S.C. Code Ann. § 40-33-950 – Temporary retirement of licensees; volunteer nurses' license

(A) A person currently licensed under the provisions of this chapter who does not meet the minimum practice requirement for renewal, desiring to retire from practice temporarily, or who leaves the State, may send to the board a written request for official inactive status. Upon receipt of the request and appropriate fee, the board shall act and place the name of the person on the official inactive list. While remaining on this list, the person is not subject to the payment of any renewal fees and shall not practice nursing in this State. When the person desires to resume practice, an application for a renewal of license and payment of a renewal fee for the current period, and demonstration of nursing competence as defined in regulations of the board, must be made to the board. The board may deny reinstatement or renewal based on evidence of unlawful acts, incompetence, unprofessional conduct, or other misconduct.
(B) A volunteer license may be issued by the board without fee to a retired nurse who has been granted inactive status and who has practiced not less than twenty-five years or until age sixty-five after a minimum of fifteen years of practice and who wishes to donate nursing services through a charitable organization approved by the board, if the retired nurse files proper application on a form provided by the board satisfactorily demonstrating that not less than twenty-five hours of initial training with the charitable organization has been completed and that the retired nurse has been on the official inactive status list for not more than ten years. A volunteer license authorizes the retired nurse to provide nursing services to others without remuneration of any kind through one specifically identified charitable organization only. A volunteer license is not transferable. A separate application must be filed and a separate license must be issued for every charitable organization to which the retired nurse wishes to donate nursing services. A volunteer license may be renewed annually upon application and satisfactory demonstration of not less than twenty-five hours of service or additional training during the preceding year with the same charitable organization. A volunteer license may be renewed annually for an indefinite number of years, if the license has been renewed annually without interruption with the same charitable organization and all other qualifications have been met. The board may promulgate any additional regulations as necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.