South Carolina
Common questions
Can a lawyer be admitted in South Carolina without taking the bar exam (admission on motion)?
Not available. No admission on motion: Rule 402 has no admission-without-examination path. Out-of-state lawyers apply by transferring a UBE score of 266 or higher (within 3 years); application fee $1,000.
Does South Carolina accept a transferred Uniform Bar Exam score?
NCBE (secondary): legacy UBE min 266, scores valid 3 yrs; MBE-only not accepted; NextGen TBA (SC to administer NextGen July 2028)
What are the pro hac vice requirements and fee in South Carolina state courts?
Local counsel: Required (SCACR 404) Fee: $250 (Rule 404, last amended Sept. 3, 2025)
Admission on motion
- Requirements
- No admission on motion: Rule 402 has no admission-without-examination path. Out-of-state lawyers apply by transferring a UBE score of 266 or higher (within 3 years); application fee $1,000.
- Years of practice
- Not applicable: no admission on motion
- Reciprocity
- None found
- Reciprocity states
- Not applicable: no admission on motion
- Fee
- Not applicable: no admission on motion
- UBE score transfer
- NCBE (secondary): legacy UBE min 266, scores valid 3 yrs; MBE-only not accepted; NextGen TBA (SC to administer NextGen July 2028)
- UBE minimum
- 266
- UBE score window
- 3 years
- MPRE
- 77
- Other routes
- sccourts.org Limited Certificates page (incl. Rule 415) exists but blocked by robots; contents not verified
- Foreign attorneys
- No
2 not found in the pulled documents
- Rule
- Not in the pulled documents
- Military spouse
- Not in the pulled documents
State-court pro hac vice
- Rule
- S.C. App. Ct. R. 404
- Local counsel
- Required (SCACR 404)
- Limits
- An attorney who files more than six applications for admission pro hac vice in a calendar year is considered regularly engaged in the practice of law in South Carolina
- Fee
- $250 (Rule 404, last amended Sept. 3, 2025)
- Procedure
- Verified application to Office of Bar Admissions; Clerk gives certification to applicant; SC attorney files certification + application with motion
Language from the source documents
9 quoted passages
UBE transfer
Score Portability Accepts Legacy UBE Score -->Yes Minimum Legacy UBE Score 266 Accepts NextGen UBE Score TBA Minimum NextGen UBE Score TBA Date First Acceptance NextGen UBE Score TBA Maximum Score Age 3 years Details -->ncbex.org
Other routes
This includes regular admission under Rule 402 of the South Carolina Appellate Court Rules (SCACR), limited certificates to practice law, foreign legal consultants, and pro hac vice applications.scbaradmissions.sccourts.org
Pro hac vice rule
RULE 404 ADMISSION PRO HAC VICE AND APPEARANCES BY NON-SOUTH CAROLINA LAWYERS IN ARBITRATION, MEDIATION OR OTHER ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCEEDINGS IN SOUTH CAROLINAsccourts.org
Local counsel
Except as provided by Rule 244(d), a person may not be admitted pro hac vice unless a regular member of the South Carolina Bar in good standing is associated as attorney of record with that person.sccourts.org
phv_limits
Notwithstanding any other provision herein, an attorney who files more than six applications for admission pro hac vice in a calendar year, including applications for purposes of Rule 404(k), is considered regularly engaged in the practice of law in South Carolina.sccourts.org
Pro hac vice fee
Prior to making a motion to be admitted pro hac vice, the application shall be submitted to the South Carolina Supreme Court Office of Bar Admissions along with an admission fee of $250.sccourts.org
Pro hac vice fee
the application shall be submitted to the South Carolina Supreme Court Office of Bar Admissions along with an admission fee of $250.sccourts.org
No admission on motion
has received a score of 266 or higher on the UBE administered in South Carolina or any other jurisdiction.sccourts.org