South Carolina State Board of Nursing (SCBON) · NP

20 hours. Every two years. On a fixed renewal cycle.

Below is exactly what South Carolina State Board of Nursing (SCBON) requires: mandatory topics, exemptions, accepted credit types, and documentation rules.

Updated April 2026Sourced from SCSBN(~5 min read

Reviewed by Doug Doehrman, MD · Last reviewed April 25, 2026

Mandatory topics

For NPs, 20 hours is the total CME requirement. South Carolina also requires a set of one-time topics that count toward the 20-hour total.

Pharmacology[1]
20 hrs
Biennial
APRNs with prescriptive authority must complete 20 contact hours of pharmacotherapeutics per biennial renewal cycle. This is in addition to the base RN competency demonstration requirement. 2 of the 20 pharmacotherapeutics hours must address controlled substances. Per S.C. Code Ann. § 40-33-34(E)(3). Approved pharmacotherapy providers are listed on the SCBON CE page.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“For an APRN with prescriptive authority (RX), competency is demonstrated by an updated National Certification in addition to 20 hours of Pharmacotherapeutics with 2 of the 20 hours focused on controlled substances.”
S.C. Code Ann. § 40-33-34(E)(3)See source [1] in Primary Sources
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Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, South Carolina Medical Association, or AAFP. ACGME residency or fellowship time accrues toward the requirement. Teaching or presenting accredited CME can satisfy a portion of required hours.

Credit systemNotes
ANCC Contact Hour
Pharmacotherapeutics CE from SCBON-approved pharmacotherapy providers. The SCBON publishes a Board Approved Listing for Pharmacotherapeutics Education on the CE page (llr.sc.gov/nurse/ce.aspx). Only providers on this list qualify for the pharmacotherapeutics CE requirement.SourceS.C. Code Ann. § 40-33-34(E)(3)
Board-approved credit
For the base RN competency requirement: CE from SCBON-recognized providers, national certification, academic program, or employer verification. For APRN prescriptive authority: only SCBON-approved pharmacotherapy providers qualify. CE Broker tracks CE for both layers.SourceS.C. Code Ann. § 40-33-40 / S.C. Code Ann. § 40-33-34(E)(3)
Documentation & audit

Physicians are responsible for retaining CME documentation and producing it on request. Requirements include course title, dates, hours, sponsoring organization, and accrediting body.

Waivers & exemptions

Active-duty military personnel may claim exemption from CE requirements and fees during active service

FAQ
Does South Carolina require pharmacology CE for NPs with prescriptive authority?
Yes. S.C. Code Ann. § 40-33-34(E)(3) requires NPs with prescriptive authority to complete 20 contact hours of pharmacotherapeutics CE per biennial renewal, with 2 of those 20 hours specifically on controlled substances. The CE must be from providers on the SCBON's Board Approved Listing for Pharmacotherapeutics Education. Initial prescriptive authority requires 45 pharmacotherapeutics hours. Renewal requires 20 hours. CE Broker is available for tracking pharmacotherapy CE.
Is South Carolina in the APRN Compact?
No. South Carolina is an NLC compact member for RN licensure but is not a member of the APRN Compact as of 2026. South Carolina APRN prescriptive authority is state-specific and does not travel to other states. NPs who practice in multiple states as APRNs must obtain separate APRN authorization in each state.
Does South Carolina require NPs to maintain national certification for APRN renewal?
Yes. Under S.C. Code Ann. § 40-33-34(E)(3), APRN prescriptive authority renewal requires both current national certification and 20 hours of pharmacotherapeutics CE. National certification and the CE requirement are separate, simultaneous obligations — certification alone does not satisfy the pharmacotherapy CE requirement, and the CE alone does not satisfy the national certification requirement. NPs should track national certification expiration separately from their South Carolina license renewal date.
Where can I check my South Carolina NP/APRN license renewal date?
Because South Carolina uses a fixed renewal deadline — April 30 of every even-numbered year — there is no individual renewal date to look up. All active RN and APRN licenses renew by April 30 of each even year. NPs can access the SCBON online renewal portal at https://eservice.llr.sc.gov/OnlineRenewals/. For CE tracking, CE Broker at https://llr.sc.gov/nurse/ce.aspx is the official system. For questions, contact SCBON at nurseboard@llr.sc.gov or (803) 896-4550.

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Sources & Citations

Every mandatory topic and conditional requirement above cites the underlying statute or rule. Numbered references below correspond to the bracketed citations next to each requirement.

  1. S.C. Code Ann. §§ 40-33-34 and 40-33-40 — Prescriptive Authority and Competency
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-23
    Show verbatim text
    “For an APRN with prescriptive authority (RX), competency is demonstrated by an updated National Certification in addition to 20 hours of Pharmacotherapeutics with 2 of the 20 hours focused on controlled substances.”S.C. Code Ann. § 40-33-34(E)(3)

This page is provided for general educational purposes and reflects the best available information as of the last reviewed date above. CME requirements change. Atlas CME is not affiliated with the South Carolina State Board of Nursing (SCBON), or any other state medical board, licensing authority, or professional organization. Physicians are solely responsible for verifying their own current CME requirements directly with their state's medical board before relying on any information presented here.

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