Greenville Senior AdvisorWhat laws govern assisted living and nursing homes in Greenville, SC?
South Carolina state law governs them: Regulation 60-84 for community residential care facilities (the state's assisted living license), the nursing home regulation and federal CMS rules for certified nursing homes, all enforced by the S.C. Department of Public Health's Healthcare Quality office under S.C. Code Section 44-7-260.
Last verified: October 2026Neither the City of Greenville nor Greenville, Anderson, Pickens or Laurens County licenses care settings; zoning and building codes apply to the buildings, but the right to operate is the DPH license.
Who replaced DHEC as the licensing agency in South Carolina?
The S.C. Department of Public Health (DPH). Act 60 of 2023 split the old Department of Health and Environmental Control on July 1, 2024, moving facility licensing, inspections and enforcement to DPH's Healthcare Quality office and environmental programs to the new Department of Environmental Services.
That is why the CRCF regulation now carries the number 60-84 (reissued May 23, 2025) rather than DHEC's 61-84, and why older brochures still say “DHEC.” On DPH's current data, 61 senior-serving CRCFs operate in the four counties, 35 of them with an Alzheimer's special care unit flag.
Where do Greenville-area families report problems?
Licensing complaints go to DPH Healthcare Quality (1-800-922-6735 or its online complaint portal); suspected abuse of a facility resident goes to the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program at the Appalachian COG (864-242-9733) or, in Laurens County, Upper Savannah ((864) 941-8070); and abuse of an adult living at home goes to DSS Adult Protective Services at 1-888-227-3487.
The guides below explain each step, with the regulation or statute behind it.
South Carolina Rules guides
How South Carolina licenses assisted living in Greenville
South Carolina licenses assisted living as community residential care facilities (CRCFs) through the Department of Public Health under Regulation 60-84. Who regulates, what the license covers, fees and administrators.
Read →How South Carolina regulates memory care units
South Carolina memory care happens in Alzheimer's special care units or programs inside licensed CRCFs and nursing homes. The Regulation 60-84 definition, the Alzheimer's Special Care Disclosure Act, staffing and how to check a Greenville unit.
Read →Who a South Carolina CRCF can admit, and who it cannot
The admission and retention rules in South Carolina's Regulation 60-84: the conditions a CRCF cannot admit, the 14-day total-dependency rule, short-term nursing, hospice and the 30-day transfer requirement.
Read →Staffing and medication rules in South Carolina CRCFs
Regulation 60-84's CRCF staffing minimums (one staff per eight residents at peak, one per 30 off-peak), training requirements, and who may give medications and insulin in South Carolina assisted living.
Read →How to check an Upstate facility's license and record
How to verify a Greenville-area CRCF or nursing home license with DPH's Find a Facility map, read DPH enforcement reports, request inspection reports, and use CMS Care Compare.
Read →Where to report a problem in South Carolina senior care
How Greenville-area families file complaints against licensed facilities with DPH, report abuse of facility residents to the long-term care ombudsman, and report abuse at home to DSS Adult Protective Services.
Read →Residents' rights in South Carolina facilities
What South Carolina's Bill of Rights for Residents of Long Term Care Facilities and Regulation 60-84 guarantee CRCF residents: admission agreements, fee notice, personal funds, privacy and grievances.
Read →How nursing homes are licensed and inspected in South Carolina
How the S.C. Department of Public Health licenses nursing homes, how federal CMS certification and Care Compare ratings work, and what that means for Greenville-area families comparing homes.
Read →At a glance
| South Carolina's rules do | South Carolina's rules do not | |
|---|---|---|
| Assisted living | Require a DPH CRCF license and a licensed CRCF administrator | Use the words “assisted living” as a separate license |
| Staffing | Set 1 staff per 8 residents at peak hours and 1 per 30 off-peak | Set a separate ratio for dementia units |
| Inspections | Allow unannounced DPH inspections at any time | Publish CRCF inspection reports online |
| Payment | Let OSS and Community Choices help pay in participating CRCFs | Make Medicaid pay CRCF rent outside OSS |
