I'm trying to install Configuration Manager 2012 SP1 and I selected local SQL 2012 Express install but it's not installing SQL and instead it's failing the prereq check. Do I have to install SQL myself or is the SQL install supposed to be taken care of by the Configuration Manage

Hi,

Yes you need to install SQL Server yourself. And it doesn't support SQL express, it has to be standard/Enterprise or datacenter.

Regards,
Jrgen

Ok, I was confused because it asks me to accept the license agreement for SQL 2012 Express during the install.

That's required because when you install a secondary site it will automatically install SQL Server Express for the secondary site (which does support Express).