South Carolina home care license requirements
Bottom line: Yes — DPH In-Home Care Provider license (Reg. 60-122).
CHANGED SINCE MARCH 2026 Change flag: Amendments to Regulation 60-122 took legal effect May 22, 2026.
- License required?
- Yes
- License / pathway
- DPH In-Home Care Provider license (Reg. 60-122)
- Fees (initial / renewal)
- $1,000 initial; $800 annual
From the 50-state summary. Fees shown as stated in the state entry; see each entry for conditions, conflicts, and sources.
South Carolina requirements, item by item
Bracketed numbers link to the official sources at the bottom of this page.
Not confirmed in official sources — check with the state agency We could not confirm this item on an official state source during our review, so we did not estimate it.
| Item | What the guide found |
|---|---|
| License required? | Yes. A Department license is required before establishing, operating, maintaining, or representing a business as an in-home care provider. The regulation defines in-home care as personal, non-skilled care; it excludes an individual hired directly by the care recipient or family. [1] |
| License type / name | In-Home Care Provider license under Regulation 60-122, Standards for Licensing In-Home Care Providers. The regulation covers personal, non-skilled services intended to assist with activities of daily living or personal needs, rather than skilled care or therapy. [1] |
| Licensing agency | South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH), Bureau of Health Facilities Licensing. [2][1] |
| Agency website | https://dph.sc.gov/professionals/healthcare-quality/licensed-facilities-professionals/home-care-providers [3] |
| Initial application / license fee | $1,000 initial license fee. [1] |
| Renewal fee | $800 annual renewal fee. The current regulation also states a $200 late fee if the renewal application or fee is not submitted by the license expiration date. [1] |
| Renewal cycle | Annual. [1] |
| Typical approval timeline | No official timeline published — check with the agency |
| Administrator qualifications | Not confirmed in official sources — check with the state agency |
| Caregiver background checks | License application signatories must submit a SLED name-based criminal records check that is no more than 90 days old when received by the Department. Caregivers must undergo a criminal background check before employment. [1] |
| Caregiver training hours | No number of training hours is specified. Required caregiver training must be provided or independently obtained before client contact and at least annually thereafter, unless otherwise specified. [1] |
| Registry checks | Caregivers must not have adverse findings on the Sex Offender Registry or Nurse Aide Registry. [1] |
| General liability insurance | The provider must maintain liability insurance or, in lieu of it, a surety bond. The minimum coverage is $100,000 per occurrence and $300,000 aggregate. [1][2] |
| Workers' compensation | Workers’ compensation insurance is required in accordance with S.C. Code Sections 42-5-10 et seq. [1][2] |
| Bonding (surety / dishonesty) | A surety bond may be maintained in lieu of liability insurance; the minimum coverage is $100,000 per occurrence and $300,000 aggregate. [1] |
| Rule changes 2025–2026 | May 23, 2025: Regulation 61-122 was transferred from Chapter 61 to Chapter 60 under DPH and became effective. May 22, 2026: amendments to Regulation 60-122 took legal effect; the June 26, 2026 State Register issue corrected a citation in Section 601.B.3. [4][5] |
Source notes and conflicts
The older Regulation 61-122 source identifies DHEC and describes a possible late fee of 25% of the licensing fee within 30 days after expiration. The current Regulation 60-122 identifies DPH and states a $200 late fee if renewal is not submitted by expiration; the current regulation is used here.
Sources
- Standards for Licensing In-Home Care Providers.
https://dph.sc.gov/sites/scdph/files/Library/Regulations/R.60-122.pdf - Licensure Application for In-Home Care Provider
https://dph.sc.gov/sites/scdph/files/Library/1307-ENG-DPH.pdf - In-Home Care Providers
https://dph.sc.gov/professionals/healthcare-quality/licensed-facilities-professionals/home-care-providers - [DOC] 5352
https://www.scstatehouse.gov/regs/5352.docx - SOUTH CAROLINA STATE REGISTER DISCLAIMER
https://www.scstatehouse.gov/state_register.php?first=FILE&pdf=1&file=Sr50-6.pdf
Limits: fees and forms change often. Agencies sometimes post conflicting figures (a statute vs. an older form); those conflicts are shown, not resolved by guessing. Confirm the current fee with the agency before filing. This guide is a research reference, not legal advice.
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