiper checks, lane changes, right/left turns, identifying signs, parallel parking, $100\,feet$ backing, hill parking, three-point turnabouts, and straight-line backing.
Re-testing Wait Times: * First/Second failure: $2\,weeks$ (or $1\,week$ if previously licensed). * Third or more failure: $60\,days$ .

Out-of-State Licenses and Renewals

Moving to SC: Apply for a license within $90\,days$ and register vehicles within $45\,days$ .
Renewal Methods: * Online: For US citizens with Class D, E, F, G, M; no commercial license; no more than $5$ points in $2\,years$ ; not a convicted violent offender. * By Mail: Same requirements as online; uses existing photo; cost is $25$ via form DL-63. * In Person: Required if points exceed $5$ or for non-citizens. Cost $25$ . Required to pass vision/knowledge tests if expired >9\,months.

The Point System and Loss of Privileges

Accrual: Points are assigned for SC and out-of-state convictions. Points are reduced by half after $1\,year$ .
Suspension Thresholds: * Under 17: Accruing $6$ or more points results in a $6\,month$ suspension. * Age 17+: $12$ or more points results in suspension.
Defensive Driving Course: Completion can reduce points one time every $3\,years$ . Must be an $8\,hour$ classroom course taken in SC after the violation.
DUI/Alcohol Laws: * Implied Consent: Getting a license implies consent to BAC testing (breath, blood, or urine). * Penalties (Under 21): BAC of $0.02\%$ or greater results in immediate $3\,month$ suspension ( $6\,months$ for second offense within $5\,years$ ). Refusal to test results in $6\,month$ suspension ( $1\,year$ for repeat). * Adult Penalties (0.08% or higher): Potential suspension, fines of $400$ to $1000$ , and $48\,hours$ to $30\,days$ jail time for first offense.

State Laws and Rules of the Road

Selective Service: Males under $26$ are automatically registered upon applying for credentials unless they surrender their license before age $18$ .
Organ Donation: Identity added to SC Donor Registry; red heart icon on license. Legal agreement under SC Uniform Anatomical Gift Act.
Littering (SC Code Section 16-11-700): Illegal to throw trash/cigarettes. Fines and court-supervised litter pickup.
Golf Carts: Must be $16$ with a valid license and SCDMV permit. Operation limited to daylight, within $4\,miles$ of registration address/gated community, and on secondary roads with speed limits $\le 35\,mph$ .

Health and Driving

Vision Standards: Minimum standard is $20/40$ corrected in one eye. Corrective lens restriction "A" is applied if required. Bioptic telescopic lens users must submit form 412-LV annually.
Fatigue: Most people need $7$ to $9\,hours$ of sleep. On long trips, stop every $100\,miles$ or $2\,hours$ .
Distractions: Texting/handheld device use while driving is illegal (SC Code Section $56-5-3890$ ).
Alcohol Effects: Impairment begins with the first drink. Affects judgment and vision (distinction, focus, distance). Vision is impacted at $0.02\%$ BAC.

Vehicle Inspection and Safety Equipment

Tire Pressure: Check monthly with a gauge when cold; match PSI on doorframe sticker.
Tire Tread: Lincoln penny test. If all of Lincoln's head is visible in the groove, the tire is too worn.
Seating: Feet should be on the floor; top of wheel no higher than shoulders; at least $10\,inches$ from the airbag; head restraint at ear level.
Mirrors: Adjust rearview to frame the back window. Adjust side mirrors by resting head against window (left) or center console (right) until the vehicle edge barely shows; adds $12$ to $16\,degrees$ of view.
Child Passenger Safety Laws (SC Code Section 56-5-6410): * Infant (< 2 years): Rear-facing seat in rear of vehicle until height/weight limit exceeded. * Toddler (Age 2+ or outgrown rear-facing): Forward-facing seat in rear until height/weight limit exceeded. * Child (Age 4+ or outgrown forward-facing): Booster seat in rear until height/fit for adult belt met. * Age 8+ or 57 inches tall: Adult safety belt.
Securing Loads: Fines/misdemeanors for unsecured cargo. Must use rope/straps/tarp. Load is secure when nothing can sifts/slid/fall onto the road.

Basic Driving Operations

Steering Grip: Clock face positions $7$ to $9\,o'clock$ (left) and $3$ to $5\,o'clock$ (right). Use fingers, not palms.
Hand-to-Hand (Push/Pull): Used for normal driving above $10-15\,mph$ . Preferred for airbag safety.
Hand-over-Hand: Used for low-speed maneuvers, intersections, or parking.
One Hand: Only for backing up (at $12\,o'clock$ ) or operating controls.
Backing Up: Do not depend on mirrors; look through the rear window. Place right arm on the passenger seat back.

Rules of the Road

Yielding Sequence: * Yield to the first car to arrive at an intersection. * If arriving at the same time, yield to the driver on the right. * Yield to oncoming traffic when turning left.
Traffic Signals: * Steady Yellow: Warning that red is coming; stop if safe; if in the intersection, clear it. * Right on Red: Permitted after a complete stop unless signs prohibit, yielding to pedestrians. * Flashing Yellow: Proceed with caution. * Flashing Red: Treat as a stop sign.
Traffic Signs: * Warning: Diamond-shaped, yellow/black (e.g., Cross Road, Sharp Curve). * Regulatory: Square/Rectangle, white/black/red (e.g., Speed Limit, Stop, Yield). * Guide: Green/Brown/Blue (e.g., Interstate markers, hospitals). * Secondary Road Marker: "S" followed by county number and road number.
Special Intersections: * Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI): Crossovers eliminate the need for left turns to cross oncoming traffic. * Restricted Crossing U-turn (RCUT): Eliminates direct left/through movements from cross streets; requires a right turn followed by a median U-turn. * Roundabouts: Circular, counter-clockwise travel. Vehicles in the circle have the right-of-way.
School Buses: Must stop for flashing red/amber lights or extended arms on two-lane roads. On multi-lane roads, opposite traffic stops only if there is no physical barrier and it is 2 lanes each way (stop if behind/trailing always). Proceed only when lights stop or the bus moves.

Safe Driving and Speed Management

Visual Search: Look $20$ to $30\,seconds$ ahead.
Hydroplaning: Tires ride on water; avoid by slowing down in rain/puddles.
Flooding: $6\,inches$ an causes loss of control; $2\,feet$ can wash a vehicle away.
Total Stopping Distance Factors: Perception time ( $\frac{3}{4}$ to $1\,second$ ) + Reaction time ( $\frac{3}{4}$ to $1\,second$ ) + Braking distance (at $50\,mph$ on dry pavement, braking is roughly $158\,feet$ ).
Following Distance: Minimum of $4\,seconds$ . Increase for rain/fog/night or following large vehicles/buses.
Communication: Use turn signals $100\,feet$ or more before moving. Headlights mandatory on rainy/foggy days.

Special Situations and Sharing the Road

Pedestrians: Always yield to visually impaired (white cane/dog) and pedestrians in crosswalks (marked or unmarked).
Motorcyclists: Allow full lane width. Do not assume signals will self-cancel.
Commercial Vehicles (The No-Zone): * Side: Blind spot on the right starts behind the cab and extends the truck length. * Front: At $55\,mph$ , a loaded truck needs $335\,feet$ to stop (>1.5\times that of a car). * Rear: Blind spot extends up to $200\,feet$ .
Move-Over Law: When approaching emergency vehicles with lights, change lanes away from the vehicle or slow down significantly.
Night Driving: Use high beams except within $500\,feet$ of oncoming traffic or $200\,feet$ when following. Glance to the right side of the road to avoid headlight glare.
Winter Driving: Use low speeds; avoid cruise control; leave extra space; approach bridges with caution as they freeze first.
Parking on Hills: * Downhill (with/without curb): Turn wheels toward the curb. * Uphill (with curb): Turn wheels away from the curb. * Uphill (without curb): Turn wheels to the right.

Sample Questions & Answers

Alcohol and other impairing drugs: * Answer: a. reduce your judgment.
A yellow dashed line on your side of the roadway only means: * Answer: c. passing is permitted on your side.
If you arrive at a four-way intersection controlled by stop signs at the same time as another driver: * Answer: b. yield the right-of-way to the driver on your right.
Which sign warns a divided highway begins?: * Answer: a. (Refer to Manual Visuals).
This road sign [Sharp Curve] means: * Answer: c. sharp curve ahead.
Regulatory signs are: * Answer: c. white.
If a pedestrian is jaywalking, you: * Answer: a. must stop for them.
Motorcycle operators have the right to: * Answer: a. use a complete traffic lane.
When approaching or passing a bicyclist, you should: * Answer: a. slow down and allow as much space as possible.
When driving at night, use high beams when: * Answer: c. there is no oncoming traffic approaching.