South Carolina Nursing CE Requirements (2026): 30 Hours Every 2 Years
Requirements Overview
South Carolina requires 30 contact hours of continuing education per biennial renewal cycle for registered nurses. However, the state recognizes four distinct pathways to demonstrate continuing competency: completing 30 CE hours from approved providers, holding certification or recertification from a Board-recognized national body, completing an academic nursing program, or having an employer certify your competency and practice hours on a Board-approved form.
CE courses must come from South Carolina Board of Nursing-approved activities or ANCC-accredited providers. The state uses CE Broker for tracking and submitting CE completions, which simplifies the audit process. CE records must be retained for at least 4 years.
South Carolina is a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) state, and online renewal is available through the NurseGateway portal. The renewal fee is $75.
Renewal Pathways
How You Can Complete Your CE
South Carolina CE Rules & Limits
Details specific to South Carolina that generic CE guides tend to miss:
- Carry-over — Not specified in available sources.
- South Carolina offers 4 alternative pathways for continuing competency: CE hours, national certification, academic program, or employer verification.
- CE records must be retained for at least 4 years for potential Board audits.
- CE completions can be submitted through CE Broker.
- Renewal fee: $75.
- South Carolina is a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) state.
- Online renewal available through NurseGateway portal.
Provider Requirements
CE must be from South Carolina Board of Nursing-approved activities or ANCC-accredited providers. CE completions can be tracked through CE Broker.
Tips for South Carolina RNs
- If you hold a current national nursing certification (e.g., CCRN, CEN), you may use it to satisfy the competency requirement without completing 30 CE hours.
- Use CE Broker to track your completions. It's the Board's official system, and keeping it current simplifies the process if you're selected for audit.
- Retain CE certificates for at least 4 years — that's longer than many states require. Set a reminder to archive rather than discard.
- The employer verification pathway can be a good option if you work full-time. Ask your supervisor about completing the Board-approved competency form.
Sources
Each figure on this page is taken directly from the South Carolina Board of Nursing's official rules and continuing-education sources and recorded with the exact source excerpt. Last verified Mar 2026. Read how we compile and verify this data.