South Carolina SCDMV · Quick Reference 2026

South Carolina SCDMV Test Cheat Sheet

Every key number, rule, and fact from the South Carolina Driver's Manual — on one page. Bookmark it or print it.

🏎️ Speed Limits

Obey posted limitsAlways (6-10)

Urban district default30 mph typical

Vehicle-trailer combos55 mph max recommended (11-11)

Golf cart (day use)On roads ≤ 35 mph only (2-2)

Slow-moving triangle< 25 mph (10-15)

School zoneObey posted reduced limit (10-2)

Work zonesReduce speed even with no workers (11-3)

Work zone fines / pointsSC Code §56-5-1535

💡 Posted limits are maximums for ideal conditions. Always reduce speed in rain, fog, snow, school zones, work zones, or when visibility or traction is poor (8-2, 8-3, 11-3).

🅿️ Parking Distances

From curb (parallel parked)Within 18 inches MEMORIZE (7-12)

Along the roadwayAs far from traffic as possible (7-10)

Downhill with / without curbWheels → right (into curb) (7-13)

Uphill with curbWheels → left (away from curb) (7-13)

Uphill without curbWheels → right (7-13)

Handicap / disability spaceOnly with plate/placard + named person (7-10)

Before opening your doorCheck sides/rear for bicyclists and traffic (10-5)

In front of a driveway, in a crosswalk, in an intersectionNever — always illegal

🍺 Alcohol & DUI Laws

BAC limit — drivers 21+0.08%

BAC limit — under 210.02% Zero tolerance

Enhanced-penalty BAC0.15% or higher (3-7)

Refuse implied-consent testImmediate 6-month suspension (3-7)

Under-21 BAC 0.02%+Immediate 3-month suspension (3-7)

BAC below 0.08% + drugsCan still be DUI (3-7)

Impairment startsWith the first drink (3-7)

Vision impaired at0.02% BAC for all drivers (3-6)

Provisional DUI license$100 (not avail. after 5/19/2024) (1-21)

Temporary Alcohol License$100 (1-23)

⚠️ SC Implied Consent law: by holding an SC license you have consented to lawfully-requested breath, blood, or urine tests. Refusing is an immediate 6-month suspension — often longer than the suspension for failing (3-7, 3-8).

⚖️ DUI Penalties (Adults)

Violation	Result
DUI or DUAC — adult (BAC 0.08%+)	Mandatory license suspension; penalties escalate by BAC level and prior offenses
Under-21 BAC 0.02%+	Immediate 3-month license suspension (first offense)
BAC 0.15% or higher	Enhanced penalties + additional suspension
Refuse implied-consent test	Immediate 6-month suspension (1st refusal)
DUI-related suspension (on/after 5/19/2024)	Provisional DL not available
Driving under influence of drugs	Treated the same as DUI or DUAC (3-9)

Exact fine/jail amounts for each DUI tier are not listed in the SC Driver's Manual — consult SC Code §56-5-2930 and related statutes for current schedules. The manual emphasizes: never drink alcohol (or use impairing drugs) and drive.

📏 Key Distances & Rules

Turn signal before lane change100 feet or more (8-9)

Signal before passing100 feet or more (7-16)

Following distance (dry)4 seconds (8-6)

Following distance (night)+1 sec (unfamiliar: +2) (11-2)

Following a motorcycle4+ seconds (10-6)

Look-ahead target20–30 seconds (8-1)

Dim high beams (oncoming)500 feet (11-1)

Low beams when followingWithin 200 feet (11-2)

Emergency flares200–300 ft behind (9-5)

Brake distance @ 50 mph~158 ft (dry, good brakes) (8-5)

Loaded truck stop @ 55 mph~335 ft (10-9)

Truck rear no-zoneUp to 200 ft (10-9)

Perception time¾–1 sec (alert driver) (8-5)

Reaction time¾–1 sec (alert driver) (8-5)

💡 To measure 4 seconds: when the vehicle ahead passes a fixed point, count "one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two, one-thousand-three, one-thousand-four." If you reach the point before four, you're too close (8-6).

🔷 Sign Shapes

Shape	Meaning	Example
Octagon (8 sides)	STOP	Stop sign
Inverted triangle	YIELD	Yield sign
Diamond	WARNING	Curves, merges, hills
Pentagon (5 sides)	SCHOOL	School zone/crossing
Circle	RAILROAD	Advance RR warning
Pennant	NO PASSING	No passing zone (left side)
Vertical rectangle	REGULATORY	Speed limits, rules
Horizontal rectangle	GUIDE	Directions, distances
Crossbuck (X)	RR CROSSING	At the crossing itself

🎨 Sign Colors

Color	Meaning
🔴 Red	Stop, yield, do not enter, prohibition
⬜ White	Regulatory — rules and laws
🟡 Yellow	Warning — hazards ahead
🟢 Green	Guide — directions, distances
🔵 Blue	Services — gas, food, hospital
🟠 Orange	Construction / work zone
🟤 Brown	Parks, recreation, historic
💛 Yellow-Green	Pedestrian, school, bicycle

↗️ Right-of-Way Rules

→At a 4-way stop: first to arrive goes first. If tied, driver on the RIGHT goes first.
→At an uncontrolled intersection: yield to the vehicle on the RIGHT.
→Turning left: always yield to oncoming straight-through traffic.
→Entering from alley, driveway, or private road: stop and yield to ALL traffic.
→At a T-intersection (no signs): the vehicle on the terminating road yields.
→Pedestrians in a crosswalk: ALWAYS yield — marked or unmarked.
→Emergency vehicles with lights/sirens: pull to the RIGHT edge of the road and stop (10-11, 10-12).
→Blind pedestrians with a white cane or guide dog: come to a COMPLETE stop (10-1).
→Roundabouts: yield to traffic already in the roundabout (7-7).
→Entering an interstate from an acceleration ramp: yield to drivers already on the interstate (6-2).

🚌 School Bus Rules (SC Code §56-5-2760)

→2-lane road: ALL traffic in both directions must stop for a bus with red or amber lights flashing or stop arm extended (7-8, 7-9).
→4+ lane highway (2+ lanes each way): only traffic BEHIND the bus must stop. Oncoming traffic may proceed with caution (7-9).
→Exception: you do NOT have to stop if the bus is in a passenger loading zone completely off the main travel lanes and pedestrians cannot cross the roadway there (7-9).
→Yellow (amber) lights = bus is preparing to stop. You must stop for the entire time it is stopped or preparing to stop (7-8).
→After red/amber lights stop flashing, proceed slowly — watch for children (7-8).

🎓 Teen / GDL Laws

Beginner's permit age15 years (1-4)

Hold permit (17 or under)180 days minimum (1-4)

Hold permit (18+)30 days minimum (1-5)

Supervised practice (15–16)40 hrs (10 at night) (1-5)

Driver's ed classroom8 hours (1-6)

Behind-the-wheel training6 hours (1-6)

Conditional license age15½ to less than 16 (1-7)

Special restricted age16 to less than 17 (1-8)

Full license age17 (or 1 yr restricted, no offenses) (1-9)

Solo-drive window6 a.m.–6 p.m. (8 p.m. DST) (1-7, 1-8)

Evening window (with 21+ supervisor)6 p.m. (8 p.m. DST)–midnight (1-7, 1-8)

After-midnight supervisorPer SC Code §56-1-100(A)(1-7) (1-4)

Passenger restrictionMax 2 under 21 (exception: family/school) (1-7, 1-8)

Special restricted waiver$25 — drive alone until midnight (work/activities) (1-9)

Hands-Free Act fine$100 (1st) / $200 + 2 pts (2nd+) (3-5)

6 pts under age 17 (1st year)6-month suspension (1-7, 1-8)

🛡️ Child Restraint & Safety Belts

Infant under age 2Rear-facing car seat in back (4-7)

Age 2+ (outgrew rear-facing)Forward-facing car seat in back (4-7)

Age 4+ (outgrew forward-facing)Booster seat in back (4-7)

Age 8+ OR 57 inches tallLap + shoulder safety belt (4-7)

Children age 7 and youngerMust ride in back seat (4-7)

Rear-facing seatNEVER in front of an active air bag (4-7)

Safety-belt enforcementPRIMARY — officer may stop you solely for an unbelted occupant (4-5, 4-6)

Air bagsSupplemental restraints — always wear safety belt in combination (4-6, 4-7)

👁️ Vision & License Requirements

Vision standard20/40 corrected in at least one eye (3-2)

Cert. of Vision ExaminationValid 36 months (1-15)

Proof required when drivingValid driver's license, vehicle registration, and insurance card (1-3)

📋 License Fees & Administration

Standard Class D license$25 / 8-year term (1-17)

Renewal term8 years (1-15)

Provisional DL (DUI pre-5/19/2024)$100 (1-21)

Temporary Alcohol License (TAL)$100 (1-23)

Route-restricted license$100 (1-22)

Special restricted waiver$25 (1-9)

Move to SC — exchange windowWithin 45 days (1-13)

Expired license retest threshold> 9 months (1-14, 1-17)

Skills test retake (1st / 2nd / 3rd+)2 biz days / 7 days / 30 days (1-13)

Under-17 excessive points6+ pts = 6-month suspension (1-7)

17+ points cap12+ pts = suspension (1-18)

Organ donor registryDonate Life SC — donatelifesc.org (2-1)

🚗 Other Must-Know Rules

→SC Hands-Free Act: no holding a wireless device with any part of your body, no texting/email/app use, no watching videos. 1st: $100. 2nd+: $200 + 2 points. Earpieces and wrist-worn devices for voice calls still OK (3-4, 3-5).
→Headlights: use low beams in rain, snow, or fog — high beams cause glare and reduce visibility ahead (11-2).
→Skidding: release pressure from brake or accelerator and steer in the direction you want to go (9-2, 11-8).
→Hydroplaning: ease off the gas and hold the wheel straight. Slow down at the first sign of rain (8-3).
→Brake failure: apply the parking brake slowly. If it doesn't work, turn off the engine and steer off the road (9-3).
→Tire blowout: grip the wheel firmly, ease off the gas, do NOT brake hard. Pull off in a safe place (9-4).
→Stuck accelerator: shift to NEUTRAL, steer smoothly, brake gently, pull off (9-5).
→Stuck on railroad tracks: get out, move away, call the emergency number on the blue sign at the crossing (6-6, 9-5).
→Flooded roadway: turn around. 6 inches of water = loss of control for most cars; 2 feet of moving water carries away SUVs and pickups (8-4).
→Move-Over Law: when approaching a stopped authorized emergency vehicle with lights on, change lanes away if safe — otherwise slow down (10-14, 10-15).
→Trailer sway: steer straight and reduce speed gradually. Do NOT brake or speed up (11-10).
→Trailer loading: 60% of cargo weight in front, 40% in back. Max recommended speed 55 mph (11-10, 11-11).

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