South Carolina

School bus in-service

REQUIRED 10 hours annual

Citation: S.C. Code Ann. § 59-67-470; S.C. Code Regs. 43-80 § XIV

Administered by the SC Department of Education (SCDE) Office of Transportation; certificates are renewed every three years per § 59-67-470. Continued certification on full-size school buses (FFSB) requires ten (10) hours of SCDE-mandated in-service annually; multi-function school activity bus (MFSAB) drivers need a minimum of two (2) hours annually. Initial certification includes SCDE classroom instruction with an 80% end-of-course test, behind-the-wheel training, Physical Performance Tests, and the SCDE road test; the rules state no one may suspend or exempt a driver from the in-service requirements.

Official source ›

CDL & endorsements

CDL renewal cycle: every 8 years.

No general CDL continuing education beyond renewal paperwork. SC CDLs are valid 8 years.

Hazmat: Standard federal process: TSA Security Threat Assessment (~5-year cycle) plus hazmat knowledge test; no SC-specific hazmat renewal quirks surfaced in research.

• MFSAB (multi-function school activity bus) drivers: separate SCDE certificate track with 2 hours mandated in-service annually