South Carolina Licensing Requirements for Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists

The information below is collected from state licensure boards or regulatory agencies responsible for regulating the professions of speech-language pathology and/or audiology. The information is reviewed on an annual basis. Please be advised that laws, regulations, and policies may change at any time, so always check with your state for the most up-to-date information.

Initial Licensure

Postgraduate degree in speech-language pathology or audiology from a school determined by the board to be equivalent to ASHA accreditation; and
Completion of 9 months (30 clock hours per week) of full-time, supervised professional employment; and
Passage of an examination; 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 as approved by the Board

Note: Audiologists may dispense hearing aids under an audiology license.

Exemptions

Federal/State employees or employees of a political subdivision, while engaged in official duties unless licensed by the Board
Students
Hearing aid dealers/fitters
Registered nurses, LPNs or other certified technicians under the direction of a physician, otological consultants, or licensed audiologists
An educator certified by the State Board of Education, including an educator certified as a speech language therapist who is not licensed as a speech-language pathologist and does not hold the CCC-SLP.

Reciprocity

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.

Interim Practice

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

License holders must complete 16 hours of continuing education per license period; licensees must maintain records of CE hours earned for a period of 4 years.

Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact

South Carolina is a member state of the Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact. Information on the current status of the ASLP-IC can be found on the ASLP-IC website.