Last updated May 27, 2020
South Carolina LLC
Business Licenses and Permits
Quick Start Guide:
How to form an LLC in South Carolina
Detailed Lessons:
5. EIN Number
6. No Annual Report
7. Business License ← you are here
8. Taxes
South Carolina LLC costs:
LLC formation: $125 online or $110 by mail
Annual report: None (for most LLCs)
Need help?
Hire a company to form your South Carolina LLC:
Northwest ($39 + state fee) or LegalZoom ($149 + state fee)
★ Check out Northwest vs LegalZoom
After your South Carolina LLC is approved, you’ll need to comply with state and local government license and permit requirements.
Your requirements are determined by the industry you are in and where your business is located.
Not complying with license and permit requirements is risky and can result in penalties and fines, or worse, not being allowed to conduct business.
Types of licenses you may need in South Carolina
Below are some license and permits examples:
- Department of Revenue State Tax ID number
- Business operation license/business privilege license
- Sales tax license
- Seller/reseller permit
- Building permit
- Health permit
- Signage permit
- Home occupation permit
- Zoning and land use permits
- Withholding taxes (if you have employees)
Industries that are more regulated have more requirements.
Do it yourself in South Carolina
Below are some resources for determining your South Carolina license and permit requirements yourself:
Obtain a South Carolina Tax ID Number
A state taxpayer identification number is issued by the South Carolina Department of Revenue:
South Carolina Department of Revenue
South Carolina Department of Revenue: Registration
Note: Make sure your LLC is approved and you have an EIN Number from the IRS before registering.
Here is some additional information:
South Carolina Department of Revenue: Contact Us
South Carolina Department of Revenue: Registration FAQs
South Carolina Department of Revenue: Sales & Use Tax for Remote Sellers
General and Local Business Licensing Info
South Carolina Business One Stop (SCBOS) has a checklist for various business licenses your LLC may need at the state and county level.
You can access the checklist here:
SCBOS: County Business License Quick Chart
Business Licenses Handbook
The Municipal Association of South Carolina has a handbook containing guides on various business licenses.
You can access the handbook here:
Municipal Association of South Carolina: Business License Handbook
Other Resources
You can contact any of the places listed below to inquire about any license or permit requirements for your business:
- South Carolina Economic Development Directory
- South Carolina Association of Counties: County Information
- South Carolina Association of Counties: Research & Information
- South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation
Note: There may be more places in South Carolina you need to contact.
Next Step
After you’ve researched and obtained the proper licenses and permits, you can then proceed to the next lesson: South Carolina LLC Taxes.
Thank you for providing this informative site- it made my process more efficient.
You’re very welcome Rachel! Thanks for your nice comment and Happy New Year!
Your step-by-step guide made this such an easy process. Your site is very informative and has an answer for every question mark.
That is so great to hear Linsey! Thanks for your comment and I’m glad we could help :)