Driver's license issuance

2025-2026 Bill 4686: Driver's license issuance - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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H. 4686
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. White, McCravy, Oremus, Edgerton and Bowers
Document Path: LC-0389CM26.docx
Introduced in the House on January 13, 2026
Currently residing in the House
Summary: Driver's license issuance
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

12/16/2025

House

Prefiled

12/16/2025

House

Referred to Committee on
Education and Public Works

1/13/2026

House

Introduced and read first time (
House Journal-page 57
)

1/13/2026

House

Referred to Committee on
Education and Public Works
(
House Journal-page 57
)

1/15/2026

House

Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Bowers

1/30/2026

Scrivener's error corrected

View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
12/17/2025
01/30/2026

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING
SECTION
56-1-40
, RELATING TO PERSONS WHO MAY NOT BE ISSUED A DRIVER'S LICENSE
OR HAVE THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE RENEWED, SO AS TO PROVIDE PERSONS WHO CANNOT
DEMONSTRATE PROFICIENCY IN READING AND UNDERSTANDING THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE MAY
NOT BE ISSUED A DRIVER'S LICENSE OR HAVE THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE RENEWED.

B
e it enacted by the
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

S
ECTION 1.
S
ection
56-1-40
of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

S
ection
56-1-40
.
T
he Department of Motor Vehicles may not
issue a motor vehicle driver's license to or renew the driver's license of a
person:

(
1)
who is under seventeen years of age, except that the department may issue a
license to a sixteen-year-old who is licensed to drive pursuant to Section
56-1-175
after one year from the date of the issuance of the conditional
license, if the driver has not been convicted of a traffic offense or has not
been involved in an accident in which he was at fault during that period.
However, the department may issue a beginner's permit as provided in Section
56-1-50
to a person who is at least fifteen years of age and meets the
requirements of that section. The department also may issue a special
restricted driver's license to a person who is at least sixteen years of age
and less than seventeen years of age as provided in Section
56-1-180
and meets
the requirements of that section;

(
2)
whose driver's license or privilege to operate a motor vehicle currently is
suspended or revoked in this State or another jurisdiction, except as otherwise
provided for in this title;

(
3)
who is an habitual user of alcohol or any other drug to a degree which prevents
him from safely operating a motor vehicle;

(
4)
who has a mental or physical condition which prevents him from safely operating
a motor vehicle;

(
5)
who is required by this article to take an examination, unless the person
successfully has passed the examination;

(
6)
who is required under the laws of this State to provide proof of financial
responsibility and has not provided the proof;

(
7)
who is not a resident of South Carolina. For purposes of determining
eligibility to obtain or renew a South Carolina driver's license, the term
"resident of South Carolina" shall expressly include all persons authorized by
the United States Department of Justice, the United States Immigration and
Naturalization Service, or the United States Department of State to live, work,
or study in the United States on a temporary or permanent basis who present
documents indicating their intent to live, work, or study in South Carolina.
These persons and their dependents are eligible to obtain a motor vehicle driver's
license or have one renewed pursuant to this provision. A driver's license
issued pursuant to this item to a person who is not a lawful permanent resident
of the United States shall expire on the later of: (1) the expiration date of
the driver's license applicant's authorized period of stay in the United
States; or (2) the expiration date of the driver's license applicant's employment
authorization document. However, a driver's license issued pursuant to this
item is valid for at least one year but not more than eight years from the date
of its issue. Under this provision, a driver's license valid for not more than
four years must be issued upon payment of a fee of twelve dollars and fifty
cents. A driver's license that is valid for more than four years must be issued
upon payment of a fee of twenty-five dollars. In addition, a person pending
adjustment of status who presents appropriate documentation to the Department
of Motor Vehicles shall be granted a one-year extension of his driver's license
which is renewable annually;

(
8)
who must not be issued a license as otherwise provided by the laws of this
State
;

(
9) who can not demonstrate proficiency
in reading and understanding the English language
.

S
ECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval
by the Governor.

----XX----

This web page was last updated on January 30, 2026 at 2:04 PM