| Customer verification | May sell only to licensed buyers |
|---|---|
| Records to keep | 2 years |
| Separate device or DME distributor license | Yes |
What South Carolina requires before you ship
South Carolina lets distributors sell prescription drugs only to buyers who are licensed or authorized to receive them, which means checking the license first. It is against the law for a manufacturer or wholesaler to deliver drugs or devices to anyone in South Carolina who does not hold the permit the pharmacy law requires, unless the law allows it some other way. There is a fine of up to $1,000 per offense, and each violation is also a misdemeanor. The law does not spell out a check step.
Who counts as an authorized buyer: Persons holding a South Carolina Board of Pharmacy permit, and others the law allows to receive drugs, such as licensed practitioners. Insulin may go only to persons who can legally possess prescription drugs.
"it is unlawful ... to distribute or deliver drugs or devices to any person in this State not permitted under this chapter." S.C. Code Ann. § 40-43-140(A)(2), (4); § 40-43-86(V)
Records to keep
Wholesalers must keep inventories and records of all drug receipts and distributions, showing the source, the drug and quantity, and the dates. Records must be available for two years after the drugs are disposed of. Off-site records must be produced within two working days.
Source: S.C. Code Ann. § 40-43-89(H)
Licenses a distributor needs in South Carolina
Prescription drug wholesale distributor
Facilities that sell or distribute prescription drugs or devices must hold a Board of Pharmacy permit, renewed every year by June 30. Wholesalers inside and outside the state are listed among those that need a permit. Each location needs its own permit, and the facility must pass an inspection.
Source: S.C. Code Ann. §§ 40-43-83, 40-43-89, 40-43-90
Medical device and DME distributors
South Carolina defines a wholesale distributor as one that distributes prescription drugs or devices, and facilities dealing in prescription devices need a Board permit. The same ban on selling to unpermitted persons covers devices.
Source: S.C. Code Ann. § 40-43-30(60); § 40-43-83(A); § 40-43-140(A)(4)
Controlled substances
Wholesalers that handle controlled substances must register with the state controlled substance authority and with DEA. The state registration is annual.
Source: S.C. Code Ann. § 40-43-89(K); S.C. Code Ann. § 44-53-290
Where to look up a South Carolina license
- Pharmacies and pharmacy permits: South Carolina Board of Pharmacy (SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation)
- Physicians and other practitioners: South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners (SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation)
- NPI: NPPES NPI Registry
- DEA registrations: DEA Diversion Control Division
Federal rules that apply in every state
- A prescription device "is to be sold only to or on the prescription or other order of such practitioner," or to a business lawfully distributing it (21 CFR 801.109).
- A prescription drug wholesale distributor's trading partners "may be only authorized trading partners," which for a pharmacy means one licensed under state law (21 U.S.C. 360eee-1(c)(3)).
How WorkdID handles South Carolina accounts
WorkdID by Workd checks every South Carolina customer you sell to against the state's pharmacy and medical boards, the NPI registry, and the DEA, every day. It flags an expiration or a board action within a day of posting, and in Workd order entry it can hold the order until your compliance team clears the account. Every check is saved with the date and the board record, so your South Carolina file is ready when someone asks for it.
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