South Carolina certifies EMTs through the Department of Public Health (DPH), which took over EMS from DHEC; DHEC's old pages are gone. Everything below comes from DPH's certification pages, its course statement of understanding and state law, S.C. Code 44-61-80, checked October 18, 2026.
Study aid, not a protocol. Nothing on this site replaces your course, your medical director or your agency's protocols. Built by an RN and former EMT. Headed In LLC is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) or any state EMS office; their names appear here only to point you to the real thing.
The national steps, briefly
A state-approved EMT course
Every state approves its own programs, all taught to the National EMS Education Standards. Most run 150 to 300 hours over three to six months.
A healthcare-provider CPR card
AHA BLS or an equivalent your state accepts, usually before clinicals.
The cognitive exam
The National Registry (NREMT) EMT exam: 70 to 120 adaptive questions in 2 hours, $104 per attempt, six attempts within two years of your course.
Your state's license or certification
The card comes from the state, not the Registry. The state's own steps are below.
South Carolina Department of Public Health, EMS Section
Who can be credentialed:18 or older with a high school diploma or GED before DPH credentials you.
Course: every part of a DPH-approved EMT course: classroom, practical and clinical.
Exams: the National Registry cognitive exam and the DPH-approved psychomotor exam; state law requires the Registry exam, and you then hold national EMT certification.
Application: after both exams, create a profile in DPH's EMS credentialing system and submit the EMT certification application with a current CPR credential.
Background check: a SLED state check and an FBI national check, both fingerprint-based, through SC IdentoGO. Start it only after you finish the course and pass the Registry cognitive exam; earlier checks are not accepted. State law caps the SLED fee at $8; the FBI sets its own. Some sex, abuse and patient-harm crimes bar certification outright.
Fees: no certification fee appears on DPH's pages; ask your program.
Renewal: certification is valid up to four years. Renew with new SLED and FBI checks and proof of current National Registry certification, which you keep current under the Registry's rules. Carry your DPH card on duty.