Licensing
How to get a CDL in South Carolina
Each line is from a South Carolina licensing page opened . A line that says the page did not state a fee is not an estimate.
Compare CDL schools in South Carolina
- Minimum age
- A commercial learner’s permit requires age 18 or older, permanent residence in South Carolina, and a valid unexpired South Carolina driver license. A first CDL requires at least 18 to drive within South Carolina and at least 21 to drive outside South Carolina.
- CLP fee
- The first-CDL page says the applicant pays a $15 application fee, $2 for each knowledge test, and $2.50 for the permit. The permit expires in one year. Renewing it requires the applicable knowledge tests again. The fees page lists the same beginner’s permit, CDL application, and knowledge-test amounts.
- CDL fee
- The renew-or-upgrade page says a CDL renewal or upgrade is a $25 license fee plus a $15 application fee. A 5-year hazmat license is $15 plus the $15 application fee and $2 for the knowledge test. The fees page lists an 8-year license at $25, a CDL application at $15, a knowledge test at $2, and a 5-year hazmat license at $15. A debit or credit card adds a $1 plus 1.7 percent service fee that the fees page says is not an SCDMV fee.
- Skills-test fee
- The pages checked do not print a skills-test dollar separate from the knowledge-test and license fees. The permit must be held at least 14 days. The road test includes the pre-trip inspection, off-road driving, and on-road driving.
- ELDT
- A commercial learner’s permit received after February 7, 2022, requires an FMCSA-approved entry-level driver training program before the skills test. The pages do not state an hour minimum.
- Medical card
- The first-CDL page says to bring a medical certificate if it applies. Renewal requires an FMCSA medical qualification certificate when the type of commerce requires it. The pages do not say every applicant must have a card.
Sources
- South Carolina DMV: getting your first CDL
- South Carolina DMV: fees
- South Carolina DMV: renew or upgrade a CDL
Questions drivers ask
What does a CDL cost in South Carolina?
Only the amounts printed on the official page checked October 29, 2026. If a permit, license, or skills-test line was missing, this page says so instead of borrowing a figure from another state.
Is the minimum age in South Carolina 21?
Use the age sentence on this page. It is the age the state page stated. Interstate work can still have a different federal age.
Does this page issue the license?
No. South Carolina DMV: getting your first CDL is the licensing source. This page does not take an application.
All states · National steps · CDL schools in South Carolina · License fees and training cost in South Carolina