Looking for pharmacy technician in South Carolina license information? Following are the important facts you need to know about the requirements for pharmacy technicians in South Carolina.
Fact-checked against the state board, September 2026
Does South Carolina regulate pharmacy technicians?
Yes.
Is certification required to practice in South Carolina?
No, a national certification is not required in order to work as a pharmacy technician in South Carolina. However, you must obtain a Pharmacy Technician Registration from the SC Board of Pharmacy prior to beginning work as a pharmacy technician.
What certification exam(s) is/are approved by the state?
National certification is not required for basic registration. To become a South Carolina State-Certified Pharmacy Technician, you must pass the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) exam or another exam approved by the Board of Pharmacy, and keep that certification current. Check with the Board to confirm which other exams, such as NHA’s ExCPT, it currently accepts.
When is registration required?
You must apply for and receive proof of registration before beginning employment.
Is licensure required?
South Carolina calls it registration, not licensure. You must hold an active Pharmacy Technician registration from the SC Board of Pharmacy before you do any technician work. Registered technicians who meet additional requirements can also become State-Certified Pharmacy Technicians.
What do I have to do to become licensed and certified by the state of South Carolina?
First, register as a pharmacy technician with the SC Board of Pharmacy, which is part of the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR). Use the Board’s current Pharmacy Technician Registration application at llr.sc.gov/bop.
Once registered, you can apply to become a State-Certified Pharmacy Technician. You will need:
- At least 1,000 hours of work as a registered technician under a licensed pharmacist, verified by your pharmacist-in-charge.
- A completed Board-approved pharmacy technician course.
- A high school diploma or equivalent.
- A passing score on the PTCB exam or another Board-approved exam, with your certification kept current.
- Your continuing education requirements met.
State-certified technicians can take on more duties, such as receiving verbal phone orders, handling one-time prescription transfers and, with the required training, giving vaccinations.
Is training required?
Basic registration does not require a formal training program. Your pharmacist-in-charge must set written policies that match your duties to your training and experience. To become state-certified, you must complete a Board-approved technician course, which covers pharmacy law, calculations, pharmacology, compounding and hands-on experience, along with 1,000 hours of supervised work.
Are there Continuing Education (CE) requirements?
Yes. To renew each year, you must complete 10 hours of ACPE-accredited or CME Category I continuing education. The former requirement that some hours be earned in live, in-person programs was repealed in 2021. Extra hours can be carried forward one year. You are exempt from CE for your first renewal after initial registration, and while you are enrolled in a technician program. Technicians who give vaccinations must include at least 1 hour of vaccination-related CE each year.
How often is renewal required?
Every year. Registrations run July 1 through June 30 and must be renewed before July 1. If yours lapses, you must stop working as a technician immediately. Renew online through the SC LLR online renewal portal and certify your 10 CE hours. Confirm the current renewal fee on the Board’s website (llr.sc.gov/bop).
What should I do if I change jobs or change my home address?
Notify the Board in writing within 10 days. For a mailing address change, include your name, registration number and new address. For a job change, include the name and address of the pharmacy you left and the one you are joining.
Other good info to know about pharmacy technician South Carolina requirements
- Post your current registration where the public can see it in your primary pharmacy. At any other pharmacy where it isn’t posted, carry your wallet registration card.
- Technicians must be personally supervised by a pharmacist and may not perform duties reserved for pharmacists.
- One pharmacist may supervise up to four pharmacy technicians at a time, but no more than two of them may be non-state-certified. If a pharmacist supervises only one or two technicians, they don’t need to be state-certified.
- In institutional (hospital in-patient) pharmacies, the site may employ no more than three technicians per pharmacist.
- The pharmacist-in-charge is responsible for supervising technicians and defining their duties.
Essential Contact Info for the Pharmacy Technician South Carolina
South Carolina Board of Pharmacy SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation Phone: 803-896-4700 Email: [email protected] Website: https://llr.sc.gov/bop/
Professional Association for South Carolina Pharmacy Technicians: South Carolina Pharmacy Association (SCPhA) 1350 Browning Road, Columbia, SC 29210 Phone: (803) 354-9977 https://scrx.org
