How to check if a contractor is licensed in South Carolina
Edited by John Voll. Last verified .
In South Carolina, the state keeps license or registration records for general contractors, electrical contractors, plumbing contractors, HVAC contractors and roofing contractors, and each has an official lookup or board listed below. Check the record before you sign a contract or pay a deposit, and treat the board's own record as final.
Which board covers which trade
| Trade | Who keeps the record | Official lookup |
|---|---|---|
| General contractor | South Carolina Contractor's Licensing Board (commercial); South Carolina Residential Builders Commission (residential) | Search general contractor licenses |
| Electrical | South Carolina Contractor's Licensing Board (commercial, Mechanical Contractor EL classification); South Carolina Residential Builders Commission (Residential Electrician) | Search electrical licenses |
| Plumbing | South Carolina Contractor's Licensing Board (commercial, PB classification); South Carolina Residential Builders Commission (Residential Plumber) | Search plumbing licenses |
| HVAC | South Carolina Contractor's Licensing Board (commercial, AC/HT/RG/PK classifications); South Carolina Residential Builders Commission (Residential HVAC) | Search HVAC licenses |
| Roofing | South Carolina Residential Builders Commission (residential specialty registration); South Carolina Contractor's Licensing Board (commercial RF classification) | Search roofing licenses |
Step by step
- Open the official South Carolina lookup run by commercial and search the contractor by name or number.
- For electrical work, also check the electrical contractor lookup from commercial, Mechanical Contractor EL classification.
- For plumbing work, also check the plumbing contractor lookup from commercial, PB classification.
- For HVAC work, also check the HVAC contractor lookup from commercial, AC/HT/RG/PK classifications.
- For roofing work, also check the roofing contractor lookup from residential specialty registration.
- The residential lookup status ACTIVE means the contractor is properly licensed to work and pull permits in South Carolina. source A PENDING status on the residential lookup means no license has been issued and the contractor cannot do work over $500. source Commercial and residential contractors are in separate lookups: if a name returns no records on the commercial (CLB) lookup, search the Residential Builders lookup. source
- Confirm the record is active and the class matches the job (Building (BD, LB Limited Building, UB Unlimited Building) or Asphalt Paving or Boiler Installation or Boring & Tunneling or Bridges or Concrete or Concrete Paving or Glass & Glazing or Grading or Highway or Roofing or Group #1 to Group #5 dollar limits or Residential Builder). The board's own record governs. A license is required for jobs above Residential builder license required when a residential job costs more than $5,000 (commercial jobs need a CLB license over $10,000). source
- Check the bond and insurance on the record against the state minimums: Residential Builder surety bond of at least $15,000, or proof of financial responsibility the commission accept. source
If the contractor is not licensed, or you have a complaint
- Complaints against commercial contractors go to the Contractor's Licensing Board on its online complaint form, with a notarized signature. source
Homeowner protections in South Carolina
Questions
- How do I check if a contractor is licensed in South Carolina?
- Search the contractor by name or license number on the official South Carolina lookup run by commercial, then confirm the record is active and covers the type of work. For electrical, plumbing, HVAC or roofing work, use that trade's lookup in the table on this page.
- What can I do if a contractor in South Carolina is not licensed?
- Complaints against commercial contractors go to the Contractor's Licensing Board on its online complaint form, with a notarized signature.
All South Carolina licensing rules by trade
Sources
- https://llr.sc.gov/clb/
- https://verify.llronline.com/LicLookup/Contractors/Contractor.aspx?div=69
- https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t40c059.php
- https://llr.sc.gov/res/resbuilder.aspx
- https://llr.sc.gov/res/reselectric.aspx
- https://verify.llronline.com/LicLookup/Resbu/Resbu.aspx?div=46
- https://llr.sc.gov/res/resplumber.aspx
- https://llr.sc.gov/res/reshvac.aspx
- https://llr.sc.gov/res/resspecialty.aspx
- https://llr.sc.gov/res/renewals.aspx
- https://llr.sc.gov/clb/clb_fees.aspx
- https://www.scstatehouse.gov/coderegs/Chapter%20106.pdf
- https://llr.sc.gov/clb/complaint.aspx
- https://llr.sc.gov/clb/clb_licensure.aspx
This is not a government site. The licensing board's own record governs; always confirm on the official lookup. Information as of October 6, 2026.