New rule allows South Carolina high school sports athletes allowed one free transfer

The athletic directors under the South Carolina High School League approved a free one-time transfer option for their student athletes. Under a 29-4 vote during the Athletic Administrator’s Spring convention, the rule will take into effect during the 2025-26 season.

According to thestate.com’s Lou Bezjak, the approved transfer rule comes at a time when the SC House of Representatives filed House Bill 4163. When ratified, that legislature will dissolve the South Carolina High School League and replace it with political appointees. However, SCHSL executive committee president Nicolas Pearson stated that this development shows that their group is capable of governing South Carolina high school sports.

It took two months from the initial recommendation to finalize the one-time transfer rule. Under the new policy, student-athletes can have one free transfer within the first six semesters after their initial enrollment.

Meanwhile, South Carolina high school students who transferred after practice season starts cannot play for 30 calendar days or half the number of games, whichever is less. This means that a transferring football athlete cannot play for five games, while a basketball player must sit out 12-13 games.

Likewise, those who transfer more than once will automatically be banned from playing for 30 calendar days or half the team’s schedule, whichever is less. Furthermore, incoming senior students who will transfer before the 2025-26 school year won’t lose any eligibility, even in the postseason.

However, future senior students who will transfer will be ineligible for whatever is less between 22 calendar days or one-third of the season. Also, the new rule does not apply student athletes who transferred due to homelessness, bullying, court-ordered placement, and military transfers.

The SCHSL reports that there are around 3,500 to 4,000 student transfers within its 233 member schools annually. With a new rule in place, South Carolina high school students need not transfer their address to the new school’s attendance zone.