How to Get a Contractor License in South Carolina

Section 40-11-30 says no entity or individual may practice as a contractor by performing or offering to perform work where the total cost of construction is greater than $10,000, for either general or mechanical contracting, without a license. The threshold was $5,000 until 2023 Act No. 69 (H.4115) raised it.

Unlicensed subcontractors can work under you in limited cases. Section 40-11-270(E) lets a licensee use unlicensed subcontractors within the licensee's own group and classification if the licensee supervises, and the licensee is fully responsible for any violations they commit.

Section 40-11-410 sets the classifications. General Contractors-Building covers commercial, industrial, institutional, modular and residential building, and includes the subclassifications of Wood Frame Structures, Nonstructural Renovation, Masonry, Pre-engineered Metal Buildings, Roofing, Structural Framing and Miscellaneous Metals. A building licensee may perform limited ancillary work such as concrete or grading when it is tied to the structure and stays within 20 percent of the total cost of construction.

Other general contractor classifications include Highway (Bridges, Concrete Paving, Asphalt Paving, Grading, Highway Incidental) and Public Utility (for example, Pipelines and Water and Sewer Lines). Mechanical contractor classifications with technical exams are Air Conditioning, Electrical, Heating, Lightning Protection, Packaged Equipment, Plumbing, Process Piping and Refrigeration.

A license is issued to an entity or individual, but it rests on a person. The applicant must designate a Primary Qualifying Party (PQP) for each classification or subclassification, the individual responsible for directing or reviewing the work. Additional qualifying parties have passed the same exams but are not designated as primary. Section 40-11-230 generally limits a qualifying party to one licensee.

Qualifying parties must document at least 2 years of work experience within the past 5 years in the requested classification, primarily commercial work unless stated otherwise. Only Nonstructural Renovation experience may be entirely residential. Waiver and reciprocity applicants are exempt from the experience showing.

LLR lists three routes. By examination: pass the technical exam for the classification, where one exists, plus the South Carolina Business Management and Law exam. By exam waiver or certification: hold a license in good standing obtained by exam in a jurisdiction on the board's waiver agreement list, or hold a Master Electrician, Master Plumber or HARV mechanical certification issued by examination through MASC or, since January 1, 2026, through Carolinas AGC. By non-technical classification: Boring and Tunneling, Highway Incidental, Masonry, Miscellaneous Metals and Railroad Lines need only the law exam and a work experience affidavit.

Nonstructural Renovation used to be in that last group. Since January 1, 2025 it requires a PSI technical exam.

South Carolina reverses the usual order. There is no pre-approval to schedule PSI exams, and qualifying parties must finish the exam requirements before the entity submits a license application. Section 40-11-230 requires 70 percent or better on each technical exam and on the exam of South Carolina contracting law. A qualifying party who has not been certified for four or more consecutive years must retest.

After the exams, submit the General and Mechanical Contractor application (Doc. 165) with the $350 licensure fee, proof from the Secretary of State that you may do business in South Carolina (not needed for sole proprietors), qualifying party applications (Doc. 168), PSI pass sheets and a financial statement or surety bond that supports the license group you want. Groups cap each bid and job:

Licenses renew every two years. General contractor licenses expire October 31 of even-numbered years and mechanical contractor licenses October 31 of odd-numbered years. LLR's fee page lists a $135 biennial renewal fee if renewed or postmarked by October 31, with late fees that climb from $100 in November to $200 in January. Before renewing, every licensee must submit a current financial statement or a valid surety bond for the license group. Under s. 40-11-250, a lapsed license may be renewed within 90 days with late fees, and if approved the renewal is retroactive so there is no gap. After that, the entity has to apply again as a new licensee.

Because the exams must be passed before you apply, many candidates start studying first. ContractorPrepHQ offers South Carolina practice built from the PSI outlines and reference lists: original questions, a diagnostic, topic drills with explanations and timed practice exams with a readiness score. Business Management and Law prep is $99, and trade prep is $149 with the law prep included, for a one-time price, lifetime access and a 30-day money-back guarantee.