South Carolina State Characteristics of Licensure Law

Last Updated June 2008

The information below is collected from state licensure boards or regulatory agencies responsible for regulating the professions of Speech-Language Pathology and/or Audiology. It is intended for informational use only, and should not be construed as legal advice.

Contact the state's licensure board or regulatory agency for exact licensure, certification, or registration requirements in your jurisdiction.

Initial Licensure Requirements

Postgraduate degree in speech-language pathology or audiology from a school determined by the board to be equivalent to ASHA accreditation
Completion of 9 months (30 clock hours per week) of full-time, supervised professional employment
Passage of an examination (score 600)
or
meet ASHA's standards for the certificate of clinical competence or its equivalent, in effect at the time of the application
or
have current ASHA CCC's or its equivalent

Exemptions

Federal/State employees or employees of a political subdivision, while engaged in official duties
Federal employees
Students
Hearing aid dealers/fitters
Registered nurses, LPNs or other certified technicians under the direction of a physician, otological consultants, or licensed audiologists
Other persons licensed by the state whose scope of practice overlaps with the practice of speech-language pathology or audiology

Reciprocity/Endorsement

The Board may issue a license to:

A person licensed in another state with substantially equivalent standards and if the person satisfies any other requirements prescribed by the Board, including continuing education
CCC holders

Interim Practice/Temporary Licensure

Individuals who have completed their post-graduate degree but not yet taken the exam or lack the supervised professional employment, must apply for an intern license.
Those who have not passed the exam must do so within 12 months of receiving the intern license; an intern license is valid for only 1 year and may be renewed only once if completing the supervised professional employment requirement.
Interns must complete 8 hours of continuing education per license period.

Continuing Education for Licensure Renewal

License holders must complete 16 hours of continuing education per license period.

Hearing Aid Dispensing

Audiologists may dispense hearing aids under an audiology license.

Support Personnel

Speech-language pathology assistants must have a bachelor's degree in speech-language pathology, including a core curriculum of 36 semester hours and not less than 100 clock hours of clinical practicum.
No speech-language pathology assistant may begin working in direct contact with clients without the Board's written approval of a supervisory agreement and on-the-job training plan.
A licensee may supervise no more than two full time or three part-time assistants.
Following on-the-job training, there must be at least 15% (6 hours per 40 hour week) of documented direct, visual supervision of client contact; 5% indirect supervision is also required (2 hours per 40 hour week) and must include review of written records; quarterly performance reviews are also required.
Clients must be informed in writing when an assistant is providing direct services.
Assistants must be clearly identified by a name tag.
Speech-language pathology assistants must complete 8 hours of continuing education per license renewal period (biennial).

Board Oversight

Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology

Board Composition

The Board shall consist of 5 members: two licensed speech-language pathologists, two licensed audiologists, and one lay member; all Board members must be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate.