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Richland County

Richland County Business Service Center

In short

Richland County Business Service Center issues 2 permits we publish for Richland County, last verified 2026-10-19. Each carries the fee as the agency publishes it, with a link to the schedule it was read from.

What this agency issues

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Richland County Business License (unincorporated Richland County)Richland County Business Service CenterA business license tax on gross income by rate class, set under Code §16-5. Section 16-5(1) has County Council adopt the latest Standardized Business License Class Schedule by ordinance, §16-5(4)(a) adjusts all rates for the Consumer Price Index every three years, and the class schedule printed in Code §16-5(5) is the 2023 schedule, which applies "Until the adoption of an updated Business License Class Schedule". Current dollar rates are not published on the county's Business License page or application; the Business Service Center (803-576-2287) calculates the amount due. Under §16-4(4), all minimum fees and rates are multiplied by 200 percent for nonresidents and for itinerants with no fixed principal place of business in the county.license year May 1 to April 30, paid on or before May 1 (Code §16-3(2), §16-4(1)); a contractor's license for a specific construction project may, at the licensee's request, expire at the completion of the project (§16-3(3))2026-10-19
Richland County Local Hospitality Tax — Registration and Remittance (unincorporated area, 2%)Richland County Business Service Center2% of the gross proceeds of sales of prepared meals and beverages sold in establishments in the unincorporated areas of the county (Code §23-66). Remitted monthly when the average tax is more than $50.00 a month, quarterly at $25.00 to $50.00 a month, and annually under $25.00 a month (§23-67(b)), due on the 20th of the month or the next business day (§23-67(c)). The county's Hospitality Taxes page states a 5% per month late fee.ongoing; payments due on the 20th of the month after the reporting period, or the next business day (Code §23-67(c)); per the county's Hospitality Tax Information page, new businesses are enrolled to pay monthly for the first year2026-10-19

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

About each permit

Richland County Business License (unincorporated Richland County)

Code §16-1, in the Richland County Code of Ordinances as published by American Legal Publishing (edition 2026 S-24, current), requires every person engaged in any calling, business, occupation or profession, "whether or not it is listed in the rate classification index portion of the Business License Fee Schedule, in whole or in part, within the unincorporated areas of the county", to apply for and obtain a business license, except as noted in §16-7. Under §16-6(1) a new business must have the license before operating in the unincorporated county, and under §16-6(4) and (5) no license is issued until all other county and state licenses and permits are obtained and the premises comply with the county's zoning, building, fire and related codes. The license year runs May 1 to April 30 (§16-3(2)) and the fee is due on or before May 1 (§16-4(1)). A separate license is needed for each place of business and each classification at one place (§16-4(2)), the tax is computed on gross income for the preceding year or, for a new business, on estimated income (§16-4(3)), and under §16-4(4) all minimum fees and rates are multiplied by 200 percent for nonresidents and itinerants with no fixed principal place of business in the county. The License Official determines each business's class (§16-5(2), §16-7(7)). The class schedule printed in Code §16-5(5), the 2023 schedule that applies until an updated Business License Class Schedule is adopted, names "Contractors, Construction (All Types)" as class 8.10 and NAICS 722330 "Mobile Food Services" as class 9.94. For contractors, the license fee on the full contract amount is paid before a building permit is issued or work begins (§16-5(5), class 8.10 note 3), and §16-7(4) excludes income from work for which a Richland County building permit fee was paid. The county's Business License page says application is in person: the business files the New Business License Application and the Business Clearance Form with the Business Service Center, "Zoning approval is required before a license can be issued", and Building Inspections (commercial locations or contractors) and the Fire Marshal (commercial locations) may also need to approve. The application states that "Email and Faxed applications are not accepted."

Richland County Local Hospitality Tax — Registration and Remittance (unincorporated area, 2%)

Code §23-66, in the Richland County Code of Ordinances as published by American Legal Publishing (edition 2026 S-24, current), imposes a local hospitality tax "in an amount equal to two percent (2%) of the gross proceeds of sales of prepared meals and beverages sold in establishments located within the unincorporated areas of the county". The county's Hospitality Taxes page states that the tax applies to restaurants, bars, convenience stores, fast food outlets, grocery stores, caterers and any other business preparing or serving food or beverages, that "This includes mobile businesses selling prepared or modified foods or beverages", and that it applies whether the food or beverage is for dine-in or take-out. The tax is the consumer's liability, collected by the provider at the time of service (§23-67(a)). Under §23-67(b) it is remitted monthly when the average tax is more than $50.00 a month, quarterly at $25.00 to $50.00, and annually under $25.00; under §23-67(c) the voucher, a copy of the state sales tax computation form and the tax are due on the 20th of the month, or the next business day. The Hospitality Taxes page asks for a copy of the SC State Sales Tax Form (ST-3) with every payment, states that "Payments received after this time will incur a 5% per month late fee", and says hospitality tax balances must be paid in full before a business license is issued. The Hospitality Tax Information page adds that new businesses are enrolled to pay monthly for the first year, that schools, daycares and community care facilities owe the tax only on food and beverages sold to employees, visitors or the public or sold separately to clients, and that businesses with zero revenue still return the period's voucher. The Clearance Form lists the Hospitality Tax Certification and Enrollment Forms among the county forms a new business may need.

Contact

Jurisdiction
Richland County
Phone
(803) 576-2287

Contact details are taken from the agency’s own site or its published fee schedule. Where we have not verified a phone number we leave it blank rather than guess.

Sources

Every fee and term above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.

  1. Business LicenseRichland County Business Service Center · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-19
  2. Clearance Form (Revised: 10.1.2024)Richland County Business Service Center · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-19
  3. Hospitality Tax InformationRichland County Business Service Center · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-19
  4. Hospitality TaxesRichland County Business Service Center · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-19
  5. New Business License Application (Revised: 10.1.2024)Richland County Business Service Center · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-19
  6. Sec. 16-1. License Required.Richland County Council (Code of Ordinances, American Legal Publishing) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-19
  7. Sec. 16-3. Purpose and Duration.Richland County Council (Code of Ordinances, American Legal Publishing) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-19
  8. Sec. 16-4. License Fee.Richland County Council (Code of Ordinances, American Legal Publishing) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-19
  9. Sec. 16-5. Classification and Rates.Richland County Council (Code of Ordinances, American Legal Publishing) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-19
  10. Sec. 16-6. Registration Required.Richland County Council (Code of Ordinances, American Legal Publishing) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-19
  11. Sec. 16-7. Deductions, Exemptions, Charitable Organizations, and Determination of Classification.Richland County Council (Code of Ordinances, American Legal Publishing) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-19
  12. Sec. 23-66. Local hospitality tax.Richland County Council (Code of Ordinances, American Legal Publishing) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-19
  13. Sec. 23-67. Payment of local hospitality tax.Richland County Council (Code of Ordinances, American Legal Publishing) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-19

Other offices serving Richland County

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Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.