South Carolina Physical Therapist License Renewal Requirements 2026

This guide explains South Carolina physical therapist license renewal requirements, continuing education rules, fees, deadlines, and lapsed license procedures. South Carolina PT licenses expire December 31 of even-numbered years on a biennial cycle — the next renewal deadline is December 31, 2026, followed by December 31, 2028. The renewal portal opens October 1, 2026 for the current cycle. All renewals are processed online through the SC LLR eService portal.

The biennial renewal fee is $80. Late renewal carries a $150 fee. The Board states that failure to renew prior to the deadline will result in a lapsed license — there is no formal grace period. South Carolina requires 3.0 CEUs (30 contact hours) per biennium, with at least 15 hours from Certified Activities and at least 3 hours in ethics, professionalism, and/or South Carolina jurisprudence. Notably, CE is not required for the first biennium renewal period in which a licensee is initially licensed.

The CE reporting period for the 2026 renewal runs January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2026. South Carolina requires all CE to be reported through CE Broker. Setting up a CE Broker account is required for all South Carolina PT licensees and should be done immediately upon initial licensure. CE records must be retained for at least 3 years from the beginning of the licensure period, as the Board conducts random audits.

South Carolina PT Renewal Requirements

First Biennium Exemption

Licensees are not subject to the CE requirement for the first biennium renewal period in which they are initially licensed. This means newly licensed South Carolina PTs renewing for the first time do not need to complete CE for that initial renewal. Full CE requirements apply from the second renewal forward.

Continuing Education — 30 Hours Per Biennium

South Carolina requires 3.0 CEUs (30 contact hours) per biennial renewal period. CE hours cannot be carried over from one licensure period to another. CE is organized into two categories: Certified Activities and Approved Activities.

Certified Activities — Minimum 15 Hours Required

At least 15 of the 30 contact hours must come from Certified Activities. Certified Activities include:

• Conferences and CE activities meeting FSBPT Standards of Continuing Competence (SCC)
• APTA, SCAPTA, other APTA chapters/sections/state boards of PT programs
• Educational programs approved by accredited universities
• SCAPTA-approved educational programs
• APTA-credentialed fellowship or residency (counts for entire biennium)
• ABPTS clinical specialization or recertification (counts for entire biennium)
• Academic coursework at graduate level germane to PT practice (graduate level for PTs)
• FSBPT and/or APTA physical therapy continued competency tools
• AMA-approved courses relating to physical therapy

Ethics, Professionalism, and SC Jurisprudence — 3 Hours Required

All licensees must complete 3 contact hours of study in ethics, professionalism, and/or South Carolina jurisprudence per biennium. This requirement must be satisfied through a Certified Activity and counts toward the minimum 15 Certified Activity hours.

Approved Activities — Maximum 15 Hours

Up to 15 of the 30 contact hours may come from Approved Activities, subject to per-category limits. Approved Activities include CE courses not meeting Certified Activity criteria, clinical instruction, in-service education, teaching at accredited institutions (adjunct only), volunteer PT services, presentations to health care professionals, self-study, peer-reviewed research, professional publications, and formal mentorship. Key category caps:

• Self-study: maximum 2 contact hours per biennium
• Teaching: maximum 10 contact hours per biennium
• Volunteer work: maximum 7.5 contact hours per biennium
• Presentations: maximum 6 contact hours per biennium
• Publications: maximum 8 contact hours per biennium

CE Broker — Required

All South Carolina PT licensees are required to report CE through CE Broker. Set up your account at cebroker.com/sc/account/basic/. CE reported in CE Broker is subject to random audit by the Board. Retain original documentation of all Certified and Approved Activities for no less than 3 years from the beginning date of the licensure period.

When Should You Renew?

South Carolina PT licenses expire December 31 of even-numbered years. The renewal portal opens October 1, 2026 for the current cycle — the Board recommends completing CE and renewing as early as possible after that date. The CE reporting period for the 2026 renewal is January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2026 — all CE must be earned within this window and reported in CE Broker before renewing. The Board states that failure to renew prior to the deadline will result in a lapsed license. Late renewal after December 31 carries a $150 fee rather than the standard $80.

How to Renew Your South Carolina PT License

1. Complete 30 contact hours of CE during the reporting period (January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2026 for the 2026 renewal), including at least 15 Certified Activity hours and 3 hours of ethics/professionalism/SC jurisprudence
2. Report all CE activities through your CE Broker account at cebroker.com/sc/account/basic/
3. Log in to the SC LLR eService portal at eservice.llr.sc.gov
4. Complete the renewal application and attest to CE compliance
5. Pay the $80 renewal fee by credit card or electronic check
6. Submit before December 31 of the even-numbered renewal year
7. Retain all CE documentation for at least 3 years in case of audit

Lapsed and Inactive Licenses

South Carolina distinguishes between several license statuses with different fee structures:

• Late Renewal: $150 — applies to renewal after December 31 expiration date
• Reactivation from Inactive to Active: $230 (includes $150 + $80 renewal fee) — for licenses placed on inactive status
• Reinstatement from Lapsed to Active: $390 — for licenses that have lapsed; additional competency requirements and clinical practice verification may apply for licenses lapsed 3 or more years
• Deactivation from Active to Inactive: $50 — for licensees who wish to place their license on inactive status

Contact the Board at (803) 896-4655 or Contact.PT@llr.sc.gov for current reinstatement procedures and documentation requirements.

South Carolina PT Continuing Education Providers

PT Compact and South Carolina Renewal

South Carolina is a PT Compact member state. For South Carolina-licensed PTs using their South Carolina license as their Compact home state license, renewing your license on time each even-numbered year is critical — an expired South Carolina license directly affects your Compact Privileges in all other member states. See South Carolina PT initial licensing for full Compact privilege details.

For out-of-state Compact Privilege holders practicing in South Carolina, your home state license renewal governs your Compact eligibility. South Carolina practice requirements apply while practicing in the state.

Common South Carolina PT Renewal Mistakes

• Forgetting the 3-hour ethics/professionalism/SC jurisprudence requirement. This must be a Certified Activity and is mandatory every biennium (after the first).
• Not meeting the 15 Certified Activity minimum. Up to 15 hours can be Approved Activities, but at least 15 must be Certified. Plan your CE mix accordingly.
• Exceeding category limits on Approved Activities. Self-study is capped at 2 hours, presentations at 6, volunteer work at 7.5 — know the limits before planning your CE year.
• Not setting up CE Broker. CE reporting through CE Broker is required. CE completed but not reported there does not satisfy the renewal requirement.
• Assuming first biennium CE exemption applies beyond the first renewal. CE is not required only for the first biennium — full requirements apply thereafter.
• Letting a South Carolina license lapse as the Compact home state. Reinstatement from lapsed status costs $390 and may have additional competency requirements after 3 years. Don’t let this happen if South Carolina is your Compact home state.

Relevant Statutes and Regulations

• S.C. Code Title 40, Chapter 45 — Physical Therapy Practice Act
• SC Code Regs. Chapter 101 — Physical Therapy Regulations (including CE requirements)
• SC Board of Physical Therapy — Fee Schedule
• SC Board of Physical Therapy — Continuing Education Requirements

Related Pages

• South Carolina Physical Therapist License — Initial Licensing
• Physical Therapist Licensing by State

Frequently Asked Questions