In South Carolina, the license families see for assisted living is "Community Residential Care Facility (CRCF)", issued by the South Carolina Department of Public Health, Bureau of Healthcare Quality. A physician or other authorized healthcare provider must complete a physical examination within 30 days before admission and at least annually after that. A resident may be moved out only for medical reasons, the welfare of the resident or other residents, or nonpayment, with at least 30 days' written notice.
Key facts
- The median monthly cost of assisted living in South Carolina was $5,350 in CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey, or $64,200 a year, $850 below the national median of $6,200 a month. (CareScout, 2026)
- The Community Choices Medicaid waiver pays for only a few services in South Carolina assisted living (CRCFs), such as respite, and not room and board, which residents cover mainly from their own income. (South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, 2023)
- Within 30 days before admission, residents generally must complete the first step of a two-step TB skin test, with the second step 7 to 21 days later, or have a single TB blood test (BAMT). (S.C. Code Regs. 60-84, sections 1101 and 1702, 2025)
- Trained facility staff may give routine medications and may give injections only for diabetes or anaphylaxis under an established medical protocol, but staff may not give sliding scale insulin injections. (S.C. Code Regs. 60-84, section 1203, 2025)
- A CRCF that offers an Alzheimer's special care unit or program must put in its policies, and give the responsible party seeking placement, a description of what makes its care different, including admission, transfer and discharge criteria, staffing, staff training and extra costs. (S.C. Code Ann. 44-36-520, 2025)
South Carolina licenses assisted living as community residential care facilities (CRCFs), and a CRCF may call itself assisted living if it meets the state's CRCF definition. The Department of Public Health (DPH) took over licensing from the Department of Health and Environmental Control in 2024 and licenses CRCFs under Regulation 60-84, formerly 61-84. Nursing homes are licensed separately.
Rules change and communities can set stricter policies. Before you sign, confirm the details with the community and the South Carolina Department of Public Health, Bureau of Healthcare Quality. This page is general information, not legal advice.
The rules at a glance
| Medical assessment before move-in | A physician or other authorized healthcare provider must complete a physical examination within 30 days before admission and at least annually after that. The exam must address whether a CRCF is an appropriate placement, ordered medications and treatments, self-administration, special conditions such as dementia, and any need for daily licensed nurse care. [4] More on this |
|---|---|
| TB test | Within 30 days before admission, residents generally must complete the first step of a two-step TB skin test, with the second step 7 to 21 days later, or have a single TB blood test (BAMT). A resident may be admitted after the first step if the second step is done within 14 days of admission. [4] More on this |
| Notice before a move-out | A resident may be moved out only for medical reasons, the welfare of the resident or other residents, or nonpayment, with at least 30 days' written notice. Notice can be shorter if the 30 days would endanger other residents' health, safety or welfare, and a resident whose needs the CRCF cannot meet must be moved within 30 days. [5][6] More on this |
| Who may give medications | Trained facility staff may give routine medications and may give injections only for diabetes or anaphylaxis under an established medical protocol, but staff may not give sliding scale insulin injections. Staff must be trained by people licensed to give medications and act in a surrogate family role. [7] More on this |
| Memory care and dementia | A CRCF that offers an Alzheimer's special care unit or program must put in its policies, and give the responsible party seeking placement, a description of what makes its care different, including admission, transfer and discharge criteria, staffing, staff training and extra costs. Residents may not be locked in, but DPH can approve locked exit doors in writing. [8][9] |
| Long-term care ombudsman | South Carolina's Long Term Care Ombudsman Program, run by the Department on Aging, helps residents of assisted living and community residential care facilities with problems such as improper transfer or discharge, and can be reached at 1-800-868-9095. [10] Official page More on this |
| Medicaid help | The Community Choices Medicaid waiver pays for only a few services in South Carolina assisted living (CRCFs), such as respite, and not room and board, which residents cover mainly from their own income. Low-income residents of an enrolled CRCF with an authorized slot may get help from the state-funded Optional State Supplementation (OSS) program, which SCDHHS says is not Medicaid. [12][11] Official page More on this |
What assisted living costs in South Carolina
The median monthly cost of assisted living in South Carolina was $5,350 in CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey, or $64,200 a year, $850 below the national median of $6,200 a month. [14]
A median is the middle of the rates communities reported, so many charge more or less. Rates differ between regions and by the care a resident needs, so ask each community for its full fee list in writing. More: assisted living costs in every state, a monthly budget and the costs that aren't in the base rate.
How to check a community in South Carolina
DPH's Find a Facility map shows each CRCF's license number and expiration date, administrator and number of licensed beds. A complaint about a health facility can be filed online or by calling 1-800-922-6735. Search South Carolina's records. [2][3]
The licensing agency: South Carolina Department of Public Health, Bureau of Healthcare Quality. [1][13] Our guide on how to read an inspection report explains what to look for.
Put South Carolina's paperwork on a date
Parent Move Plan counts every task back from the move-in day, including the medical assessment and TB screening the community will ask for, so nothing lands in the last week.
Get your first 3 days freeFrequently asked questions
How much does assisted living cost in South Carolina?
The median monthly cost of assisted living in South Carolina was $5,350 in CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey, or $64,200 a year, $850 below the national median of $6,200 a month. A median is the middle of the rates communities reported, so many charge more or less, and rates differ between regions and by the care a resident needs.
What medical assessment does South Carolina require before moving into assisted living?
A physician or other authorized healthcare provider must complete a physical examination within 30 days before admission and at least annually after that. The exam must address whether a CRCF is an appropriate placement, ordered medications and treatments, self-administration, special conditions such as dementia, and any need for daily licensed nurse care.
Does South Carolina require a TB test for assisted living?
Within 30 days before admission, residents generally must complete the first step of a two-step TB skin test, with the second step 7 to 21 days later, or have a single TB blood test (BAMT). A resident may be admitted after the first step if the second step is done within 14 days of admission.
How much notice must an assisted living community in South Carolina give before a move-out?
A resident may be moved out only for medical reasons, the welfare of the resident or other residents, or nonpayment, with at least 30 days' written notice. Notice can be shorter if the 30 days would endanger other residents' health, safety or welfare, and a resident whose needs the CRCF cannot meet must be moved within 30 days.
Who can give medications in assisted living in South Carolina?
Trained facility staff may give routine medications and may give injections only for diabetes or anaphylaxis under an established medical protocol, but staff may not give sliding scale insulin injections. Staff must be trained by people licensed to give medications and act in a surrogate family role.
Who can help with a complaint about assisted living in South Carolina?
South Carolina's Long Term Care Ombudsman Program, run by the Department on Aging, helps residents of assisted living and community residential care facilities with problems such as improper transfer or discharge, and can be reached at 1-800-868-9095.
Does Medicaid pay for assisted living in South Carolina?
The Community Choices Medicaid waiver pays for only a few services in South Carolina assisted living (CRCFs), such as respite, and not room and board, which residents cover mainly from their own income. Low-income residents of an enrolled CRCF with an authorized slot may get help from the state-funded Optional State Supplementation (OSS) program, which SCDHHS says is not Medicaid.
Sources
- South Carolina Department of Public Health: Community Residential Care Facilities (CRCF) licensing page (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- South Carolina Department of Public Health: Find a Facility map (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- South Carolina Department of Public Health: Health Facility Complaints (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- S.C. Code Regs. 60-84, sections 1101 and 1702(E), Resident Physical Examination and TB Screening; Resident Tuberculosis Screening (formerly 61-84; DPH copy), 2025 (checked October 22, 2026)
- S.C. Code Ann. 44-81-40(D), Bill of Rights for Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities (South Carolina Legislative Services Agency; last amended 2014) (checked October 22, 2026)
- S.C. Code Regs. 60-84, sections 906 and 801(F), Discharge/Transfer; Admission/Retention (formerly 61-84; DPH copy), 2025 (checked October 22, 2026)
- S.C. Code Regs. 60-84, section 1203(B), Administering Medication/Treatments (formerly 61-84; DPH copy), 2025 (checked October 22, 2026)
- S.C. Code Ann. 44-36-520, Alzheimer's Special Care Disclosure Act (South Carolina Legislative Services Agency, Code of Laws page, section enacted 1996, current through 2025 Acts), 2025 (checked October 22, 2026)
- S.C. Code Regs. 60-84, section 1001(G), Rights and Assurances (formerly 61-84; DPH copy), 2025 (checked October 22, 2026)
- South Carolina Department on Aging: Long Term Care Ombudsman Program (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services: Optional State Supplementation (OSS) (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services: Community Choices waiver application SC.0405.R04.06, Appendix C-1 and I-5 (2023) (checked October 22, 2026)
- South Carolina State Register Document No. 5352, Transfer of DPH Regulations to New Chapter 60 (final May 23, 2025) (checked October 22, 2026)
- CareScout: Cost of Care Survey 2025, Ranked Median Costs by State (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)