South Carolina Privacy Compliance
Officer Certification License Exam
Practice Questions And Correct Answers
(Verified Answers) Plus Rationale 2026
Q&A| Instant Download Pdf
1. Which federal statute primarily governs the protection of health
information that a South Carolina Privacy Compliance Officer must
ensure compliance with?
A. Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act
B. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
C. Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)
D. Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
Rationale: HIPAA is the cornerstone federal law regulating the use
and disclosure of protected health information, and officers must
ensure organizational compliance.
2. Under the HIPAA Privacy Rule, what type of information is defined as
protected health information (PHI)?
A. De-identified statistical data
B. Financial transaction records unrelated to health care
C. Individually identifiable health information held or transmitted by
a covered entity
D. Employment eligibility data
Rationale: PHI encompasses individually identifiable health data
, created or received by a covered entity related to health conditions
or payment for health care.
3. What is the minimum time period that HIPAA requires covered
entities to retain documentation of privacy policies and procedures?
A. 2 years
B. 4 years
C. 5 years
D. 6 years
Rationale: HIPAA mandates retention of privacy-related
documentation for six years from the date of creation or when last in
effect.
4. Under South Carolina law, which of the following must a business do
if it experiences a data breach involving personal information?
A. Notify affected individuals within 365 days
B. Notify affected individuals without unreasonable delay
C. Only notify law enforcement
D. No notification is required if the breach is encrypted
Rationale: South Carolina statute requires prompt notification to
individuals whose personal information is compromised in a breach.
5. Which of the following is considered “personal information” under
South Carolina breach notification laws?
A. Publicly available business contact information
B. Generic demographic data
C. Social Security number combined with a person’s name
D. Anonymous survey responses
Rationale: Personal information typically includes identifiers like SSNs
linked with an individual’s identity.
6. What is the primary purpose of a data protection impact assessment
(DPIA)?
, A. To train new employees
B. To replace privacy policies
C. To evaluate risks associated with the processing of personal data
D. To determine salary of privacy staff
Rationale: A DPIA is conducted to identify and mitigate privacy risks
before initiating data processing activities.
7. Under HIPAA, which of the following is an example of a permissible
use of PHI without authorization?
A. Marketing unrelated products
B. Selling patient information to third parties
C. Reporting certain diseases to public health authorities
D. Posting PHI on a public website
Rationale: HIPAA permits disclosures for public health activities
required by law.
8. What does the “minimum necessary” standard require?
A. Disclosure of all records to any requester
B. Limiting PHI access to only what is necessary to accomplish the
intended purpose
C. Encrypting all data transmissions
D. Anonymous publishing of research data
Rationale: The minimum necessary rule restricts access to PHI to the
least amount needed for a specific task.
9. Which federal act governs the privacy of student education records?
A. HIPAA
B. CCPA
C. Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
D. FISMA
Rationale: FERPA protects the privacy of student education records
and applies to educational agencies receiving federal funds.
Officer Certification License Exam
Practice Questions And Correct Answers
(Verified Answers) Plus Rationale 2026
Q&A| Instant Download Pdf
1. Which federal statute primarily governs the protection of health
information that a South Carolina Privacy Compliance Officer must
ensure compliance with?
A. Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act
B. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
C. Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)
D. Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
Rationale: HIPAA is the cornerstone federal law regulating the use
and disclosure of protected health information, and officers must
ensure organizational compliance.
2. Under the HIPAA Privacy Rule, what type of information is defined as
protected health information (PHI)?
A. De-identified statistical data
B. Financial transaction records unrelated to health care
C. Individually identifiable health information held or transmitted by
a covered entity
D. Employment eligibility data
Rationale: PHI encompasses individually identifiable health data
, created or received by a covered entity related to health conditions
or payment for health care.
3. What is the minimum time period that HIPAA requires covered
entities to retain documentation of privacy policies and procedures?
A. 2 years
B. 4 years
C. 5 years
D. 6 years
Rationale: HIPAA mandates retention of privacy-related
documentation for six years from the date of creation or when last in
effect.
4. Under South Carolina law, which of the following must a business do
if it experiences a data breach involving personal information?
A. Notify affected individuals within 365 days
B. Notify affected individuals without unreasonable delay
C. Only notify law enforcement
D. No notification is required if the breach is encrypted
Rationale: South Carolina statute requires prompt notification to
individuals whose personal information is compromised in a breach.
5. Which of the following is considered “personal information” under
South Carolina breach notification laws?
A. Publicly available business contact information
B. Generic demographic data
C. Social Security number combined with a person’s name
D. Anonymous survey responses
Rationale: Personal information typically includes identifiers like SSNs
linked with an individual’s identity.
6. What is the primary purpose of a data protection impact assessment
(DPIA)?
, A. To train new employees
B. To replace privacy policies
C. To evaluate risks associated with the processing of personal data
D. To determine salary of privacy staff
Rationale: A DPIA is conducted to identify and mitigate privacy risks
before initiating data processing activities.
7. Under HIPAA, which of the following is an example of a permissible
use of PHI without authorization?
A. Marketing unrelated products
B. Selling patient information to third parties
C. Reporting certain diseases to public health authorities
D. Posting PHI on a public website
Rationale: HIPAA permits disclosures for public health activities
required by law.
8. What does the “minimum necessary” standard require?
A. Disclosure of all records to any requester
B. Limiting PHI access to only what is necessary to accomplish the
intended purpose
C. Encrypting all data transmissions
D. Anonymous publishing of research data
Rationale: The minimum necessary rule restricts access to PHI to the
least amount needed for a specific task.
9. Which federal act governs the privacy of student education records?
A. HIPAA
B. CCPA
C. Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
D. FISMA
Rationale: FERPA protects the privacy of student education records
and applies to educational agencies receiving federal funds.
