Quick Facts and Resources for South Carolina
Quick Fact: A South Carolina Certificate of Religious Exemption may be granted to any student whose parent or guardian signs the appropriate section of the South Carolina Certificate of Religious Exemption stating they are members of a recognized religious denomination in which the tenets and practices of the religious denomination conflict with immunizations. The South Carolina Certificate of Religious Exemption may only be obtained from the Department of Health and Environmental Control. Medical exemptions are also allowed.
Other Resources: Many vaccination and exemption information links are date specific. If the links below have expired, click on the state's department of health, or immunization program link provided below, as they are likely to provide links to updated information. The General Information link leads to the overview page provided by the state at the time of this webpage's update and may also be helpful. Please email NVIC with broken link information.
The information contained on NVIC's web pages is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be medical or legal advice. Those seeking medical or legal advice should obtain the services of a competent attorney, physician or qualified health care professional. Although NVIC continually updates our website, state laws and rules change frequently and consumers are ultimately responsible for verifying their state's vaccination and exemption laws and requirements.- General Information
- Vaccination Requirements - Each college and university sets their own policy for immunization requirements. Contact the college or university you plan to attend and inquire about immunizations required by them for admission.
- Exemption Information and Religious Exemption Waiver
- State Healthcare Worker and Patient Vaccination Laws
- State of South Carolina Legislature – see applicable statutes and their hyperlinks below. Visit NVIC’s Advocacy Portal for information on legislation introduced impacting vaccine exemption rights.
- State of South Carolina Department of Health
- State of South Carolina Immunization Program
- State of South Carolina Vaccine Tracking System – You may also wish to contact your state’s vaccine tracking registry to determine if the ability to opt out is available.
- State of South Carolina Proposed Rule-Making – View your state’s registry to learn about proposed rule-making.
TITLE 44. HEALTH
CHAPTER 29. CONTAGIOUS AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES
§ 44-29-180. School pupils and day care center children to be vaccinated or immunized; department to monitor immunization records of children in day care; exemptions and exclusions.
(A) No superintendent of an institution of learning, no school board or principal of a school, and no owner or operator of a public or private child day care facility as defined in Section 20-7-2700 may admit as a pupil or enroll or retain a child or person who cannot produce satisfactory evidence of having been vaccinated or immunized so often as directed by the Department of Health and Environmental Control. Records of vaccinations or immunizations must be maintained by the institution, school, or day care facility to which the child or person has been admitted.
(B) The Department of Health and Environmental Control shall monitor the immunization status of each child who is enrolled or retained in a licensed child day care facility or a registered church or religious child day care facility. The monitoring of day care facilities shall consist of a review of the immunization or vaccination records to insure that required immunizations are complete as recommended and routinely provided by the Department of Health and Environmental Control for all infants and children.
(C) South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control Regulation 61-8, as amended, "Vaccination, Screening and Immunization Regarding Contagious Diseases", and its exemptions apply to this section.
(D) A South Carolina Certificate of Special Exemption signed by the school principal, authorized representative, or day care director may be issued to transfer students while awaiting arrival of medical records from their former area of residence or to other students who have been unable to secure immunizations or documentation of immunizations already received. A South Carolina Certificate of Special Exemption may be issued only once and is valid for only thirty calendar days from date of enrollment. At the expiration of this special exemption, the student must present a valid South Carolina Certificate of Immunization, a valid South Carolina Certificate of Medical Exemption, or a valid South Carolina Certificate of Religious Exemption.
(E) Registered family day care homes are exempt from requirements of this section.