- Residential Builder license needed when a job costs more than $5,000. Commercial general contractor license needed over $10,000.
- Residential: one year of hands on experience across building areas such as estimating, project management, carpentry, concrete, masonry, roofing, site work, electrical, plumbing and HVAC, backed by an affidavit. Commercial: two years in the classification within the last five years.
- Plan for a trade exam and a business and law exam.
- Residential Builder: $15,000 surety bond in your own name. Commercial: net worth proof or a surety bond by group, from $20,000 (Group 1) to $350,000 (Group 5).
- Residential Builder license renews every two years by June 30 of even years. Commercial general contractor licenses expire October 31 of even years.
Do you need a state license in South Carolina?
South Carolina licenses general contractor work at the state level through the South Carolina LLR, Residential Builders Commission. Below is what the board asks for, in the order you will run into it.
Residential Builder license needed when a job costs more than $5,000. Commercial general contractor license needed over $10,000.
South Carolina license types for general contractor work
South Carolina splits the work into 3 licenses. Pick the one that matches the jobs you take, since working outside its scope is the same as working without one.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Residential Builder | Building, repair and remodeling of homes up to three floors and 16 units, jobs over $5,000 |
| General Contractor: Unlimited Building, Limited Building, Nonstructural Renovation and others | Commercial work over $10,000, through the Contractor's Licensing Board |
| General Contractor Groups 1 to 5 | Job size limits from $100,000 (Group 1) to unlimited (Group 5) |
Steps to get licensed in South Carolina
- Build one year of hands on experience under licensed contractors and collect W2s or 1099s.
- Send the Residential Builder application with the $135 fee and a full credit report.
- Your past supervisors return the experience affidavit.
- Once approved, pass the Residential Builders and Business Management and Law exams with PSI.
- Send PSI results, the $220 license fee and a $15,000 surety bond.
- For commercial work over $10,000, apply to the Contractor's Licensing Board separately.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. Residential: one year of hands on experience across building areas such as estimating, project management, carpentry, concrete, masonry, roofing, site work, electrical, plumbing and HVAC, backed by an affidavit. Commercial: two years in the classification within the last five years.
The license to apply for. Residential Builder license (or General Contractor license for commercial work).
South Carolina general contractor exams
Trade exam. Yes. Residential Builders exam through PSI (NASCLA accepted). Commercial classifications have PSI technical exams.
Business and law exam. Yes. The SC Business Management and Law exam through PSI.
What it costs in South Carolina
The board lists 4 fees along the way. These are the state's own numbers. Insurance, any bond, exam prep and your business registration come on top.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Residential Builder application | $135 |
| Residential Builder license | $220 |
| Commercial general contractor initial license | $350 |
| Commercial renewal (every two years, on time) | $135 |
Insurance and bond
Insurance. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Bond. Residential Builder: $15,000 surety bond in your own name. Commercial: net worth proof or a surety bond by group, from $20,000 (Group 1) to $350,000 (Group 5).
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. Residential Builder license renews every two years by June 30 of even years. Commercial general contractor licenses expire October 31 of even years.
Reciprocity. Residential: technical exam waiver for licenses held at least one year from Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi or North Carolina, or a NASCLA exam. You still take the SC business and law exam.
Good to know in South Carolina
- A builder licensed by exam waiver cannot do electrical, plumbing or HVAC work and must sub it out.
- Licensed builders must use registered subcontractors for the specialty trades.
- The application asks for a full credit report from TransUnion, Experian or Equifax.
After you are licensed
The license lets you take the work. Getting the work is the next job.
- Register the business. If you work under a name other than your own, register it where your state asks (often the Secretary of State, sometimes the county), and keep the name the same on your license, your truck and your invoices.
- Claim your Google Business Profile. It is the listing people see when they search for a contractor near them. Fill in your service area, hours and real photos of your work.
- Put up a website that shows the license. Customers look for it before they call. Koira builds a contractor website for you and keeps it current.
- See where you stand. The free Koira report checks how your business shows up in search and on maps against shops near you.
Where this comes from
Every fact on this page comes from the South Carolina LLR, Residential Builders Commission and the official pages below, checked October 8, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.