South Carolina Highway 56 (SC 56) is a primary state highway in the state of South Carolina. The highway provides a back country alternative to Interstate 26 from Clinton to Spartanburg.

SC 56 is generally a two-lane rural highway, that expands to a four-lane urban highway in Clinton and Spartanburg. It travels 63.3 miles (101.9 km) in a north-south direction, though it is signed east-west; to make it more confusing, signage in Spartanburg reverse the directions. SC 56 most unique feature is the Roundabout interchange it has with Interstate 85 Business. In Clinton, signage that bypasses the downtown area use "TRUCK" instead of normal or bypass banners; though SC 56 Business is signed through the downtown area (state maps confirm routing).

Most travelers today would take Interstate 26 over SC 56 from Clinton to Spartanburg. As a result, only local traffic use the route.

Established in 1928 as a new primary route from SC 392 (today SC 39) to US 176, in Pauline. In 1949, SC 56 was extended north, replacing US 176, to US 29, in Spartanburg. In 1959, SC 56 was extended north, replacing US 176 along Asheville Highway, to its current terminus at US 176. Sometime after 1990, SC 56 was bypassed southeast of downtown Clinton, leaving a business loop.

South Carolina Highway 56 Business traverses through downtown Clinton, in concurrency with SC 72 Business along Broad Street and Willard Road.