The state fee is $125.00, renewable annually. When completing the application (pdf), list your South Carolina professional address and telephone number in the space allocated. This application can not be used to renew your current registration. If a renewal application is needed, please call 803-896-0634.

Attach a copy of your S.C. Professional License (Limited, Temporary or Permanent) or a copy of the letter from the S.C. Board of Labor Licensing and Regulation stating your licensure. Applications cannot be processed without licensure verification.

Practitioners engaged strictly in Locum Tenens work may list their home address on the state application and should provide a copy of their federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) certificate and a copy of their S.C. state license.

MD/DO Registrants: Applications processed prior to July 1st will have an expiration date of Oct. 1st of the same year and subject to renewal prior to Oct. 1st of that year. Applications processed after July 1st will have an expiration date of Oct. 1st of the following year. You may submit your application and request that it be held until after July 1st if you plan to begin practice in our state after July 1st.

Registrants other than MD/DO: Applications processed prior to Jan. 1st will have an expiration date of April 1st of the same year and subject to renewal prior to April 1st of that year. Applications processed after Jan. 1st will have an expiration date of April 1st of the following year. You may submit your application and request that it be held until after Jan. 1st if you plan to practice in our state after Jan. 1st.

Initial federal DEA applications are available on their web site or by mail through the Atlanta DEA office at 866-533-6983. You may transfer an active federal DEA registration from one state to another, however the address on the transfer request must be the same as the address that is listed on the S.C. Controlled Substances registration application.

You may return the D.E.A. Transfer Application (pdf) with the S.C. Controlled Substances Application (pdf) and we will forward the form to the DEA once we issue the state controlled substances registration.

Application Processing Time: Processing time can take up to two weeks; depending upon the completeness of the application. All applications are processed in the order as received.

To Cancel A Registration: To cancel a registration, a letter can be faxed to 803-896-0656 Attention Renewal Clerk referencing your State Controlled Substance Registration number and federal DEA number stating that you are requesting to cancel your registration due to whatever your situation may be (i.e., Moving Out-of-State, Retired, Disabled, Deceased, No-Longer Practicing Medicine, or No Longer Have a South Carolina License). The Bureau of Drug Control will notify the federal DEA of your status.

To Change Your Business Address on Your Controlled Substance Registration: A letter can be faxed to 803-896-0656 or 803-896-0627 Attention Renewal Clerk referencing your State Controlled Substance Registration number and federal DEA number stating the old address and what the new address is and the new telephone number. The same letter must be faxed to the U.S. DEA to Attention Ms. Debbie Thomason 404-893-7095 so she can change the address on your federal DEA registration. There is no cost to make the change.

Controlled Substance Renewal Process: All registrations must be renewed annually. Registrations for MDs, EMS, and DOs all expire Oct. 1st of each calendar year. Penalty for failure to renew is $25 if not renewed by Oct. 31st of the year, and if not renewed by Dec. 31st, the registration will be cancelled. Registrations for D.M.D.s, D.D.S., D.V.M.s, O.D.s, A.P.R.N.s, P.A.s, Pharmacies and all others, will expire April 1st of each calendar year. Penalty for failure to renew is $25 if not renewed by April 30th of the year, and if not renewed by June 30th, the registration will be cancelled.

Multiple Registrations: Separate registrations are required for each location where controlled substances are stored. If a regular stock of controlled substance is kept in only one of the multiple offices, and is “black bagged” to the other offices, only the single registration is required, even though the prescriptions are issued from the other locations.

Theft or Lost of Controlled Substance (DEA Form 106): this form is located on the DEA website. Please fill out and attach all necessary documents (letters, police reports, explanations, etc) and forward the original and a copy to S.C. DHEC-Bureau of Drug Control, 2600 Bull Street, Columbia SC 29201, and a copy to the U.S. DEA, 1835 Assembly Street, Suite 1229, Columbia SC 29201, and also maintain a copy for your files for inspection purposes.

Resources:

If you have any questions, please contact DHEC's Bureau of Drug Control at 803-896-0634.