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How to become a truck driver in South Carolina
The South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles issues the CDL under federal FMCSA rules: the commercial learner's permit requires permanent residency in South Carolina, an age of 18 or older, a valid, unexpired SC driver's license and the required knowledge tests passed, and is held at least 14 calendar days before testing for the CDL; the CDL needs an age of 18 to drive within South Carolina (21 outside it), FMCSA-approved Entry-Level Driver Training (for a permit received after February 7, 2022) and the three-part skills test. Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in South Carolina earned a median $51,130 a year in May 2025 ($24.58 an hour).
Truck driver licensing in South Carolina
The licensing authority is South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV). The pages each row was read from are listed under the table, with the date each was read.
| License | What it takes | Experience | Exam | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP) | A permanent resident of South Carolina, 18 or older, with a valid, unexpired SC driver's license; complete the application (SCDMV Form 447-CDL), bring identity documents, self-certify the type of commerce on Form DL-405A and provide a valid medical certification where that commerce requires one, and pass the knowledge tests for the class of vehicle. SCDMV's checklist also asks, for the permit as for the CDL, for automobile liability insurance information, a certification that you meet the 49 CFR Part 391 qualifications, the Affidavit of Previous Driver's License (Form DL-402) and a vision test or certificate. Fees: the $15 application fee and $2.50 for the permit, plus $2 for each knowledge test; the permit expires after one year. Hold it at least 14 calendar days before testing for the CDL. | — | CDL knowledge tests | $17.50 |
| Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT, federal) | Since February 7, 2022, first-time Class A or B CDL applicants (and Class B holders upgrading to Class A) must complete the training with a provider on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry before taking the skills test. | — | — | not published |
| Class A CDL | At least 18 to drive within South Carolina (21 to drive outside it), with the required knowledge tests passed and the permit held at least 14 days; complete an FMCSA-approved ELDT program (required for a permit received after February 7, 2022); then pass the three-part skills test in order: vehicle inspection, basic vehicle control and on-road driving. The CDL application also takes insurance information, a certification that you meet the 49 CFR Part 391 qualifications, the previous-license affidavit (Form DL-402) and a vision test or certificate. Fees: $25 for the 8-year license and the $15 application fee; failing any portion of the skills test means $25 for another skills test, after a wait of two business days, then seven calendar days, then 30. | — | CDL skills test (vehicle inspection, basic control, on-road) | $40 |
Renewal. Every eight years (five with a hazardous materials endorsement).
Licensing sources: SCDMV: getting your first CDL (retrieved 2026-09-24) · SCDMV: CDL testing (retrieved 2026-09-24) · SCDMV: CDL additional requirements checklist (retrieved 2026-09-24) · FMCSA ELDT Applicability (retrieved 2026-09-24) · 49 CFR 383.23 (commercial driver's license required) (retrieved 2026-09-24). Requirements change; confirm with South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV) before you act.
The steps in order, with exams, fees and renewal → · Every fee here, itemised and totalled → · Compare time and cost across trades and states →
Common questions
Do you need a license to work as a truck driver in South Carolina?
The South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles issues the CDL under federal FMCSA rules: the commercial learner's permit requires permanent residency in South Carolina, an age of 18 or older, a valid, unexpired SC driver's license and the required knowledge tests passed, and is held at least 14 calendar days before testing for the CDL; the CDL needs an age of 18 to drive within South Carolina (21 outside it), FMCSA-approved Entry-Level Driver Training (for a permit received after February 7, 2022) and the three-part skills test.
What does it cost to get licensed as a truck driver in South Carolina?
The published fees in the table above run from $17.50 to $40 depending on the tier. Read each tier's requirements for any exam or license-issue fee charged on top.
How long does it take to become a truck driver in South Carolina?
It depends on which credential you need and the training and testing each step takes; the full path is in the table above.
How much do truck drivers make in South Carolina?
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in South Carolina earned a median $51,130 a year in May 2025, $24.58 an hour. That median is 13% below the national figure of $58,640, and South Carolina ranks 47 of 51 by pay for this trade.
How much do apprentice truck drivers make in South Carolina?
In fiscal 2023 (October 2022 to September 2023), among registered apprentices in South Carolina under the occupation titles the U.S. Department of Labor maps to heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, 382 apprentices started, at a median $13.00 an hour across the 382 whose starting wage DOL counts. Those who completed that year were paid a median $18.50 an hour at completion (277 completers with an exit wage DOL counts). Wages are in that year's dollars.
What truck drivers earn in South Carolina
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in South Carolina earned a median $51,130 a year in May 2025, $24.58 an hour. 34,170 people held the job, 14.8 for every 1,000 jobs in the state. That median is 13% below the national figure of $58,640, and South Carolina ranks 47 of 51 by pay for this trade.
The full wage spread in South Carolina
| Point | Hourly | Annual | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $18.91 | $39,330 | A tenth of the workforce earns less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $22.25 | $46,290 | A quarter earn less. |
| Median | $24.58 | $51,130 | Half earn less, half earn more. |
| 75th percentile | $30.12 | $62,660 | A quarter earn more. |
| 90th percentile | $37.06 | $77,070 | A tenth earn more than this. |
| Mean | $26.77 | $55,680 | The average. Pulled up by the top earners. |
Annual figures are the hourly rate times 2,080 hours, BLS's full-time year. Overtime is inside the survey's earnings but not separated out.
Pay by metro area in South Carolina
Charleston-North Charleston, SC employs the most truck drivers of the 8 metro areas based in South Carolina that BLS publishes, 6,020, at a median $55,150 a year. The best-paid is Florence, SC at $55,550.
| Metro | Employed | Median annual | 10th pct | 90th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | 6,020 | $55,150 | $41,590 | $77,550 |
| Columbia, SC | 5,630 | $51,280 | $37,750 | $78,990 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | 5,240 | $53,080 | $40,190 | $77,070 |
| Spartanburg, SC | 3,630 | $50,700 | $41,030 | $79,260 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | 1,960 | $46,360 | $37,960 | $60,190 |
| Florence, SC | 1,590 | $55,550 | $39,540 | $75,160 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | 730 | $52,530 | $39,420 | $71,300 |
| Sumter, SC | 480 | $46,500 | $36,880 | $77,990 |
Metropolitan statistical areas as BLS publishes them in the same May 2025 estimates. A metro that crosses a state line is listed only under its primary state, so part of a neighboring state's metro can sit outside this table. Areas outside any metro are not shown. Listed under another state but reaching into South Carolina: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC.
South Carolina against its neighbors on the pay ladder
| # | State | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 44 | Mississippi | $51,820 | 24,160 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $51,550 | 32,220 |
| 46 | North Carolina | $51,530 | 62,400 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $51,130 | 34,170 |
| 48 | Florida | $50,640 | 112,920 |
| 49 | New Mexico | $50,500 | 11,820 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $49,480 | 12,190 |
The complete ranking is on the Truck drivers (CDL) page.
Against the national figure
| Figure | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $51,130 | $58,640 |
| Median hourly | $24.58 | $28.19 |
| 10th percentile, annual | $39,330 | $40,140 |
| 90th percentile, annual | $77,070 | $79,380 |
| Employed | 34,170 | 2,062,040 |
Apprenticeships in South Carolina
U.S. Department of Labor records list 257 registered apprentices active in South Carolina in fiscal year 2024 (October 2023 to September 2024) under the occupation titles DOL maps to heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (SOC 53-3032). The file's fiscal 2024 records largely stop after February 2024. In fiscal 2023, the latest year the file holds in full, 382 apprentices started, at a median $13.00 an hour across the 382 whose starting wage DOL counts. Those who completed that year were paid a median $18.50 an hour at completion (277 completers with an exit wage DOL counts).
Find a registered program: DOL's Apprenticeship Finder → · What those wages come to at your hours a week → · Every state's count and wages for this trade →
Wages are DOL's own hourly figures in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Which wages DOL counts, which titles count and how the state is assigned are on the data page.
Other trades in South Carolina
Electricians ($58,740) · Plumbers and pipefitters ($53,940) · HVAC technicians ($56,610) · Welders ($49,980) · Lineworkers (power-line installers) ($76,870) · Elevator installers ($90,860) · Ironworkers ($50,750) · Sheet metal workers ($49,920) · Carpenters ($50,670) · Brickmasons and blockmasons ($49,010) · Auto service technicians ($48,100) · Diesel mechanics ($59,330) · Heavy equipment operators ($48,940) · Machinists ($57,970)
See all 15 ranked by pay in South Carolina.
The pay and employment figures on this page are the May 2025 BLS estimates, apart from the apprenticeship figures, which are DOL's; the licensing detail is read from the pages listed in the licensing section, each with the date it was read. See how the numbers are built.