STATE LICENSE
RequiredSC LLR — Residential Builders Commission …
Painters and wallpaperers are a named residential specialty: anyone contracting for residential painting over $500 must be registered with the Residential Builders Commission (S.C. Code §§ 40-59-20(7)(l), 40-59-220(A)). The scope covers surface prep, caulking, sanding, coatings, wallcoverings, and drywall taping and finishing done with the painting (Reg. 106-1).
Commercially, painting sits inside the CLB's Nonstructural Renovation subclassification — and since January 1, 2025, that classification requires passing a PSI technical exam (§ 40-11-410(4); CLB alert). Commercial painting over $10,000 without it is unlicensed contracting.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
Most residential painting needs no building permit, so the local layer is mainly the business license tax: § 6-1-400 sets a May 1 – April 30 license year, or a license that expires with a construction contract. Where a permit is pulled, § 40-11-350 and § 40-59-280 require the building official to see the state credential first. Whether the work is in the City of Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, or Myrtle Beach or in unincorporated Charleston, Richland, Greenville, or Horry County, the state registration is the same. For residential specialty trades, § 40-59-240(C) adds a twist: counties and municipalities may require their own examination and license, but may not re-examine a contractor who already passed a Commission-approved exam in that trade.
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every South Carolina county on file.
Each row names the issuing authority, cost, timeline, citation, and status behind the requirement — verified against the official source.
Published fees from the issuing authorities, as of October 2026. Local permit fees vary by project and jurisdiction — the basis is stated where a flat number does not exist.
Nonstructural Renovation used to be qualified by experience; since January 1, 2025 it requires a PSI technical exam.
Painting, papering and similar finish work by an owner on their own residential property needs no permit and no license (§ 40-59-265(A)(1)(f)).
Residential registration needs a notarized Work Experience Affidavit (or reference letters) showing one year of residential painting in the past five years.
A practical sequence for a new painting contractor in South Carolina. Actual agency processing times are noted in the ledger above.
Each item names the issuing authority, cycle, and citation.
Statutory consequences with their citations — not estimates, not “commonly cited” guesses.
Engaging in residential specialty contracting without registration is a misdemeanor.
An unregistered contractor may not file a mechanics' lien or sue to enforce the contract.
Commercial Nonstructural Renovation work over $10,000 without a CLB license is a misdemeanor.
Inside city limits, the city office listed here issues the permit; the county office serves unincorporated areas. Every office links to its official page.
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on October 2026.
Pending verification: RBC specialty registration renewal fee amount · Federal EPA lead-safe (RRP) certification for pre-1978 housing was not researched for this record · Jurisdiction-specific business license rates and any local trade-license overlays in Charleston, Columbia/Richland County, Greenville, and Horry County/Myrtle Beach were not researched for this record — see the local office records
General information, not legal advice. Always confirm requirements, deadlines, and forms with the issuing authority before filing or contracting.
Store licenses, permits, policies, and renewal dates in one place.