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LicenseReciprocity

Transfer Your Occupational Therapy License to South Carolina: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)

Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: South Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy (SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation) ↗

South Carolina has enacted the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact but, as of 2026-09-27, is not yet accepting applications or issuing privileges, so no privilege lets you practice there. Every incoming OT or OTA needs a South Carolina license by endorsement from the South Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy (SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation): $135 (initial license application fee for an OT (OTA $115), by certified check or money order with a paper application, or online through the LLR portal. Temporary licensure is $10 per license. No fingerprint/background-check fee is listed in the Board's instructions. No OT Compact privilege fee exists yet (South Carolina is not issuing privileges).), processing no processing time is published on the Board's licensure or fee pages; incomplete applications or applications without the fee are not accepted and delay the process, with NBCOT exam passage verified instead of retaken.

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Verdict

OT Compact enacted — not yet issuing

South Carolina's compact status reads better on paper than it works in practice. The legislature has enacted the OT Compact, but the South Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy (SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation) was not accepting privilege applications as of 2026-09-27, so for now South Carolina works like a non-member: nobody practices there on a privilege, and OTs who live there cannot buy privileges elsewhere. Plan on endorsement. This page will change when South Carolina goes live.

South Carolina has ENACTED the OT Compact but is NOT yet issuing privileges ('Not Yet' on the Commission's Before You Apply page); the Board links to otcompact.gov but relocating OTs still need a South Carolina license by endorsement. Endorsement is for applicants who hold a current license in another jurisdiction; new graduates apply by examination (which adds the SC Jurisprudence Exam, 70% to pass), and former SC licensees use reinstatement ($400 OT). Paper applications are mailed with the fee; online applications are available for initial licenses only. The Board lists a temporary license ($10). Data read from Internet Archive copies (March 2026) because llr.sc.gov refused connections from this environment on 2026-09-27.

South Carolina requirements at a glance

Out-of-state occupational therapy license transfer requirements for South Carolina, verified 2026-09-27
ExamThe NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. For endorsement, 'NBCOT must submit verification of your current certification status directly to the Board' (an NBCOT Verification of Certification; copies not accepted), and the statutory licensing requirements include being in good standing with NBCOT, so South Carolina requires CURRENT NBCOT certification. The 70% SC Jurisprudence Exam is listed only in the examination-applicant instructions, not in the endorsement instructions.
Additional requirements
  • Graduate of an ACOTE-approved OT program with at least six months of supervised fieldwork
  • Be in good standing with NBCOT and have NBCOT send verification of current certification directly to the Board
  • Have every state where you hold a permanent license (including lapsed licenses) send license verification directly to the Board
  • Submit a 2x2 photo, a signed copy of your Social Security card and a copy of a government ID with the application
Fees$135 (initial license application fee for an OT (OTA $115), by certified check or money order with a paper application, or online through the LLR portal. Temporary licensure is $10 per license. No fingerprint/background-check fee is listed in the Board's instructions. No OT Compact privilege fee exists yet (South Carolina is not issuing privileges).)
Processing timeno processing time is published on the Board's licensure or fee pages; incomplete applications or applications without the fee are not accepted and delay the process

Step by step

  1. Confirm South Carolina's current requirements on the South Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy (SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation) website — rules change.
  2. Submit the endorsement application to the South Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy (SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation) (application linked on this page).
  3. Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
  4. Graduate of an ACOTE-approved OT program with at least six months of supervised fieldwork.
  5. Be in good standing with NBCOT and have NBCOT send verification of current certification directly to the Board.
  6. Have every state where you hold a permanent license (including lapsed licenses) send license verification directly to the Board.
  7. Submit a 2x2 photo, a signed copy of your Social Security card and a copy of a government ID with the application.
  8. Pay the fees ($135 (initial license application fee for an OT (OTA $115), by certified check or money order with a paper application, or online through the LLR portal. Temporary licensure is $10 per license. No fingerprint/background-check fee is listed in the Board's instructions. No OT Compact privilege fee exists yet (South Carolina is not issuing privileges).)) and allow no processing time is published on the Board's licensure or fee pages; incomplete applications or applications without the fee are not accepted and delay the process.

Official links

South Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy (SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation) ↗South Carolina application ↗License verification ↗

Coming from a specific state?

Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into South Carolina:

California → South CarolinaFlorida → South CarolinaGeorgia → South CarolinaIllinois → South CarolinaMichigan → South CarolinaNew York → South CarolinaNorth Carolina → South CarolinaOhio → South CarolinaPennsylvania → South CarolinaTexas → South Carolina

Nearby states

Occupational Therapy license transfer into the states bordering South Carolina:

South Carolina for other professions

Frequently asked questions

Does my occupational therapy license transfer to South Carolina?

South Carolina has enacted the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact but, as of 2026-09-27, is not yet accepting applications or issuing privileges, so no privilege lets you practice there. Every incoming OT or OTA needs a South Carolina license by endorsement from the South Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy (SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation): $135 (initial license application fee for an OT (OTA $115), by certified check or money order with a paper application, or online through the LLR portal. Temporary licensure is $10 per license. No fingerprint/background-check fee is listed in the Board's instructions. No OT Compact privilege fee exists yet (South Carolina is not issuing privileges).), processing no processing time is published on the Board's licensure or fee pages; incomplete applications or applications without the fee are not accepted and delay the process, with NBCOT exam passage verified instead of retaken.

Do I have to retake the NBCOT exam to get licensed in South Carolina?

No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. For endorsement, 'NBCOT must submit verification of your current certification status directly to the Board' (an NBCOT Verification of Certification; copies not accepted), and the statutory licensing requirements include being in good standing with NBCOT, so South Carolina requires CURRENT NBCOT certification. The 70% SC Jurisprudence Exam is listed only in the examination-applicant instructions, not in the endorsement instructions.

How much does an OT license by endorsement cost in South Carolina?

$135 (initial license application fee for an OT (OTA $115), by certified check or money order with a paper application, or online through the LLR portal. Temporary licensure is $10 per license. No fingerprint/background-check fee is listed in the Board's instructions. No OT Compact privilege fee exists yet (South Carolina is not issuing privileges).).

How long does South Carolina take to issue an OT license by endorsement?

no processing time is published on the Board's licensure or fee pages; incomplete applications or applications without the fee are not accepted and delay the process.

Is South Carolina an OT Compact state?

South Carolina has enacted the compact but was not accepting applications or issuing privileges as of 2026-09-27. Until it goes live, endorsement is the only way to practice in South Carolina.

Sources

Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-09-27.

Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-09-27

How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]