Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; State POST commissions and legislatures, State peace officer standards: statutes, administrative rules and POST commission pages. Data captured September 30, 2026.
How to become a police officer in South Carolina
- Certifying body
- South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy (SCCJA) / Law Enforcement Training Council (LETC)
- Certification
- Class 1-LE (Law Enforcement) Certification
- Minimum age
- Candidate must be at least 21 (S.C. Code § 23-23-60(B)(8)); detention/correctional officers may be 18, except DJJ officers.
- Education
- High school diploma or an equivalency certificate recognized by the SC Department of Education (S.C. Code § 23-23-60(B)(2)).
- Citizenship
- U.S. citizen, per SCCJA Student/Candidate Requirements; not stated in § 23-23-60.
- Driver's license
- Valid current SC driver's license with no suspension in the prior 5 years for DUI/DWI, reckless homicide, involuntary manslaughter, or leaving the scene of an accident (S.C. Code § 23-23-60(B)(5)(b)).
- Disqualifiers
- Conviction of any offense carrying a sentence of 1 year or more, or of a crime of moral turpitude; bond forfeiture and guilty or nolo pleas count as convictions (§ 23-23-60(B)(4)). FBI/SLED fingerprints must show no felony convictions, and good character is required. Under R. 37-025, LETC may deny certification for misconduct, including unlawful drug use, excessive force, false statements, and failure to intervene or report abuse.
- Basic academy
- Basic Law Enforcement (BLE) takes 12 weeks. The first 4 weeks are agency-directed online training (minimum 147.5 hours, four 70% block tests); then come a cumulative exam and the PAT, and 8 weeks residential at SCCJA in Columbia.
- State exam
- SCCJA BLE cumulative exam (70%), required before the 8-week Academy session, plus unit tests during it (70%; DUI/SFST 80%) with no retests.
- Fitness standard
- SCCJA Physical Abilities Test (PAT): a 9-task, 870-foot course to be finished in 2:06 or less, taken with the cumulative exam before the 8-week Academy session. After a second failure the candidate is barred from BLE for 1 year.
- Time to certify
- Must be certified within 1 year of employment (S.C. Code § 23-23-40(A)). Until then the officer must pass a firearms qualification before making arrests and may work only alongside a certified officer. The Director may grant exceptions for military leave, injury, academy capacity, or out-of-state equivalent training.
- Officers from other states
- Out-of-state officers: the hiring agency submits a Training Review Request with the BLE certificate, curriculum, a POST letter and a letter of good standing; training is credited case by case (R. 37-006(A); § 23-23-40(A)(3)). SCCJA's Pathway document says out-of-state Class 1 candidates complete online legal and firearms training (minimum 58.75 hours), then a written test (70%) and firearms and driving proficiencies at the Academy.
- Continuing training
- 40 CLEE hours per 3-year recertification period, including at least one legal update course and one domestic violence course each year (R. 37-010(B)(1); § 23-23-50). Mental health/addictive disorder CLEE is also required within the period (§ 23-23-55); certificates expire every 3 years (§ 23-23-60(C)).
§ 23-23-60(B) applies to candidates from city and county police departments, sheriffs' offices and state agencies, so municipal police, deputies and state officers such as Highway Patrol troopers all need Class 1-LE certification. Class 3 (limited-power) and Class 2 (detention/corrections) certifications have different training. The out-of-state lateral details are from SCCJA's 2019 Pathway document, which SCCJA still publishes.
Source: State POST commissions and legislatures, State peace officer standards: statutes, administrative rules and POST commission pages. Data captured October 2, 2026.
Pay in South Carolina, all employers Sourced
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (SOC 33-3051) in South Carolina, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | SC |
|---|---|
| Workers | 12,930 |
| 10th percentile | $45,060 |
| Median | $58,070 |
| 90th percentile | $78,760 |
| National median, government employers | $76,300 |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Pension in South Carolina
Local employees: Local police and firefighters
| Plan | Accrual | Normal retirement | Employee pays | Social Security |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Police Officers Retirement System (PORS) Class Three Class Three | 2.14% | At least 27 years of service credit (8 of which earned) | 9.75% | Not stated |
The statewide plan a new hire usually joins. Some cities and counties run their own plans; check with the employer. Each plan's formula, vesting, cost-of-living adjustment and retiree health are on the South Carolina pension plans list.
Source: State retirement systems, Official state retirement system pages, member handbooks and statutes. Data captured October 2, 2026.
Employers in South Carolina
184 police departments in South Carolina.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Crime Data Explorer — law-enforcement agencies by state (API). Data captured September 30, 2026.
Free practice tests for South Carolina
South Carolina POST Peace Officer Certification Exam (SCCJA)South Carolina exam · free on Open Exam Prep- IPMA-HR / PSHRA Entry-Level Police Officer Test (PO-EL)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- Law Enforcement Aptitude Battery (LEAB)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- National Criminal Justice Officer Selection Inventory (NCJOSI-3)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- National Police Officer Selection Test (POST)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- NTN FrontLine National - Law Enforcement ExamPractice for a named exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- Police Aptitude and Character Test (PACT)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
Source: Open Exam Prep, Open Exam Prep free practice tests. Data captured October 1, 2026. Each link was opened and its exam title checked on the date shown.
More about this job
Requirements, hiring process, training, schedule and day-to-day work are on the national Police Officer page.
Police Officer in other states
More government jobs in South Carolina
South Carolina government jobs · South Carolina public pension plans · police officer standards in South Carolina · exam practice in South Carolina