Applying for a South Carolina Driver’s License

If you would like to apply for a South Carolina driver’s license or identification card, you must do so in person at one of the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV) branch locations that accepts international customers. Currently, the following SCDMV branch locations are accepting international customers:

Charleston – Leeds 3790 Leeds Ave North Charleston, SC 29405 843-740-6168

Charleston – Orleans 946 Orleans Road Charleston, SC 29407 843-852-2636

Before you visit the SCDMV office, you must do the following:

1. Familiarize yourself with the South Carolina driver’s manual. This can be found on the forms and manuals page of the SC DMV website (scroll to the Manuals section, click on Driver’s Manual). You may be tested on this material.
2. Visit the SC DMV website for International Customers. From this page, you can download the International Customers Checklist (SCDMV Form MV-94). This checklist provides the documents and forms that you will be required to present with your application.
3. Request a DMV verification letter from MUSC.
   1.  EVs fully paid by MUSC through payroll - Request a verification letter through the i2Verify service. You will be required to set up an account with the i2Verify service. There are several types of employment reports that you can obtain from this website. For the purpose of applying for a driver’s license, you need to choose the Employment Verification Letter. If the report you generate is not a letter on MUSC letterhead, you must go back to the i2Verify website and follow the steps to generate a letter on letterhead. The DMV will not accept a report that is not on MUSC letterhead. Contact the i2Verify service directly if you have any issues creating your account or generating an employment report.
   2. EVs not fully paid by MUSC (including those who receive a stipend from MUSC but are not on payroll) - Request a DMV letter through your Terra Dotta portal (go to the Requests tab and click DMV Letter Request) at least 5 business days in advance.
4. Be prepared to pay any fees that may apply to obtaining a driver's license or identification card.

If you do not want to apply for a driver’s license but you do want to apply for a South Carolina identification card, you still must go to the DMV to apply. If you get a driver’s license, you do not need to also get an identification card — the driver’s license functions as the identification card.

All applicants for an SC driver’s license are required to present a Social Security card. If you do not have a Social Security card, and you are not eligible for a Social Security number, you must bring a letter from the Social Security Administration indicating that you are not eligible for a Social Security number. You must visit the Social Security office in person to request this letter.

You may need to schedule an appointment or schedule a road test before you visit an SCDMV branch location. Refer to the SCDMV website for more details on their current operating procedures.