PassProfessor’s South Carolina program is part of the expanding PassProfessor catalog. The 9,994-question South Carolina practice bank is built and audited, and enrollment opens as the catalog expands. Join the notify list and we will email you when enrollment opens — then use this guide to plan your path to the exam.
This program is part of the expanding PassProfessor catalog — join the notify list and we’ll email you when enrollment opens.
1. The South Carolina P&C exam, in one paragraph
The South Carolina Property, Casualty, Surety and Marine Insurance Producer exam (Pearson VUE code InsSC-PCSM04) is the licensing exam for South Carolina’s combined property and casualty producer authority, administered by Pearson VUE for the South Carolina Department of Insurance. You will see 140 multiple-choice questions in 165 minutes: 130 are scored — 100 on general insurance knowledge and 30 on South Carolina laws and regulations — and the remainder are unscored pretest questions you cannot identify. You pass with a score of 70, and the two parts combine into one overall score. South Carolina requires no pre-licensing education for this license, so the exam is the whole gate: pass it, apply through NIPR, complete a fingerprint background check, and the Department can issue the license.
2. Who can take the South Carolina P&C exam?
South Carolina’s requirements are short, and the Department publishes them plainly. To be licensed as a resident producer with property and casualty authority, you must:
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Be a resident of South Carolina, actually residing in the state.
- Be of good character for licensure — in the Department’s terms, free of convictions for a felony or a crime involving dishonesty, fraud, or breach of fiduciary duty. This is not an automatic dead end for everyone with a record: the Department runs a documented review path. Applicants who have been convicted of a crime, misdemeanour or felony, submit the application with an original South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) report, and the Department notifies them by letter whether they are cleared to proceed to the examination and the remaining requirements. What you cannot do is hide a conviction — the fingerprint check described in §5 will surface it, and an undisclosed conviction is a far worse problem than a disclosed one.
- Pass the licensing exam for the line of authority you are applying for — this one.
- Complete no pre-licensing education. South Carolina sets no classroom or course hours before this exam, and no certificate is required to sit it. The Department recommends preparation coursework, and the exam is comprehensive enough that unprepared candidates struggle — but preparation is your choice, not a state mandate.
- Submit to fingerprinting for a state (SLED) and national (FBI) criminal history check, as part of the application process in §5.
Two structural notes. First, South Carolina also offers separate single-line exams — a Property Insurance Producer exam (InsSC-Prop04) and a Casualty Insurance Producer exam (InsSC-Cas06), 80 questions and 120 minutes each — for candidates who want only one line. The combined PCSM exam covers both lines in a single sitting with a single score, and it is the route most producers who will sell both property and casualty take. Second, a license alone does not let you sell a particular company’s products: an insurer must appoint you as its agent. Appointment follows licensure and is arranged with each carrier you will represent.
3. The exam, piece by piece
The exam is a single sitting with two content parts, built from Pearson VUE’s South Carolina content outline: a general-knowledge part (100 scored questions) covering property and casualty, and a South Carolina part (30 scored questions) covering state law. Pearson VUE publishes the outline as percentages of the scored exam; applied to the 130 scored questions, the weights work out as follows.
| Part / section | Scored questions | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| General knowledge | 100 | |
| Insurance Terms and Related Concepts (property and casualty) | 30 | Risk, perils, hazards, insurable interest, loss valuation, coinsurance, negligence, liability, binders, endorsements, and the core vocabulary both lines share |
| Policy Provisions and Contract Law | 25 | Declarations, insuring agreements, conditions, exclusions, duties of the insured, proof of loss, subrogation, and the contract principles — offer, acceptance, consideration, warranties, representations, concealment — that policies are built on |
| Types of Policies — Property | 22 | Homeowners, dwelling, commercial property, inland marine, the National Flood Insurance Program, and other property forms |
| Types of Policies, Bonds, and Related Terms — Casualty | 23 | Commercial general liability, personal and business auto, workers’ compensation and employers liability, crime, bonds, professional liability, umbrella/excess, and businessowners policies |
| South Carolina laws and regulations | 30 | |
| Laws and Regulations Pertinent to All Lines | 18 | The Department and the Director, general insurance definitions, licensing, unfair trade practices, reporting and disposition of premiums, and consumer information privacy rules |
| Laws and Regulations Pertinent to Property and Casualty Insurance | 12 | Cancellation and nonrenewal, regulation of rates, the South Carolina Property and Casualty Insurance Guaranty Association Act, the South Carolina Valued Policy Law, the South Carolina Wind and Hail Underwriting Association, auto rules, and South Carolina workers’ compensation law |
| Total scored | 130 | Plus unscored pretest questions mixed in = 140 on screen |
Three structural facts that shape how you should prepare:
- Terms and policy types carry the general half. Terms and related concepts (30) plus the two policy-types sections (45) account for 75 of the 100 general questions. Vocabulary learned in context and policy forms learned comparatively — what each form covers, excludes, and how it pays — decide most of the general score.
- South Carolina law is 30 of 130 scored questions — 23% of the exam. It is also the most concrete material tested: the Director’s powers, licensing rules, day counts and notice periods, and named South Carolina institutions, above all the Wind and Hail Underwriting Association, the state’s coastal wind pool, and the valued policy law, under which a total loss to certain insured structures is settled on the policy’s stated value rather than depreciated value. Candidates who prepare from a national textbook alone walk in underprepared for nearly a quarter of the test — and for the part of it most specific to practising in South Carolina.
- There is one score, not two. The general and South Carolina parts combine into a single result. A weak state-law block can be offset by a strong general performance — and the reverse is also true, which is why “I know insurance, I’ll pick up the state rules as I go” is a losing strategy in a state where the state part is this distinctive.
Pretest questions. Mixed into the 140 questions on screen are unscored pretest items Pearson VUE is evaluating for future exams. They are indistinguishable from scored questions, they do not affect your result, and there is no way to game them — the only correct strategy is to treat every question as scored.
4. The passing standard, explained
You pass with a score of 70.
Pearson VUE reports South Carolina results on a standard scale, so a score of 70 is not the same thing as answering 70% of the questions correctly. Scaling exists so that different versions (forms) of the exam — which mix slightly different questions — all demand the same level of knowledge: a form that runs slightly harder is compensated by the scale, and an easier one is held to the same standard. Two consequences:
- “70%” study targets are misleading. You cannot convert your practice percentage into a predicted exam score precisely. The safe approach is to practice until full-simulation scores sit comfortably above the passing zone, with no content area left weak — because the single scaled result draws on the whole exam, general and state parts together.
- Your score report is the only official reading. You see your result on screen when you finish, and an official score report follows (at a test center, you receive your report before you leave; online candidates access theirs through their Pearson VUE account). Candidates who do not pass receive diagnostic information about their performance by content area, which is the starting point for a retake plan.
One honesty note: unlike some states, South Carolina’s vendor and Department do not publish a pass rate for this exam that we could cite. We will not invent one. What can be said from the structure alone is that this is a 130-scored-question exam with a substantial state-law block that national preparation underweights — candidates fail it most often on preparation gaps, not on trick questions.
5. Fees and registration, step by step
Keep the payments separate in your mind — they go to different places at different times.
| Payment | Amount | Paid to | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exam fee | $59 | Pearson VUE | When you reserve your appointment (each attempt) |
| Fingerprinting | The fingerprint vendor’s fee (separate) | IdentoGO | When you attend your fingerprint appointment |
| License fee | $25 | The State, with your application through NIPR | After you pass |
The exam fee and the license fee are different payments to different organisations; the license fee is non-refundable, non-transferable, and not pro-rated.
The sequence, in order:
- Reserve the exam. Create your account and book on Pearson VUE’s South Carolina insurance page (pearsonvue.com/us/en/sc/insurance.html) or call 877-759-5226. Appointments may be made up to one calendar day before the day you wish to test, subject to availability — but book earlier than that; you want the date, not the leftover slot. Your account must be created with your legal name exactly as it appears on your government-issued ID; Pearson VUE is emphatic about this because the name on your account is the name that lands on your score report and your licensing record. You may test at a Pearson VUE test center or online through OnVUE proctoring (§8).
- Take the exam. Arrive and check in as §8 describes. You receive your result when you finish.
- Apply for the license — after passing. The Department’s sequence is to wait two days after passing before applying online, so your exam result is on file, then submit the resident producer application through NIPR with the $25 license fee. (New resident applicants apply online; the paper Form 3506 is for amendments and for producers moving to South Carolina.) Your exam report expires 12 months after it is issued — the application must be completed inside that window.
- Complete fingerprinting. Resident producer applicants must be fingerprinted for a criminal history check through both the FBI and SLED. Under the current process, you do not get fingerprinted before applying: after your application is submitted through NIPR, you receive an email with instructions for scheduling fingerprinting with IdentoGO, the state’s designated vendor. Fingerprinting must be completed before the license can be approved — it is a gate on issuance, not an optional extra.
- Get appointed. Once licensed, each insurer you will represent must appoint you as its agent before you sell, solicit, or negotiate its products. Appointment is arranged with the carrier; it is the step that turns a license into a livelihood.
6. Retakes and score validity
- There is no waiting period between attempts. If you do not pass, you may retake the exam as soon as you can book a new appointment — but you pay the $59 fee again each time, and you retake the whole exam, not just the section you missed.
- Your score report is your study plan. Candidates who do not pass receive diagnostic information by content area. Retake preparation should target the weakest areas from the report, not re-cover everything equally.
- Your exam report expires 12 months after it is issued. If you pass but do not complete the licensing application inside that window, the result lapses and you retake the exam. Do not pass and then drift.
7. Test day
- Bring a valid government-issued ID. It must match the name on your Pearson VUE account exactly — name mismatches are the most common avoidable reason candidates are turned away. The Department also lists your confirmation number as a helpful item to bring, and notes that Pearson VUE will email an Admission Notice to candidates who apply online.
- Know the identification rules. Pearson VUE is strict about ID: a valid government-issued ID is required, and the exam will not be administered without acceptable identification. Check Pearson VUE’s ID requirements for South Carolina before you travel — including the rules for minors and for any name changes, where documentation may be required.
- At the test center: Expect check-in and a security process (including palm-vein scanning at many centers), and expect to be given a small whiteboard or scratch paper for working during the exam. Arrive early enough that check-in does not eat into your composure; the 165 minutes start when the exam starts, not when you sit down.
- Online (OnVUE): If you choose to test from home, you will need a quiet, private room, a computer that passes the system test, and a webcam — and you will be monitored throughout by a live proctor. Run Pearson VUE’s system test well before exam day and read the online-testing rules carefully; a failed system test or a non-compliant room is an avoidable loss of your $59.
8. How to study for this exam
Study for the test’s actual structure, not for a generic idea of “insurance.”
- Start with the general half, but weight it correctly. Terms (30) and policy types (45) are three-quarters of the general score. Learn vocabulary inside policy contexts — not as flashcards of isolated definitions — and learn policy forms comparatively: for each form, what it covers, what it excludes, and how it pays.
- Treat South Carolina law as its own subject. This is where generic preparation fails most often. Drill the state-specific block separately: the Director’s powers and the Department’s structure, licensing rules, unfair trade practices, the day counts and notice periods, and the named South Carolina institutions — the Wind and Hail Underwriting Association, the Guaranty Association, the valued policy law, and South Carolina’s auto and workers’ compensation rules. 30 of 130 scored questions is too many to leave to general knowledge.
- Practise under exam conditions. Timed, full-length simulations at 140 questions in 165 minutes teach you to hold pace (about 70 seconds per question) and to manage the pretest questions you cannot identify. Untimed practice does not teach either skill.
- Use the diagnostic report if you fail. If you do not pass, your score report shows performance by content area. Target the weakest areas on the retake rather than restarting from the beginning.
- Rehearse the application, not just the exam. The exam is the gate, but licensure is the goal: know the sequence — pass, wait two days, apply through NIPR with the $25 fee, complete fingerprinting through IdentoGO after your application, then get appointed. Candidates who pass and then stall lose the 12-month window.
- Study the words the exam uses. The content outline is written in precise terms — “valued policy,” “subrogation,” “coinsurance,” “proximate cause” — and the exam tests whether you know what those terms mean in a scenario, not whether you can recite a definition. If a practice question confuses you, the confusion is usually in a term, not in the facts.
- Know the numbers cold. 140 questions, 165 minutes, 130 scored, 30 state-law, score of 70 to pass, $59 exam fee, $25 license fee, two days before applying, 12 months of score validity. If any of those numbers surprises you on exam day, your preparation had a gap.
When you’re ready to start practising, the South Carolina Insurance Exam Prep program page has the full 9,994-question bank — including 2,500 questions on South Carolina laws and regulations — ready when enrollment opens.
9. Frequently asked questions
Do I need pre-licensing education before the South Carolina P&C exam? No. South Carolina sets no pre-licensing education requirement for this license. The exam is the gate — which is why preparation quality matters more here than in states where a course does part of the teaching.
How many questions are on the exam, and how long do I have? 140 multiple-choice questions in 165 minutes. Of those, 130 are scored (100 general knowledge, 30 South Carolina law) and the rest are unscored pretest items you cannot identify.
What score do I need to pass? A score of 70 on Pearson VUE’s standard scale. That is not the same as answering 70% of the questions correctly — scaling adjusts for the difficulty of the particular exam form you take.
What does the exam cost? $59 per attempt, paid to Pearson VUE when you reserve your appointment. The license fee is separate: $25, paid to the State with your application through NIPR after you pass. Fingerprinting through IdentoGO carries its own vendor fee.
Can I take the exam online? Yes. Pearson VUE offers the exam at test centers and online through OnVUE proctoring. Online testing requires a quiet, private room, a computer that passes the system test, and a webcam, with a live proctor monitoring throughout.
Is there a waiting period if I fail? No. You may retake the exam as soon as you can book a new appointment, paying the $59 fee again each time. You retake the whole exam, not just the part you missed.
How long is my passing score good for? Your exam report expires 12 months after it is issued. You must complete the licensing application inside that window or retake the exam.
Do I need to be fingerprinted? Yes, if you are applying as a resident producer. After you submit your application through NIPR, you receive instructions for scheduling fingerprinting with IdentoGO, the state’s designated vendor. Fingerprinting must be completed before the license can be approved.
When do I apply for the license? After passing, wait two days so your result is on file, then apply online through NIPR with the $25 fee. New resident applicants apply online; the paper Form 3506 is for amendments and for producers moving to South Carolina.
What is the difference between the combined exam and the single-line exams? The combined Property, Casualty, Surety and Marine exam (InsSC-PCSM04) covers both lines in one sitting with one score. South Carolina also offers separate Property (InsSC-Prop04) and Casualty (InsSC-Cas06) exams, 80 questions and 120 minutes each, for candidates who want only one line.
What is appointment, and when does it happen? Appointment is the step after licensure: an insurer must appoint you as its agent before you sell, solicit, or negotiate its products. It is arranged with the carrier you will represent and follows licensure, not the exam.
Do I need to be a South Carolina resident? Yes, for the resident producer license — you must actually reside in South Carolina. Non-residents apply through a different route.
When does the PassProfessor program open? Enrollment opens soon. Join the notify list at the top of this guide and we’ll email you the moment it opens.
Disclaimer
This guide summarises the South Carolina Department of Insurance’s requirements and Pearson VUE’s published exam information as we understand them. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; always confirm the current details with the Department and with Pearson VUE before you register, and rely on their official sources over this guide where they differ.