Applying for a SC Driver’s License
This information comes directly from the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles website. If you need more information, visit their website at http://www.scdmvonline.com/DLidentity.aspx#NonUSCitizen
All persons authorized by the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, or the U.S. Department of State to live, work, or study in the United States on a temporary or permanent basis will be eligible to apply for a beginner's permit, driver's license or identification card. The expiration date of the driver’s license will be determined by the applicant's authorized period of stay in the United States or the expiration date of the applicant's employment authorization document. Applications for beginner permits, driver’s licenses and identification cards for non-United States citizens will be accepted at sixteen of our DMV offices across the state. To apply for a South Carolina credential, all non-US citizens must provide the following:
- Proof of Identity
- Proof of birthplace
- Proof of SC residency
- Social Security Card or Letter from the Social Security Administration stating that the applicant is not allowed to work in the United States
- Automobile insurance information (if applying for a license)
All applicants must provide proper documentation to prove that the US Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, Department of State or the US Citizenship and Immigration Services authorizes them to live, work or study in the United States on a temporary or permanent basis, and that they are within their current authorized period of stay. If the applicant is applying for a driver’s license, they must also submit a valid driver’s license from their country of origin as proof of prior driving experience. The driver’s license information must be translated into English or be accompanied by an International Driving Permit. Applicants who cannot show proof of prior driving experience must first obtain a beginner’s permit and hold it for 180 days before applying for a driver’s license.
- Applicants with status F1 or F2 (students and their families) must provide ALL of the following:
- Form I-20
- Written verification on the school’s letterhead showing enrollment or good standing. The appropriate school authority must sign the letter.
- Social Security Card indicating reason for issuance or, if the applicant is not eligible for a social security card, a letter from Social Security Administration stating that applicant is an alien not allowed to work in the United States.
- Proof of SC residency (one or more of these)
- current utility bill (water, gas, etc.)
- current school records (available from the Records Office)
- recent county or state tax notice or receipt
- lease agreements or mortgage documents
- state or federal tax records
- Insurance information for insurance company licensed to do business in SC (not required for ID Card or Beginner’s Permit)