The State of South Carolina holds reciprocity agreements for General Contractors licensed in the following states:
- North Carolina
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- Tennessee
- Utah
Reciprocity allows General Contractors licensed in one of the above states to obtain a license to work on construction projects in the State of South Carolina without having to take and pass the SC Technical Trade Exam. A license is required to work on projects worth $30,000 or more in South Carolina.
Reciprocal License Classifications in South Carolina
Reciprocity agreements exist between South Carolina and the states listed above due to the similarity in the license classifications offered. Licensing in South Carolina is conducted through the Department of Labor Licensing and Regulations’ Contractor Licensing Board.
South Carolina offers the following license types to General Contractors:
- Limited Building License- limits contractors to buildings under 3 stories tall, and projects of $350,000 or less, depending on net worth.
- Unlimited Building License- no limit to building size; however, the contract limit is based on the contractor’s net worth.
South Carolina breaks contractors up into groups, which limits the size of the job they may contract. These groups are based on net worth:
| Group | Net Worth Requirement | Project Limit |
| One | $6,000 | $30,000 |
| Two | $20,000 | $100,000 |
| Three | $70,000 | $350,000 |
| Four | $150,000 | $750,000 |
| Five | $250,000 | Unlimited |
The following license types/ classifications, in the following states, correspond to and are reciprocal to the license types and groups offered in South Carolina:
North Carolina
Building Contractor License
Louisiana
Louisiana Building Construction License
Mississippi
MS Building Contractor License
Tennessee
Class BC – Combined License
Class BC-A – Residential Contractor License
Class BC-B – Commercial Contractor License
Class BC-b – Small Commercial Contractor License
Class BC-C – Industrial Contractor License
Utah
Class B100- General Building Contractor License
Class R100- Residential/Small Commercial Contractor License
For additional information on corresponding license classifications between South Carolina and its reciprocal states, please visit:
South Carolina Contractor’s Licensing Board Waiver/Reciprocity Outline
Reciprocity Exams in South Carolina
South Carolina’s reciprocity agreements for General Contractors waive the Trade/Technical Exam requirement. However, in order to obtain a license, all contractors are responsible for taking and passing the SC Business Management/ Law Exam, administered by PSI.
Applicants must pass the exam with a minimum score of 70% prior to submitting the license application. The PSI Candidate Information Bulletin contains all the information needed to register for and take the exam.
For more information about the SC Business Management/Law Exam, call PSI at:
1-800-733-9267
All contractors are also required to complete the SC Code of Laws Take-Home Exam found inside the application packet.
Reciprocal Requirements in South Carolina
In order to qualify for a reciprocal contractor license in the State of South Carolina, General Contractors must meet the following requirements:
- All contractors must have taken and passed the technical/trade qualifying examination in their home state; or have a qualifying individual who passed the exam on their behalf.
- All contractors must currently hold an active license in good-standing with one of the reciprocal states listed above
- The contractor’s license must be in good standing and free from any outstanding complaints or disciplinary actions from their home state licensing agency.
To apply for a license in South Carolina contractors must download a copy of the application and required documents.
Contractors must submit their completed license application to the Board, along with the following documents:
- Financial Statement- showing the contractor’s net worth. If the contractor qualifies for Groups One and Two, they may prepare their own financial statement. All other groups must have their financial statement prepared by a PA or CPA in the State of South Carolina
- Experience Affidavit- all contractors must be able to prove 2 years of full-time work experience in the field of general contracting
- Secretary of State Registration- if the contractor’s business is a partnership, LLC, LLP or corporation, they must register with the South Carolina Secretary of State
- Take Home Exam- all contractors must complete the SC Code of Laws Take-Home Exam, found inside the application packet
- Exam Score Sheet- proving that you have taken and passed the Business Management/Law Exam through PSI.
- Verification Letter- all contractors must submit a verification letter proving that they hold an active license in their home state. The verification letter must contain the following information:
- Name of the Contractor
- Contractor’s License Number
- License Issuance Date
- License Expiration Date
- The Name and SSN# of the Qualifying Individual (the person who took the exam on the contractor’s behalf)
- Name of the Exam the Contractor Passed (corresponding to the SC Technical/Trade Exam)
- Date the Contractor Passed the Exam (in their home state)
Further Information about Reciprocity in South Carolina
For more information about reciprocity through the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation and the Contractor Licensing Board, please visit the links below:
South Carolina Contractor’s Licensing Board Waiver/Reciprocity Agreements
How to Apply for a South Carolina General Contractor License
OR
Call the Board between 8:30am and 5pm at:
803-896-4300