Show All Answers

1. What happens if exempt producers add a line of authority to their producer license?

Effective January 1, 2010, South Carolina law allowing continuing education exemptions have been repealed. Consequently, an exempt producer adding a new line of authority will lose their exemption status; therefore, that producer will have to complete continuing education hours by the end of his/her compliance period. In addition, once a producer adds a line of authority the producer cannot request that the Department remove that line of authority to retain his/her exemption status.

However, if an exempt producer adds a line of authority within 90 days of their compliance period ending that producer will not have to complete continuing education hours in the new line of authority for that compliance period, but that producer will have to complete continuing education in the existing line of authority.

For example: An exempt producer who holds life and health with a December birth month of an even year and adds property and casualty to their existing license, that producer will lose their exemption status. The producer will have to complete 24 hours of continuing education in life and health line of authority, regardless of when the new lines are added.

If the producer adds property and casualty, October 3, 2014 prior to their compliance period ending December 31 of the same even year, that producer will not be required to complete continuing education in the new line of authority (property and casualty) during their compliance period.

If the producer adds property and casualty on or before October 2, 2014 prior to their compliance period ending December 31 of the same even year, that producer will be required to complete continuing education in the new line of authority (property and casualty) for their compliance period.

2. What happens if a producer with reduced Continuing Education compliance adds a new line of authority?

Effective January 1, 2010, South Carolina law allowing a reduction in continuing education hours has been repealed. Consequently, producers who have reduced continuing education hours who add a new line of authority to their producer license will lose their continuing education reduction hours status and will have to complete the required 24 hours of continuing education by the end of their compliance period.

For example: A producer with reduced continuing education compliance who holds life and health with a December birth month of an even year and adds property and casualty to their existing license, that producer will lose their reduced continuing education hours compliance. The producer will have to complete 24 hours of continuing education in life and health line of authority, regardless of when the new lines are added.

If the producer adds property and casualty, October 3, 2014 prior to their compliance period ending December 31 of the same even year, that producer will not be required to complete continuing education in the new line of authority (property and casualty) during their compliance period.

If the producer adds property and casualty on or before October 2, 2014 prior to their compliance period ending December 31 of the same even year, that producer will be required to complete continuing education in the new line of authority (property and casualty) for their compliance period.

3. Will I receive credit for adding a new line of authority during the compliance period?

No. The laws have been changed to remove a requirement for pre-licensing education. Hence, no continuing education (CE) credit will be awarded based on completing such a course for adding an additional line of authority.

4. When can a producer cancel a line of authority from his or her producer license?

A producer has until 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) on the last day of their birth month to cancel a line of authority.

5. When is the cutoff date for adding a line of authority without having to complete the required 8 hours of continuing education for the new line of authority?

If an additional line of authority is added within 90 days of the continuing education deadline, the producer is not required to complete the 8 hours in the newly added line of authority.

Show All Answers

1. Who is required to meet the continuing education (CE) requirements?

All licensed resident producers in South Carolina who are not exempt must complete 24 hours of continuing insurance education. Three of these hours must be in ethics; eight hours must be in each line of authority held. The remaining hours may be taken in any line of authority.

Extensions will not be granted.

2. Who is exempt from meeting the continuing education (CE) requirements?

An insurance producer licensed for limited lines is exempt from the provisions of Section 38-43-106.

Show All Answers

1. What happens if I do not earn my continuing education (CE) credit hour requirements?

View the Consequences of Failure to Comply page for information.

2. What happens if I do not renew my producer license?

Failure to renew the license will result in the lapse of the license on the day following the licensee’s compliance deadline. Producers may reinstate a license by paying a penalty fee to the South Carolina Department of Insurance. The amount of the penalty fee is based on the date the license is renewed. If renewed within 30 days, the penalty fee is $50; if renewed within 31-60 days the penalty fee is $100; if renewed 61 days and after the penalty fee is $250. If renewal is not completed within six months of the license being lapsed, the license and all appointments will be canceled. To regain licensure the producer will be required to reapply and meet all the requirements of a new applicant.

Show All Answers

1. How many credit hours must I earn to meet the requirements?

A total of 24 hours is required by the end of your compliance period, and of those required 24 credit hours, at least three hours must be from courses categorized as Ethics.

Extensions will not be granted.

2. What if I hold life, accident, health, property, and casualty lines of authority?

If you hold property, casualty, life, accident, and health authorities, you must complete at least eight of the 24 required hours in courses related to each of these lines of authority, plus three hours of Ethics. If you earn more than three Ethics credits, they will be applied towards your 24 hour credit requirement.

3. What if I received a reduction in continuing education (CE) hours by December 31, 2009?

Producers that received a reduction in hours will have to complete 15 hours of CE biennially by the last day of their birth month/year; three of the 15 hours must be in Ethics. Producers with reduced compliance and hold multi-lines must complete six hours in Property and Casualty; six hours in Life, Accident, and Health; and three hours of Ethics. Producers that add additional lines of authority or allow their licenses to become inactive will lose their reduction in hours.

4. Can I repeat a continuing education (CE) course within the biennial period?

A producer may repeat a continuing education course, but credit must not be given more than once for a course repeated during a biennial compliance period and within two years of its original completion date.

5. Can I carry over credits to the next biennium?

Producers who accumulate credits in excess of the continuing education requirements for a biennium may apply a maximum of 18 credits to the next compliance period.

6. How will I know which courses will qualify for continuing education credit hours?

You may access a list of approved courses on SBS.

7. Can I receive continuing education (CE) credit for maintaining an insurance designation?

Yes. Visit the Insurance Designation as CE Credits page for more information.

8. How can I contact the continuing education administrator?

Effective July 1, 2019, the Department is now the CE administrator. You may direct your questions directly to the Department or to SBS.

9. What is required of a proctor/disinterested third party?

In accordance with the changes to Regulation 69-50 regarding proctor approval, we are no longer approving proctors. Producers are no longer required to use a state approved proctor to proctor their continuing education courses. They may now use any disinterested third party to proctor their exam. That third party may not be their employer, employee, supervisor, relative, spouse, or minor.

Show All Answers

1. How can I apply for Continuing Education (CE) exemption or a reduction in CE hours?

South Carolina law allowing exemptions and reduced continuing education hours was repealed effective January 1, 2010. No new exemption requests or reduced continuing education hour requests will be processed. Producers who were granted an exemption or a reduction in continuing education hours prior to January 1, 2010 will remain exempt or will continue to have a reduction in continuing education hours. However, exempt producers or producers with a reduction in continuing education hours who add a new line of authority or allow their license to become inactive will lose their exemption status or lose their reduction in continuing education hour status and will be required to comply with all CE requirements.

2. What happens if exempt producers add a line of authority to their producer license?

Effective January, 2010, South Carolina law allowing continuing education exemptions have been repealed. Consequently, exempt producers who add a new line of authority to their producer license will lose their exemption status. In addition, once a producer adds a line of authority the producer cannot request that the line of authority be removed to retain his or her exemption status.

3. Can I receive an extension beyond my compliance deadline?

No. South Carolina law allowing extensions has been repealed effective May 2, 2010.

4. What if I get critically ill or cannot work or take courses?

Hardship waiver requests may only be granted for good cause and must be made in writing to the South Carolina Department of Insurance prior to the end of your compliance period. The license renewal fee must be paid to the South Carolina Department of Insurance by your compliance period deadline. The request for a hardship waiver must be received prior to the end of the producer’s compliance period.

Show All Answers

1. What is the continuing education (CE) reporting fee?

Effective July 1, 2019, resident producers are no longer required to pay a CE reporting fee. Resident producers are still required to complete the 24 hour requirement and pay the renewal fee to remain compliant.

2. What happens if I fail to comply by the last day of my birth month?

 View the Consequences of Failure to Comply page for non-compliance information.

Show All Answers

1. What is the date by which I must complete 24 hours of South Carolina continuing education (CE)?

On June 2, 2009, the Governor signed into law Act No.69. This new law requires all licensed producers except limited lines producers and exempt producers to complete CE requirements biennially by the end of their birth month. Producers born in an odd numbered year must comply biennially by the end of their birth month every odd numbered year. Producers born in an even numbered year must comply by the end of their birth month every even numbered year. Producers must also renew their license by the end of their birth month in an odd or even numbered year. No one is exempt from renewal requirements except limited lines producers with travel baggage only.

Show All Answers

1. How do non-resident licensed producers comply with continuing education (CE) requirements?

Non-resident producers are not required to comply with CE in South Carolina. They must meet the CE requirements of their home state.

Show All Answers

1. How will credit hours be counted and reported?

The course provider must give you a certificate of course completion. This information will also be submitted electronically to SBS by the provider. 

2. Am I required to provide my social security number to continuing education (CE) providers?

You will not be required to provide your social security number, but you must provide your South Carolina license number.

3. How will I demonstrate that I have completed the continuing education (CE) requirements to the CE administrator?

Producers can verify their credits and compliance status on SBS.

Show All Answers

1. What are the requirements for a newly licensed resident producer?

A total of 24 hours is required by the end of your compliance period. Of those 24 credit hours, at least three hours must be from courses categorized as Ethics.

Extensions will not be granted.

2. What are the requirements for a newly licensed non-resident producer?

There are no CE requirements for non-resident producers.