South Carolina · 14 statewide requirements covered
Business licences and permits in South Carolina
South Carolina issues no state business licence but standardised every local one onto a single May-to-April year with a common class schedule. An LLC files no annual report; a corporation's is a tax return, not a filing with the Secretary of State.
What applies everywhere in South Carolina
14 requirements are set by South Carolina itself and apply whichever city you open in. Local permits sit on top of them.
| Requirement | Issued by | Fee | Applies | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Articles of Incorporation | South Carolina Secretary of State, Division of Business Filings | $135 at filing — $110 to the Secretary of State plus the $25 initial licence fee | Only in some cases | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Organization (LLC) | South Carolina Secretary of State, Division of Business Filings | $110 one-time filing | Only in some cases | 2026-09-03 |
| Automotive Repair Shop Licence (not required by South Carolina) | South Carolina Department of Revenue | No fee | Only in some cases | 2026-09-03 |
| Barbershop Permit | South Carolina Board of Barber Examiners, Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation | $250 to open; renewal is $125 | To every business | 2026-09-03 |
| Certified Food Protection Manager | South Carolina Department of Agriculture, Retail Food Safety and Compliance | No fee | Only in some cases | 2026-09-03 |
| Child Care Centre Licence | South Carolina Department of Social Services, Division of Early Care and Education | No fee | To every business | 2026-09-03 |
| Corporate Annual Report and Licence Fee | South Carolina Department of Revenue | $15 plus $1 for every $1,000 of capital stock and paid-in surplus, with a $25 minimum — and nothing at all for an LLC that has not elected corporate treatment | Only in some cases | 2026-09-03 |
| General or Mechanical Contractor Licence | South Carolina Contractor's Licensing Board, Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation | $350 to license; renewal is $135 every two years | Only in some cases | 2026-09-03 |
| Local Business Licence | South Carolina Department of Revenue | A tax on gross income at a rate each county or city sets, using a class schedule and licence year that are the same statewide | To every business | 2026-09-03 |
| Residential Builder Licence | South Carolina Residential Builders Commission, Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation | $355 to open, being a $135 application and a $220 licence; renewal is $220 | Only in some cases | 2026-09-03 |
| Retail Food Establishment Permit | South Carolina Department of Agriculture, Retail Food Safety and Compliance | $100 to open plus an annual inspection fee of $100 to $450 banded by gross food sales — $100 up to $250,000, rising in $50 steps to $450 above $1.75 million | To every business | 2026-09-03 |
| Retail Licence | South Carolina Department of Revenue | $50 for each permanent location, and it is not refundable | To every business | 2026-09-03 |
| Salon Licence | South Carolina Board of Cosmetology, Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation | $100 to open; renewal is $72 | To every business | 2026-09-03 |
| Veterinary Facility Permit (not required by South Carolina) | South Carolina Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation | No fee | Only in some cases | 2026-09-03 |
Which South Carolina city are you opening in?
We do not yet publish a South Carolina city. The statewide requirements above are verified as far as they go, but a city or county adds its own — a local business tax receipt, a food permit, a building sign-off — and we will not guess at those. The jurisdictions we do cover are listed in full.
Is there a single South Carolina business licence?
No. South Carolina has no single licence that covers every business. What you need depends on your industry, your city and your county, and most of the obligations that matter are issued locally rather than at state level.
The state-level registrations that do apply to nearly everyone are tax accounts rather than licences — which is why they are easy to miss.
Who issues permits in South Carolina?
- South Carolina Department of RevenueRetail licences · Corporate licence fee and annual report4 permits
- South Carolina Department of Agriculture, Retail Food Safety and ComplianceRetail food establishment permits · Food safety inspections and grading2 permits
- South Carolina Secretary of State, Division of Business FilingsEntity formation · Business filings2 permits
- South Carolina Board of Barber Examiners, Department of Labor, Licensing and RegulationBarbershop permits · Barber licensing1 permit
- South Carolina Board of Cosmetology, Department of Labor, Licensing and RegulationSalon licensing · Cosmetologist licensing1 permit
- South Carolina Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, Department of Labor, Licensing and RegulationVeterinarian licensing · Veterinary technician licensing1 permit
- South Carolina Contractor's Licensing Board, Department of Labor, Licensing and RegulationGeneral contractor licensing · Mechanical contractor licensing1 permit
- South Carolina Department of Social Services, Division of Early Care and EducationChild care centre licensing · Family child care home registration1 permit
- South Carolina Residential Builders Commission, Department of Labor, Licensing and RegulationResidential builder licensing · Residential specialty contractor licensing1 permit
By industry
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.