South Carolina § 40-45-240 - Licensure without examination.

§ 40-45-240. Licensure without examination.

(A) The board may license as a physical therapist or as a physical therapist assistant, without examination, on the payment of the applicable fee, an applicant who is a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant licensed under the laws of another state or territory, if the requirements for licensure in that state or territory were at the date of licensure equivalent to the requirements in effect at the time of application in this State.

(B) An applicant licensed in another state applying for licensure by endorsement must:

(1) submit a completed notarized application form;

(2) submit the applicable fee in the form of a check or money order;

(3) legal documentation indicating a name change, if applicable;

(4) have the official transcript sent directly to the board from the applicant's physical therapy school;

(5) submit an evaluation of educational credentials if a graduate of a nonapproved school;

(6) have the examination scores reported directly to the board from the Interstate Reporting Service or other recognized examination service;

(7) submit an official verification of a current license;

(8) submit proof that the applicant can speak, write, and be tested in the English language if English is not the native language of country of origin;

(9) submit evidence on a form approved by the board of one thousand clinical practice hours under the on-site supervision of a licensed physical therapist if the applicant is a graduate of a nonapproved school;

(10) when applying for initial licensure, submit to a state criminal records check, supported by fingerprints, by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and a national criminal records check, supported by fingerprints, by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The results of these criminal records checks must be reported to the department. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is authorized to retain the fingerprints for certification purposes and for notification of the department regarding criminal charges. Costs of conducting a criminal history background check must be borne by the applicant. The department shall keep information received pursuant to this section confidential, except that information relied upon in denying licensure may be disclosed as may be necessary to support the administrative action. The results of these criminal records checks must not be shared outside the department.

HISTORY: 1998 Act No. 360, SECTION 1; 2021 Act No. 6 (S.287), SECTION 2, eff March 15, 2021.

Editor's Note

Prior Laws:1962 Code SECTION 56-1346; 1952 (47) 1967; 1964 (53) 2388; 1971 (57) 405; 1982 Act No. 413, SECTION 12; 1976 Code SECTION 40-45-120.

Effect of Amendment

2021 Act No. 6, SECTION 2, in (B), added (10).