CPA License Renewal in South Carolina (2026)

CPA license renewal in South Carolina is handled by the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation - Board of Accountancy, which requires Certified Public Accountant (CPA)s to renew every 12 months. Below are the renewal deadline rule, continuing-education (CE) hours, fees, and a direct link to the official renewal page — last verified 2026-06-01. This is an unofficial guide; always confirm the details with the board before you file.

South Carolina CPA renewal at a glance

Renewal cycle	12 months
Deadline rule	Individual CPA licenses renew annually with a fixed statewide deadline of February 1 (11:59pm). The deadline is the same calendar date for all licensees, not staggered by birth month or last name; licenses not renewed shortly after that date lapse and require reinstatement.
CE hours required	40 hours
Renewal fee	$95.00
Online renewal	Yes
Governing body	South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation - Board of Accountancy

Go to the official South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation - Board of Accountancy renewal page →

Last verified 2026-06-01 from the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation - Board of Accountancy. automated research workflow (official south-carolina Board of Accountancy), confidence high.

Continuing-education requirements for CPAs in South Carolina

Each licensee must complete 40 hours of acceptable CPE every calendar year as a condition of annual renewal, including at least 2 hours of ethics (behavioral or regulatory ethics meeting the board's Reg. 1-08) within that 40-hour total. Up to 20 hours may be carried over to the following year. No separate state-specific ethics exam is required for renewal of an active license; documentation must be retained for 5 years.

Need approved hours? Compare South Carolina CPA CE courses (some links are affiliate links).

How to renew your CPA license in South Carolina

Confirm your renewal deadline and current status on the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation - Board of Accountancy portal.
Complete the required 40 CE hours.
Submit the renewal application and pay the current fee online.
Keep proof of CE and your renewal confirmation for your records.

Good to know: Licensing is state-level via the SC LLR Board of Accountancy (NASBA coordinates but does not license). Renewal is annual; CPE is measured per calendar year (40 hrs incl. 2 ethics), so a single year's renewal = 40 CPE hours. Online renewal portal: https://eservice.llr.sc.gov/OnlineRenewals/. No flat "late fee" is published; instead, a license not renewed by the deadline becomes late and (after a short grace, roughly mid-February) lapses, requiring a reinstatement application, a criminal background check, the $95 renewal fee, plus a $500 reinstatement fee ($595 total). Figures ($95 fee, Feb 1 deadline, $500 reinstatement, 40/2 CPE) are from the official LLR renewal notice; the exact llr.sc.gov/acct/renewals.aspx and fees.aspx pages were intermittently unreachable during research and could not be loaded directly, though the LLR notice text (republished by SCACPA) and LLR-sourced search summaries corroborate these values.

CPA license renewal in South Carolina: frequently asked questions

How often do I renew my CPA license in South Carolina?

South Carolina CPA licenses renew every 12 months. Individual CPA licenses renew annually with a fixed statewide deadline of February 1 (11:59pm). The deadline is the same calendar date for all licensees, not staggered by birth month or last name; licenses not renewed shortly after that date lapse and require reinstatement.

How many CE hours are required to renew an CPA license in South Carolina?

Approximately 40 continuing-education hours per cycle. Each licensee must complete 40 hours of acceptable CPE every calendar year as a condition of annual renewal, including at least 2 hours of ethics (behavioral or regulatory ethics meeting the board's Reg. 1-08) within that 40-hour total. Up to 20 hours may be carried over to the following year. No separate state-specific ethics exam is required for renewal of an active license; documentation must be retained for 5 years. Confirm the current requirement with the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation - Board of Accountancy.

Can I renew my South Carolina CPA license online?

Yes — South Carolina offers online renewal through the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation - Board of Accountancy. Use the official link on this page.

What happens if I let my South Carolina CPA license expire?

Practicing on an expired license is generally prohibited and can carry penalties. Late or reactivation fees may apply. Contact the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation - Board of Accountancy promptly if your license has lapsed.

Renew the same license in another state

All states: Certified Public Accountant (CPA) renewal