South Carolina motorcycle permit test numbers to know
Distances, speeds, limits, fines and deadlines are the questions people miss most, because they have to be memorized. Here are 15 South Carolina numbers, grouped and cited, with a free quiz and flashcards to lock them in.
Numbers quiz
11 questions a round from the 11 number questions in our South Carolina bank. Questions you miss come back more often in later rounds.
Free and unlimited. Your answers count toward your readiness and mistake review.
Numbers flashcards
11 cards: the question on the front, the number and its source on the back. Swipe right if you knew it.
Each deck starts with 20 free cards. Swipe right if you knew it, left to see it again.
See 3 of the cards
Alcohol & drugs
In South Carolina, which BAC can lead to an automatic license suspension for a rider age 21 or older?
0.15 percent or higher
In South Carolina, a rider 21 or older with a BAC of 0.15 percent or higher can have their license automatically suspended.
South Carolina Motorcycle and Moped Operator's Manual, page 17
Fines, points & penalties
What is the fine for a first violation of South Carolina's Hands-Free and Distracted Driving Act?
$100
Under South Carolina's Hands-Free and Distracted Driving Act, a first offense is a $100 fine.
South Carolina Motorcycle and Moped Operator's Manual, page 90
Distances & following gaps
What following distance does the manual recommend for new motorcycle riders?
At least four seconds
New riders should keep at least a four-second following distance. Pick a fixed point, count from when the vehicle ahead passes it, and if you reach the point before "four," you are too close.
South Carolina Motorcycle and Moped Operator's Manual, page 54
Every South Carolina motorcycle number, by topic
Official South Carolina laws come first in each group, then the numbers from our handbook questions. Tap a source to read the exact words it comes from.
Alcohol & drugs
6 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 6-month | Drunk driving (DUI)Refusing a test brings an immediate 6-month suspension for a first refusal | scstatehouse.govQuoteFor a first offense, a person shall enroll in the Ignition Interlock Device Program pursuant to Section 56-5-2941, end the suspension, and obtain an ignition interlock restricted license pursuant to Section 56-1-400. The ignition interlock device is required to be affixed to the motor vehicle for six months. |
| 0.15 percent | In South Carolina, which BAC can lead to an automatic license suspension for a rider age 21 or older?Answer: 0.15 percent or higher | South Carolina Motorcycle and Moped Operator's Manual, page 17QuoteIn SC, if you are 21 or older and have a BAC reading of 0.15 percent or higher |
| 0.02 percent | A 19-year-old motorcyclist in South Carolina is stopped. At what BAC can their license be automatically suspended?Answer: 0.02 percent or higher | South Carolina Motorcycle and Moped Operator's Manual, page 17Quote(0.02 percent or higher for persons under 21), you can also have your driver's license automatically suspended. |
| 6 months | In South Carolina, a rider with no prior DUI offenses refuses a BAC test for the first time. How long can they lose their driving privileges?Answer: 6 months | South Carolina Motorcycle and Moped Operator's Manual, page 17QuoteYou can lose your driving privileges for 6 months if you refuse to take a BAC test. |
| 48 hours to 30 days | For a first DUI conviction in South Carolina with a BAC below 0.10, what jail range does the law set?Answer: 48 hours to 30 days | South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles websiteQuotefor a first offense, by a fine of four hundred dollars or imprisonment for not less than forty-eight hours nor more than thirty days. |
| two hours | On a long ride, how often does the manual suggest you stop and get off the motorcycle?Answer: Every two hours or as needed | South Carolina Motorcycle and Moped Operator's Manual, page 90QuoteStop, and get off the motorcycle every two hours or as needed. |
Fines, points & penalties
1 number
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| $100 | What is the fine for a first violation of South Carolina's Hands-Free and Distracted Driving Act?Answer: $100 | South Carolina Motorcycle and Moped Operator's Manual, page 90QuoteFirst Offense: $100 fine |
Distances & following gaps
2 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| four seconds | What following distance does the manual recommend for new motorcycle riders?Answer: At least four seconds | South Carolina Motorcycle and Moped Operator's Manual, page 54QuoteIt is recommended that new motorcycle operators try to maintain a four second following distance behind the vehicle ahead. |
| Five seconds | You are riding at 45 mph on wet pavement in heavy traffic. What following distance should you open up?Answer: Five seconds or more | South Carolina Motorcycle and Moped Operator's Manual, page 55Quoteopen up a five second or more following distance. |
Ages, permits & the test
3 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 12 months | Motorcycle permit12 months | scstatehouse.govQuotedrive a motor vehicle on public highways under the conditions contained in this section for not more than twelve months. |
| 1 year | Motorcycle permitNighttime: must be accompanied by a motorcycle-licensed driver 21+ with at least 1 year of experience, within safe viewing distance | scstatehouse.govQuoteWhile driving a motorcycle during nighttime hours, the permittee must be accompanied by a motorcycle-licensed driver twenty-one years of age or older who has had at least one year of driving experience. |
| two minutes | On a motorcycle in South Carolina, you are stopped at a red light that will not change. What does the law allow?Answer: Proceed with care after a full stop of two minutes, treating the light as a stop sign | South Carolina Motorcycle and Moped Operator's Manual, page 20QuoteYou come to a full and complete stop at the intersection for one hundred twenty seconds (two minutes); and |
Seat belts, lights & equipment
2 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| under 21 | HelmetsSouth Carolina requires a helmet only for motorcycle operators and passengers under 21 | scstatehouse.govQuoteIt shall be unlawful for any person under the age of twenty-one to operate or ride upon a two-wheeled motorized vehicle unless he wears a protective helmet of a type approved by the Department of Public Safety. Such a helmet must be equipped with either a neck or chin strap and be reflectorized on both sides thereof. |
| under 21 | Under South Carolina law, who must wear an approved motorcycle helmet?Answer: Operators and passengers under 21 | South Carolina Motorcycle and Moped Operator's Manual, page 18QuoteSC requires motorcycle operators and passengers under 21 years of age to wear approved motorcycle protective helmets at all times while they are riding a motorcycle. |
Other numbers
1 number
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 70% | How much of a motorcycle's total stopping power can the front brake provide?Answer: 70% or more | South Carolina Motorcycle and Moped Operator's Manual, page 40QuoteWhen used correctly, the front brake can provide 70% or more of your total stopping power, |
Memory tips
How to study them (our advice, not official rules):
- Learn the number with its unit and its place. “15 feet from a hydrant” sticks; “15” on its own gets mixed up with 15 mph.
- Say the answer before you look. Recalling the number yourself is harder than spotting it among four options, and it is what makes it stick.
- Come back to the ones you miss. The quiz above brings missed questions back more often. Short rounds over several days beat one long session.
Questions about the numbers
What numbers do I need to know for the South Carolina motorcycle permit test?
Mostly distances (how close you may park to a hydrant or crosswalk, when to signal, when to dim your high beams), speed limits, blood-alcohol limits, and the ages, hours and deadlines for your permit and license. This page lists 15 of them for South Carolina, each with its source.
Why focus on numbers?
A California DMV study of its own knowledge test found that many of the hardest questions “are numerical and have correct answers that must be learned by rote memorization.” Numbers are easy to mix up under pressure, so they are worth drilling on their own.
Where do these numbers come from?
Each one is quoted from the South Carolina Motorcycle and Moped Operator's Manual, South Carolina statutes or SCDMV pages. Our build checks that every number on this page appears word for word in the quote it cites.
Is the numbers drill free?
Yes. The table and the numbers quiz are free and unlimited, and so are the first 20 flashcards.