Allowed
Note: PharmaLink has compiled the information below for reference only. State dispensing regulations change frequently and we recommend consulting an attorney or your state medical or pharmacy board with specific questions or to verify your eligibility to dispense.
South Carolina’s permit requirement turns on an unusual question: not what you dispense, but who owns the site you dispense from.
Authority to dispense
Physicians can dispense medications in South Carolina to patients under their care. For a practice dispensing from premises it owns outright, no general dispensing permit is required.
The non-owned site permit
A dispensing permit is required for “non-owned” sites, meaning sites not directly and wholly owned by the dispensing practitioner.
This is a distinction most states do not draw, and it catches employed physicians and group practices in particular. A physician dispensing from a clinic owned by a hospital system, a management company, or a partnership in which they are not the sole owner is likely dispensing from a non-owned site. The ownership structure, not the clinical setup, determines whether the permit is needed — so confirm how your entity is actually held before concluding the permit does not apply.
Controlled substances
Physicians who wish to dispense controlled medications must receive a state-issued controlled substance license, separate from and additional to federal DEA registration.
Nurse practitioners
Nurse Practitioners may also dispense with certain restrictions; more information on NP dispensing can be found here.
As always, all state and federal regulations must be followed when dispensing, including drug storage and labeling requirements.
SCRIPTS reporting
South Carolina requires dispensers to report monitored drugs to SCRIPTS, the state prescription monitoring program, on a daily basis. Daily uploading has been the standard since legislation passed in January 2014.
Monitored prescription drugs are controlled substances in Schedules II, III, and IV. Information must also be provided on naloxone administrations. All dispensers in South Carolina are covered by the requirement, including mail order pharmacies shipping into the state.
Dispensing in South Carolina with PharmaLink
Dispensing medications to your patients offers meaningful benefits: additional practice revenue, better medication adherence, greater convenience for patients, and fewer pharmacy callbacks for your staff. PharmaLink provides the dispensing software, equipment, and support — so most practices can start dispensing within days of completing their application. PharmaLink does not sell, source, or ship medications; your practice purchases those directly from suppliers you select, under your own licenses.
- Cash & carry dispensing — patients pay at the point of care with transparent pricing.
- Workers' comp dispensing — treat injured workers, with claim data captured for your billing partner.
- Private insurance dispensing — adjudicate claims to your patients' insurance plans.
- Mail order & home delivery — send prescriptions to a fulfillment pharmacy that ships directly to your patients.
If you plan to dispense controlled substances, PharmaLink's software automatically reports to state PDMPs in all states where we operate.