What it takes to get a mortgage loan officer license in South Carolina
South Carolina has 2 separate agencies that license loan originators. Most people need the South Carolina Mortgage Loan Originator License, shown first below. The other one covers a narrower kind of lending, and the coursework is not always the same. Check which agency licenses your employer before you buy a course.
South Carolina Mortgage Loan Originator License
Most people need this oneIssued by South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions, Consumer Finance Division
Total Course Hours
20 hrs
National & Elective
17 hrs
South Carolina-Specific
3 hrs
License Fee
$50
Of the 20 hours, 3 must cover South Carolina law and rules and the other 17 are the national SAFE Act topics and electives.
One of two South Carolina agencies licensing loan originators, and the one tied to mortgage lenders and servicers. 20 hours in total, 3 of them on South Carolina law.
Requirements verified 2026-08-11 against the official source.
South Carolina DCA Mortgage Loan Originator License
Narrower routeTotal Course Hours
20 hrs
National & Elective
17 hrs
South Carolina-Specific
3 hrs
License Fee
$50
Of the 20 hours, 3 must cover South Carolina law and rules and the other 17 are the national SAFE Act topics and electives.
The other South Carolina route, tied to mortgage brokers rather than lenders. The hour requirements are identical to the Board of Financial Institutions route, so the choice follows whichever agency licenses your employer, not the coursework.
Requirements verified 2026-08-11 against the official source.
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How to become a mortgage loan officer in South Carolina
South Carolina licenses loan originators through 2 separate agencies, and the licenses they issue are not interchangeable. The one most people entering the industry need is the South Carolina Mortgage Loan Originator License, issued by South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions, Consumer Finance Division. It takes 20 hours of pre-licensing education from a provider approved by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System, usually written NMLS, 3 of them covering South Carolina law.
The South Carolina DCA Mortgage Loan Originator License from South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs reaches a narrower kind of lending and carries its own coursework: 20 hours, 3 of them on South Carolina law. Which license you need follows from the lending your employer actually does, not from which course costs less, so settle that before you buy anything.
South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions, Consumer Finance Division charges $50 to apply for the South Carolina Mortgage Loan Originator License. South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs charges $50 to apply for the South Carolina DCA Mortgage Loan Originator License. NMLS charges its own processing fees on top of that and those are the same in every jurisdiction, so the license costs more than the state's own figure suggests. The cost breakdown adds up the whole stack.
4 providers in this comparison sell pre-licensing courses for South Carolina, priced from $99 to $649. Read the coverage column before the price column: a package that skips the 3 South Carolina hours is cheaper and does not get you licensed.
South Carolina mortgage license FAQ
How many hours of coursework do I need to become a loan officer in South Carolina? ▾
It depends which agency licenses you, and most people need the South Carolina Mortgage Loan Originator License. South Carolina Mortgage Loan Originator License: 20 hours, 3 of them covering South Carolina law. South Carolina DCA Mortgage Loan Originator License: 20 hours, 3 of them covering South Carolina law. Every hour has to come from an NMLS-approved course provider.
What exam do I have to pass in South Carolina? ▾
The SAFE Act national test carrying uniform state content. Every state and territory has adopted it, so there is no separate South Carolina exam behind it. You need 75 percent to pass.
What does the license itself cost in South Carolina? ▾
$50 to South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions, Consumer Finance Division, $50 to South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs, plus the fees NMLS charges to process the application. Course tuition is separate and varies by provider. The cost breakdown page has the full stack.
Do I need a surety bond in South Carolina? ▾
No. In South Carolina the bond obligation sits with the company sponsoring you, not with you personally.
What does a South Carolina mortgage license cost in total?
Course tuition is only part of it. See the full stack of state and NMLS fees.