Transfer Your Nursing License to South Carolina: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
Does my nursing license transfer to South Carolina?
South Carolina is a Nurse Licensure Compact state: a multistate license from another compact state works in South Carolina immediately, with no new application while you live in that other state; moving your residence to South Carolina means applying by endorsement. Nurses from non-compact states (California, New York, and the other non-members) apply to the South Carolina Board of Nursing for licensure by endorsement — the NCLEX is not retaken.
Moving to South Carolina from a specific state?
Pick your current state — the checker returns your exact pathway.
Verdict
NLC member — multistate license honored
Whether you need to do anything at all depends on the license in your pocket. If you hold a multistate license and your primary residence stays in another compact state — a travel contract, a border commute, telehealth — South Carolina requires nothing from you. If you are actually moving to South Carolina, you are changing your primary state of residence, and that means an endorsement application to the South Carolina Board of Nursing to re-home your multistate license.
NLC member — a multistate license from another compact state is honored without an SC application unless South Carolina becomes the primary state of residence; optional 60-day single-state temporary license adds $10.
South Carolina requirements at a glance
| Exam | NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys |
|---|---|
| Fees | $100 (endorsement application; $110 if adding a 60-day temporary license; fingerprint background check fee paid separately) |
| Processing time | board does not publish a timeframe; applications processed in order received and valid for one year; 60-day single-state temporary license available while pending |
Comparing South Carolina with other states? Check RN endorsement requirements by state in the Endorsement Requirement Finder.
Step by step
- Confirm South Carolina's current requirements on the South Carolina Board of Nursing website — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the South Carolina Board of Nursing (application linked on this page).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Fingerprint-based criminal background check; fingerprint only after the board emails instructions.
- Request license verification through Nursys from your original state of licensure.
- Document continued competency within the past two years (30 contact hours, national certification, academic study, or employer certification of practice hours).
- Hold an active RN license in another US state, jurisdiction, or territory.
- Submit proof of legal name and a 2x2 passport-type color photo taken within 6 months.
- Pay the fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.
Official links
Coming from a specific state?
Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into South Carolina:
Nearby states
Nursing license transfer into the states bordering South Carolina:
South Carolina for other professions
- Cosmetology / Barber in South Carolina
- Real Estate in South Carolina
- Contractor in South Carolina
- Teaching in South Carolina
- CPA / Accounting in South Carolina
- Electrician in South Carolina
- Plumber in South Carolina
- Engineering in South Carolina
- Pharmacy in South Carolina
- Physical Therapy in South Carolina
- Psychology in South Carolina
- Counseling in South Carolina
- Social Work in South Carolina
- Occupational Therapy in South Carolina
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to retake the NCLEX to get licensed in South Carolina?
No. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys. No state requires a second NCLEX.
Is South Carolina in the Nurse Licensure Compact?
Yes — South Carolina is an NLC member as of 2026-10-29. A multistate license from another member state is valid in South Carolina without any application, as long as your primary residence stays in a member state.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-10-29.
- SC Board of Nursing — Fee Schedule (read via Internet Archive capture of 2026-10-07; llr.sc.gov refused connections on 2026-10-29) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- SC BON — RN/LPN Licensure by Endorsement requirements and application (PDF) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- SC BON — RN Applications and Forms (read via Internet Archive capture of 2026-10-10; llr.sc.gov refused connections on 2026-10-29) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- S.C. Code § 40-33-36 — temporary license for endorsement applicants (up to sixty days) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-10-29
How we verify · All sources · Corrections log · spot an error? hello@licensereciprocity.com