South Carolina Medical License Renewal 2026: $140 fee, 40 hours CME, June 30 deadline

i Deadlines, fees, and what happens if you are late

When it is due

Fixed statewide date: licenses expire June 30 of odd-numbered years (current cycle is 2025-2027; the prior license lapsed June 30, 2025 if not renewed, per the board's 2025-2027 late renewal application). SC Code 40-47-41 provides that a license "may be renewed biennially or as otherwise provided by the board." The board page does not publish the exact opening date of the on-time renewal window for MD/DO.

Fee

$140 (active MD/DO permanent license, 2-year renewal, 2025-2027 cycle)

Late fee

$100 per month, added to the $140 renewal fee (July after the deadline through the following June 30, reaching $140 + $1,200 = $1,340 by month 12). If the physician practiced in SC after the lapse, an additional $1,000 per month unauthorized-practice penalty applies (up to $13,340 total at month 12).

If you miss the deadline

No practice grace period. The license lapses at the close of the renewal period (June 30) and "the licensee may not practice in this State until the licensee is reinstated" (SC Code 40-47-41). A 12-month late renewal window follows (for the current cycle: July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026), paper application only, with a $100/month late fee and a notarized sworn Practice Activity Statement under SC Code 40-47-43; practicing after lapse adds $1,000/month. Beginning the 13th month (July 1, 2026 for this cycle), late renewal is no longer available and a full reactivation application is required. Statute allows reinstatement on payment of a reinstatement fee, the current renewal fee, and demonstration of continued competency satisfactory to the board.

1 Step-by-Step: Renewing Your South Carolina Medical License

Follow these steps to renew your medical license with the South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners (SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation):

Complete your CME for the cycle (40 hours) (see details below)

Log in to the South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners (SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation) renewal portal

Complete the renewal application and answer the attestation questions

Pay the renewal fee ($140 (active MD/DO permanent license, 2-year renewal, 2025-2027 cycle))

Submit and save your confirmation

2 South Carolina CME Requirements

40 hours per 2-year cycle.

At least 40 hours in Category 1

2 hours of controlled substances

Tracking your CME across multiple states is one of the most time-consuming parts of credential management. CredentialDOMD automatically monitors your CME progress and alerts you when you're falling behind, so you never miss a requirement.

3 Common Pitfalls to Avoid

These are the mistakes South Carolina physicians most commonly make during renewal:

There is no grace period to practice: the license lapses July 1, and if you saw patients in SC after the lapse the board charges a $1,000 per month unauthorized-practice penalty on top of the $100 per month late fee, and you must sign a notarized sworn Practice Activity Statement (SC Code 40-47-43) admitting whether you practiced.

Late renewal cannot be done online. It is a 7-page paper application, check or money order only (no cash), and unlike on-time renewers you must submit actual proof of all 40 CME hours with it.

The late fee compounds monthly ($100/month), so waiting until the end of the 12-month late window costs $1,340 without penalty; after 12 months (July 1 of the even year) late renewal closes entirely and a full reactivation application is required.

The board's own linked 'Renewal and Late Renewal Fees' PDF is stale: it still shows the prior cycle's $155 renewal fee and 2025 reactivation date, while the renewals page and the current 2025-2027 application both state $140. Trust the current-cycle application.

All 40 CME hours must be completed within the 24-month window preceding the June 30 deadline AND before you renew online; CME finished after you submit does not count. A random board CME audit runs at the end of each renewal period, so keep certificates or use CE Broker.

Active-duty military physicians are exempt from the renewal fee and CME (SC Code 40-1-610 and 40-1-620) but cannot claim the exemption online; a paper application from the board is required.

Track your South Carolina license, CME, and DEA in one place

The reminder email above covers this renewal. The app goes further: it watches your SC renewal window, counts your CME hours against the requirement, and tracks your DEA registration alongside your license. Built by a practicing neurosurgeon who uses it daily. Free during beta.

Request an invite

Invite-only beta. Founding-member perks go by signup order.

4 Frequently Asked Questions

When is my South Carolina medical license renewal due? ▾

SC MD/DO permanent licenses renew biennially on a fixed statewide cycle ending June 30 of odd-numbered years. The current cycle is 2025-2027; licenses not renewed by June 30, 2025 lapsed on July 1, 2025. Renew online through the LLR Online Services portal before the deadline.

How much does renewal cost? ▾

$140 for the 2025-2027 cycle, paid online through the LLR portal. Note that an older fee PDF on the board site still shows $155; the current renewals page and the 2025-2027 renewal application both state $140.

Can I renew late online? ▾

No. Per the board, 'Late renewals cannot be done online.' You must mail the paper 2025-2027 Late Renewal Application with a check or money order for $140 plus $100 for each month past June 30, and include documentation of all 40 CME hours.

What happens if I kept practicing after my license lapsed? ▾

Practice is not allowed after June 30 once the license lapses. If you practiced in SC after the lapse you must pay an additional $1,000 per month penalty fee and complete a notarized sworn Practice Activity Statement under SC Code 40-47-43. By month 12 the total with penalty reaches $13,340.

Do I have to send CME certificates when I renew? ▾

Not if you renew on time: MD/DO licensees self-attest and are told not to send certificates, but must keep them (or track in CE Broker) for a random audit at the end of the renewal period. Physicians renewing late must submit actual proof of CME with the paper application.

Is CME required for my first renewal? ▾

No. Per the board's renewal application, licensees in their first renewal cycle after receiving a permanent license are not required to complete CME (podiatry excepted).

How long can I renew late before I have to reapply? ▾

Twelve months. For the current cycle the late renewal window ran July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026; beginning July 1, 2026 a reactivation application is required, and under SC Code 40-47-41 reinstatement takes a reinstatement fee, the current renewal fee, and demonstration of continued competency satisfactory to the board.

South Carolina Medical License Renewal, 2026

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i Deadlines, fees, and what happens if you are late

1 Step-by-Step: Renewing Your South Carolina Medical License

2 South Carolina CME Requirements

3 Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Track your South Carolina license, CME, and DEA in one place

4 Frequently Asked Questions

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South Carolina Medical License Renewal, 2026

Email me this guide

i Deadlines, fees, and what happens if you are late

1 Step-by-Step: Renewing Your South Carolina Medical License

2 South Carolina CME Requirements

3 Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Track your South Carolina license, CME, and DEA in one place

4 Frequently Asked Questions

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