- Continuing education every 2 years: 8 hours for Tier 1, 12 for Tier 2, 18 for Tier 3.
Do you need a state license in South Carolina?
South Carolina licenses septic system work at the state level through the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services, Onsite Wastewater. Below is what the board asks for, in the order you will run into it.
South Carolina license types for septic system 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 |
|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Gravity fed and fill cap residential systems |
| Tier 2 | Tier 1 systems plus pumps, grease traps, curtain drains, elevated and mounded systems, and all commercial systems |
| Tier 3 | Everything in Tiers 1 and 2 plus Standard 610 specialized onsite systems |
Steps to get licensed in South Carolina
- Pick the tier that matches the systems you will install.
- Apply to the Department of Environmental Services for that tier.
- Keep up continuing education every 2 years for your tier.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
The license to apply for. Tier 1, Tier 2 or Tier 3 septic system installer license.
South Carolina septic installer exams
Trade exam. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Business and law exam. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
What it costs in South Carolina
We could not confirm the current fee schedule on an official page. Check with the board before you budget: South Carolina Department of Environmental Services, Onsite Wastewater.
Insurance and bond
Insurance. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Bond. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. Continuing education every 2 years: 8 hours for Tier 1, 12 for Tier 2, 18 for Tier 3.
Reciprocity. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
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 septic installation 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 Department of Environmental Services, Onsite Wastewater and the official pages below, checked October 9, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.