2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 56 - Motor Vehicles › Chapter 1 - Driver's License › Section 56-1-30. Persons exempt from licensing requirements.

The following persons are exempt from licenses under this chapter:
(1) Any employee of the United States Government while operating a motor vehicle owned by or leased to the United States Government and being operated on official business, unless the employee is required by the United States Government or the Federal agency by which he is employed to have a state driver's license;
(2) A nonresident who is at least sixteen years of age and who has in his immediate possession a valid operator's or chauffeur's license issued to him in his home state or country may operate a motor vehicle, but a person may not claim nonresidence exemption under this provision who does not maintain a permanent residence address in the state or country of which he holds a valid and current operator's or chauffeur's license at which he regularly receives his mail and which address is on file with the motor vehicle authorities of that state or country; also, a person may not claim nonresidence exemption under this provision who for all other intents and purposes has or may remove his residence into this State;
(3) Any nonresident who is at least eighteen years of age and whose home state or country does not require the licensing of operators may operate a motor vehicle for a period of not more than ninety days in any calendar year, if the motor vehicle is duly registered in the home state or country of the nonresident and a nonresident on active duty in the Armed Services of the United States who has a valid license issued by his home state and the nonresident's spouse or dependent who has a valid license issued by his home state;
(4) A person operating or driving implements of husbandry temporarily drawn, propelled, or moved upon a highway. Implements of husbandry include, but are not limited to, farm machinery and farm equipment other than a passenger car.
(5) Any person on active duty in the Armed Services of the United States who has in his immediate possession a valid driver's license issued in a foreign country or by the Armed Services of the United States may operate a motor vehicle in this State for a period of not more than ninety days from the date of his return to the United States; and
(6) A citizen of a foreign jurisdiction whose licensing procedure is at least as strict as South Carolina's, as determined by the Department of Motor Vehicles, who is at least eighteen years of age, who is employed in South Carolina, and who has a valid driver's license issued by that jurisdiction may drive in this State for five years if the foreign jurisdiction provides a reciprocal arrangement for South Carolina residents. The provisions of this item also shall apply to the dependents of foreign nationals who qualify under this section.
HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 46-153; 1952 Code Sections 46-153 to 46-155; 1942 Code Sections 5986, 6000; 1932 Code Sections 5986, 6000; 1930 (36) 1057; 1940 (41) 1680; 1959 (51) 421; 1988 Act No. 362, Sections 2, 3; 1990 Act No. 320, Section 1; 1998 Act No. 258, Section 6; 1999 Act No. 16, Section 1; 2017 Act No. 89 (H.3247), Section 2, eff November 19, 2018.
Effect of Amendment
2017 Act No. 89, Section 2, in the introductory paragraph, substituted "chapter" for "article"; in (1), substituted "state" for "State"; and made a nonsubstantive change.