Updated on June 30, 2020 

By Kevin A. Shwedo –  Executive Director, SCDMV

 

EXTENSIONS TO SCDMV DOCUMENT EXPIRATIONS 

The South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles recognizes the importance of intrastate and interstate commercial trucking to the state’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the criticality of the Motor Carrier industry, and in accordance with guidance established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, I am putting the following guidelines in place to assist our commercial motor vehicle operators: 

  • Treat all Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDL) and Commercial Learner’s Permits (CLP) with expiration dates from March 1, 2020 through September 30, 2020, as valid until October 1, 2020. All public and private businesses, companies, agencies, and organizations of any kind are urged to accept these documents as valid.
  • Waive the requirement that to maintain the medical certification status of “certified,” CDL or CLP holders must provide the State Driver Licensing Agency with an original or copy of a subsequently issued medical examiner’s certificate and any required medical variance. This waiver is in place through September 30, 2020. 
  • Waive the requirement for CLP holders to wait 14 days from the date the permit was issued to take the CDL skills test. The waiver is in place through September 30, 2020. Allow CLP holders to bank passing skills test scores beyond the expiration date of their CLP. This waiver is in place through September 30, 2020. 

I ask all law enforcement agencies in South Carolina to take these measures into consideration. It is understood that expired South Carolina CDLs or CLPs may not be recognized outside of South Carolina. I suggest, however, that a copy of this guidance be maintained by drivers or inside vehicles that fall into categories addressed above. Additionally, the SCDMV strongly encourages all drivers to renew their CLP or CDL credential as soon as possible, regardless of these extensions, to avoid potential delays in the renewal process at the end of September. 

All CDL drivers are strongly encouraged to renew their licenses and submit their medical certifications as soon as practical. South Carolina does not intend to extend expiration dates again.

To view the full announcement, click here.