South Carolina Life & Health Exam Day: What to Expect at Pearson VUE (2026)

Your South Carolina Life, Accident and Health exam is delivered by Pearson VUE. The combined exam has 130 scored questions plus 10 unscored pretest items, a 150-minute time limit, and a passing score of a scaled 70 on a 0 to 100 scale. The fee is $59 per attempt. This guide walks through the day in order. Where Pearson VUE sets the detail, we point you to its candidate handbook rather than guess.

You schedule the exam through Pearson VUE. You can test at a physical Pearson VUE test center, or use OnVUE, Pearson VUE's online-proctored option, which is available for South Carolina insurance exams. Choose the one that suits you. A test center takes care of equipment and a quiet room. OnVUE saves travel but puts the burden of a clean desk, a reliable connection and a compliant room on you.

Decide which exam you are sitting before you book: the combined Life, Accident and Health exam, or the Life or Accident and Health exam separately. The combined exam is one $59 attempt. The two single-line exams are $59 each.

• Read the candidate handbook. The Pearson VUE South Carolina Insurance Licensing Candidate Handbook (Stock #125000) is the authority on identification, what you may bring, and how check-in works. Read the identification section so the details on your registration and on your ID line up.
• Confirm your appointment and the location or OnVUE start instructions.
• Do a light review, not a cram. Skim your weak outline sections and stop early enough to sleep.

Arrive early at a test center, with the identification the handbook requires. Expect an identity check and instructions on what you can and cannot take into the testing room. For OnVUE, expect an identity check and a room check before the exam starts. Follow the handbook for the specific steps, because those procedures are set by Pearson VUE and can change.

You will answer multiple-choice questions on a computer, with 150 minutes for the combined exam and 120 minutes for either single-line exam. Ten items on the combined exam are unscored pretest questions. Treat every question as if it counts.

A few habits help:

• Set time checkpoints. Glance at the clock at fixed points, so you notice drift early.
• Read the last line of the question first so you know whether it asks for what is true, what is NOT true, or what is BEST.
• Do not stall. If you cannot decide, pick your best answer, flag it if the software lets you, and move on.
• Do not over-edit. Change an answer only when you have found a specific reason.

The combined exam produces a single score. You need a scaled 70 on the 0 to 100 scale, and there is no partial credit: you cannot be licensed for either line unless you pass the complete exam. Check the handbook for how and when results are shown.

If you pass, your result is valid for one year, and you can apply for the license 48 hours after passing so the result can reach NIPR. The application fee is $25. Fingerprints are required for resident applicants, and a producer may not transact business or receive commission until an insurer appoints them. Our cost guide covers these steps.

If you do not pass, you can retake after 24 hours at $59 per attempt. The rules are in our retake guide.

The best preparation for exam day is knowing the format and having drilled the content. Start with the format and passing-score guide, practice with the free practice question hub, and when you are ready for the full course, open the course preview.