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The South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff is moving to a new location. Although our telephone numbers and email addresses will remain the same, effective May 12, 2025, our new physical and mailing address will be 1901 Main St., Suite 1500, Columbia, SC 29201.


The Vehicle Registration Portal is now live for passenger carriers.

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Online Learning Initiative

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Online Learning Initiative

School closures due to COVID-19 required schools to quickly shift instruction from the classroom to the home. Many students were unable to receive online instruction due to the lack of internet service at home. In some cases, students did not have access to the internet; in other cases, it may not have been affordable.

A portion of the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) was allocated for mobile hotspots or monthly internet service. The ORS worked with the South Carolina Department of Education, the Commission on Higher Education, and private school associations to procure mobile hotspots and monthly internet service through December 31, 2020 for distribution to a minimum of 100,000 households.


On December 31, 2020, the ORS transferred administration of the Online Learning Initiative to the South Carolina Department of Education.


 

Link to YouTube Video on Online Learning Initiative ProcessMobile Hotspot Distribution

Schools – public and private K-12 schools, public and private colleges, universities, and technical colleges – distributed the mobile hotspots to eligible households.

Monthly ReportingMonthly Reporting YouTube video

Schools were required to complete a Monthly Reporting Spreadsheet to track distributed devices and devices no longer in use or reassigned.

  • Online Learning Initiative Monthly Reporting Overview (PDF)

Monthly Internet Service

Depending on the location, wired internet service was provided, and the ORS facilitated contracts with multiple wired providers (PDF) offering competitive pricing.

Online Learning Initiative

  • CARES Act
  • Broadband Infrastructure Program
  • Mapping and Planning

  • Online Learning Initiative Provides Internet Access to Students During COVID-19 (PDF)
  • Online Learning Initiative Overview (PDF)

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Office of Regulatory Staff

1901 Main Street, Suite 1500

Columbia, SC 29201

 

General Information: (803) 737-0800

Consumer Complaints and Inquiries:

(803) 737-5230 (local)

1-800-922-1531 (toll-free within South Carolina)

 


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