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S977 • 2026

Driver's license written examinations

Driver's license written examinations

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Senator Alexander
Last action
2026-03-05
Official status
Referred to Committee on Transportation ( Senate Journal-page 5 )
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Driver's license written examinations

Driver's license written examinations

What This Bill Does

  • Driver's license written examinations

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Introduced and read first time ( Senate Journal-page 5 )

  2. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Referred to Committee on Transportation ( Senate Journal-page 5 )

Official Summary Text

Driver's license written examinations

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
2025-2026 Bill 977: Driver's license written examinations - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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This Bill
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Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
S. 977
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Senator Alexander
Document Path: LC-0484CM26.docx
Introduced in the Senate on March 5, 2026
Currently residing in the Senate Committee on
Transportation
Summary: Driver's license written examinations
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

3/5/2026

Senate

Introduced and read first time (
Senate Journal-page 5
)

3/5/2026

Senate

Referred to Committee on
Transportation
(
Senate Journal-page 5
)

View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
03/05/2026

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION
56-1-82
SO AS to provide THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES SHALL ALLOW
APPLICANTS FOR DRIVER'S LICENSES AND PERMITS TO TAKE THE WRITTEN PORTION OF THE
DRIVING EXAMINATION IN A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH UNDER CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES.

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

S
ECTION 1.
A
rticle 1, Chapter 1, Title 56 of the S.C. Code is
amended by adding:

S
ection
56-1-82
.
(
A) If an applicant for a
driver's license or permit is unable to speak and read the English language,
then he may be administered the written portion of the examination in a
language other than English.

(
B) Upon
expiration of the restricted driver's license or permit issued pursuant to this
section, to renew the driver's license or permit, the applicant must retake
only the written examination that must be administered in English only. The
applicant shall not use a translation dictionary, an electronic device, or an
interpreter to assist with the administration of the reexamination.

(
C)
This section does not apply to an applicant who is unable to speak the English
language sufficiently, but is capable of reading and writing in the English
language and presents the department a written statement from a physician that
he has a hearing impairment that impacts his ability to speak the English
language sufficiently.

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

----XX----

This web page was last updated on March 5, 2026 at 11:40 AM