Licensure by Endorsement Requirements
A current South Carolina license or temporary license is required to practice nursing in this state. Orientation is considered the practice of nursing in South Carolina. Therefore, all nurses must possess a current South Carolina license or temporary license before beginning orientation (including classroom instruction and reading policies and procedures). It is a violation of the Nurse Practice Act to begin orientation without the proper license and can result in action by the Board. The Board may issue a temporary license for up to sixty (60) days pending completion and approval of the application.The Board must not issue a temporary, or permanent license to a person licensed in another state who currently has disciplinary action pending against the person in that state or whose license is currently restricted in any way, including probationary status, in that state.
South Carolina requires that all licensees pass the United States licensure examination and the examination be passed within 3 years of graduation from an approved nursing program.
A graduate of a school of nursing outside the jurisdiction of the United States is not eligible for a license unless he/she holds a current license in another state based on passing the State Board Test Pool Examination prior to 1982 or the National Council Licensure Examination after 1982.
Successful completion of an English proficiency exam will be required of those applicants whose native language is not English.
Section 40-33-35. Licensing of applicant authorized to practice in other states.
(10) whose native language is not English, submits evidence of passing the Test of English as First Language (TOEFL), Test of Written English (TWE), and Test of Spoken English (TSE) offered by the TOEFL/TSE Services or another service approved by the board.
Compact State Information
South Carolina is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). The NLC allows
a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse licensed in a Compact state to
practice across state lines in another Compact state without having to obtain a
license in the other state. It is important to remember that the NLC requires
nurses to adhere to the nursing practice laws and rules of the state in which
he/she practices under his/her Compact license. If a nurse moves from one state
to another and establishes residency, the nurse must apply for licensure in that
state. In the case of electronic nursing practice (telenursing), the nurse must
adhere to the practice standards of the state in which the client receives care.
Please visit the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) website
(www.ncsbn.org)
for a list of states that have implemented the Compact.
Primary state of residence as defined by the Compact means the person's
declared fixed permanent and principal home for legal purposes; domicile. Proof
of primary residence may include but is not limited to 1) Driver's license with
a home address; 2) Voter registration card displaying a home address; 3) Federal
income tax return declaring the primary state of residence. 4) Military Form #
2058- state of legal residence certificate; or 5) W2 from US Government or any
bureau, division or agency thereof indicating the declared state of residence.
If your primary state of residence is another Compact State, you are not
eligible to reinstate or reactivate your license in South Carolina.
- If a party state issues a temporary permit or temporary license to an endorsee, that permit or license shall confer the same rights and privileges of nursing practice as does the permanent license among party states.
- Nursys will not track temporary licenses and employer must verify licensure directly from the state issuing the temporary permit/license.
Temporary License
Temporary licenses are not available to applicants with prior criminal
conviction(s), pending criminal charge(s), current board of nursing disciplinary
sanction(s), pending board action(s) or to applicants educated outside the
United States who have not passed the NCLEX/ SBTPE (with scores of 350 or
greater in each area). Applications with any of the above situations will be
required to submit additional information for review. Details must be provided
upon receipt of the application.
Change of Address
The Board must be notified of all changes in address, name and/or telephone
number. This will facilitate mailing of the license, renewal notices and board
mailings.
Name Used on License
A license must be issued in the person's legal name as verified by a birth
certificate or other legal document acceptable to the board. A licensee's name
may not be changed on a record in the office of the board without written
authorization for the change and an adequate identification of the applicant.