South Carolina Nurse Licensing Guide

Permanent License

Approximately 14 business days upon receipt of all required materials.

Temporary License

The board does not comment on a timeframe for temporary licensure.

Process

1. Submit an application online and pay the fee. The process is the same for RNs and LPNs
2. Click through to the South Carolina endorsement instructions (PDF) for a list of application requirements and instructions.
3. Request verification of licensure via Nursys from your current state of licensure. If this state does not participate in Nursys, you will need to contact that state's BON and request verification be sent to the South Carolina BON via email to nurseboard@llr.sc.gov.
4. Documentation of continued competency. This requirement can be verified if the nurse met one of the following requirements within the past two years. Forms for competency documentation are found on the South Carolina continuing education page.

• Completion of thirty contact hours from a continuing education provider recognized by the board.
• Maintenance of certification or re-certification by a national certifying body recognized by the board.
• Completion of an academic program of study in nursing or a related field recognized by the board.
• Verification of competency and the number of hours practiced as evidenced by employer certification on a form that has been approved by the board.

5. Provide the following personal identification documentation:

• A copy of your valid driver’s license, state-issued ID, Passport, or Military ID. Your application must be in your legal name as verified by your birth certificate or other legal document, such as a valid Passport, marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order approving a legal name change.
• A copy of your Social Security card or Resident Alien Registration. Note that a social security card is required before final licensure can be issued.
• Provide the Declaration of Primary Residence Form with proof of residence.
• Complete the Notarized Affidavit and Passport Photo Form, and the Verification of Lawful Presence, found in the South Carolina endorsement application (PDF) on pages 4 and 5.
• Copy of your active nursing license to practice in another state, jurisdiction, or territory of the United States.

6. Provide a background check with fingerprints. The BON will send you a fingerprinting card to complete. Do not complete fingerprints until you receive this card from the Board, or your fingerprints will be rejected.

Temporary License

1. You may apply for a 60-day temporary license to practice nursing in SC while your application is being processed.
2. You must complete the electronic application labeled “Licensure by Endorsement with Temporary License.”
3. You will need to provide proof of an active license to practice in another state or jurisdiction of the United States.
4. All required documentation, with the exception of the Criminal Background Check and the license verification, must be received in order for a single-state temporary license to be issued. The license is only valid for sixty days, and you cannot work once it has expired.
5. A temporary license cannot be issued if any questions in the Personal History section of the application are answered “yes”; you are an applicant educated outside of the United States and have not passed the NCLEX exam.

Endorsement Application: $100.00

Temporary Permit: $10.00

Fees are the same for RNs and LPNs.

• Forms must be uploaded to your electronic application in the web portal. Do not mail completed forms or the application fee to the Board office.
• Temporary licenses are not available if you were educated outside the United States and have not passed the NCLEX.
• Your application is valid for 12 months. If incomplete after 12 months have passed, your application will be discarded and you must reapply and repay the application fee.
• You can check the status of your application online, 24 hours a day, by visiting the South Carolina Board of Nursing website.
• View the South Carolina BON’s FAQ section in the board's FAQ document (PDF).

• Renewal cadence: Every 2 years, on April 30th of even-numbered years for both RNs and LPNs. If you receive your initial credential in the months leading up to your renewal window, you are still required to renew your license and begin the 2-year renewal cycle.
• Renewal fee: $75. Renewal fees are the same for RNs and LPNs.
• Required contact hours: You can view more details in South Carolina's competency requirements (PDF). You must complete at least one of the following:
  - 30 contact hours
  - Certification or re-certification by a national certifying body recognized by the SCBON
  - Completion of an academic program of study in nursing or a related field
  - Verification of competency and the number of hours practiced as evidenced by employer certification form