The Teen License and Its Curfew
S.C. Code 56-1-175 — daylight only, an adult along in the evening, and no driving after midnight without a supervisor
A conditional license can go to someone at least fifteen and under sixteen, and a special restricted license to someone at least sixteen and under seventeen. Either takes a beginner's permit held at least one hundred eighty days, a driver's education course, and at least forty hours of supervised practice, ten of them in darkness.
Who handles this in South Carolina: SC Bar Lawyer Referral Service; and legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the South Carolina directory.
| The rule | What it says |
|---|---|
| The ruleDaylight | What it saysValid only in daylight hours; after six o'clock p.m., or eight o'clock p.m. in daylight saving time, a licensed adult twenty one or older must ride along |
| The ruleMidnight to six | What it saysNo driving between midnight and six o'clock a.m. without a licensed supervising driver |
| The rulePassengers | What it saysNo more than two passengers under twenty one without a licensed adult, unless they are family or students going to or from school |
For a special restricted license, the department can waive or change the limits for work, school, vocational training, church activities or sports the parents approve, with papers from the parents and the employer or school. A particular ticket is a question for a licensed South Carolina attorney.
Sources for this section (2)
- S.C. Code 56-1-175 — Issuance of conditional driver's license
- S.C. Code 56-1-180 — Special restricted licenses for certain minors
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed South Carolina attorney.