---
title: "South Carolina Nursing Home Abuse Toolkit: Know Your Rights"
url: "https://www.nursinghomeabusecenter.com/research/know-your-state-rights/south-carolina/"
description: "Look up SC nursing home inspection stats, resident rights laws, abuse hotlines, and how long you have to file a lawsuit."
---

Know Your State's Nursing Home Rights

Every state has its own laws, watchdog agencies, and deadlines. Pick your state to see who regulates its nursing homes, what rights residents have, and exactly how to report abuse.

# South Carolina at a Glance

National Safety Standing Rank #33 of 51

187 Total Homes

82 Serious Deficiencies

128 Infection-Related Deficiencies

$2.68M in Penalties

11 Payment Suspensions

0.63 Avg RN Hours Per Resident / Day

### Resident Protection Strength

State Oversight Moderate

Staffing Requirements Limited

Penalties for Violations Moderate

Access to Legal Help Moderate

The Department of Public Health (formerly DHEC) licenses and inspects South Carolina nursing homes and runs the facility complaint program.

- Licenses and inspects South Carolina nursing homes
- Runs the complaint hotline: 1-800-922-6735 (online form available)
- Residents’ bill of rights appears at S.C. Code § 44-81-10 et seq.

[Visit the state agency site →](https://dph.sc.gov/)

### Deadlines to Take Legal Action

PERSONAL INJURY 3 years

Generally runs from the date of injury or discovery.

[Learn more about filing deadlines →](https://www.nursinghomeabusecenter.com/legal/statute-limitations/)

WRONGFUL DEATH 3 years

Typically runs from the date of death and is filed by the executor or administrator.

[Learn more about filing deadlines →](https://www.nursinghomeabusecenter.com/legal/statute-limitations/)

Regulatory & Industry Standards: Our information is based on guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Office of Inspector General (OIG), state health departments, and peer-reviewed research. We also refer to state Long-Term Care Ombudsman programs, which investigate complaints and advocate for residents.