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Register a business in South Carolina
The filing office, forms, steps and next stops for registering a business in South Carolina. Every line shows the official page it came from, and the day we read it.
The order to do it in
Choose a business type and get your EIN first. Then file with the state filing office below, and check your city and county before you start work.
Filing office
- South Carolina entities file organizing documents with the Secretary of State online (24 to 48 business hours), by mail, or in person. South Carolina Business One Stop, as of
Forming an LLC
- A South Carolina LLC is formed by Articles of Organization (S.C. Code 33-44-202). South Carolina Secretary of State, as of
- Articles of Organization filing fee: $110 (as of Oct 6, 2026) South Carolina Secretary of State, as of
Forming a corporation
- A South Carolina business corporation files Articles of Incorporation with the Secretary of State, together with Form CL-1 (Initial Annual Report of Corporations). South Carolina Secretary of State, as of
- The Form CL-1 fee goes in the same payment as the Articles fee. South Carolina Secretary of State, as of
- Articles of Incorporation filing fee: $110 (as of Oct 6, 2026) South Carolina Secretary of State, as of
- Form CL-1 initial licence fee, in the same payment: $25 (as of Oct 6, 2026) South Carolina Secretary of State, as of
- Total payment for the Articles and Form CL-1: $135 (as of Oct 6, 2026) South Carolina Secretary of State, as of
Annual or biennial report
- South Carolina corporations file annual reports (Schedule D of the corporate return) and pay a licence fee to the Department of Revenue, not the Secretary of State. The fee rate is 0.1 percent of capital stock and paid-in surplus, plus a fixed amount, with a minimum. An LLC not taxed as a corporation is exempt. South Carolina Department of Revenue, as of
- Fixed amount added to the licence fee rate: $15 (as of Oct 6, 2026) South Carolina Department of Revenue, as of
- Minimum licence fee: $25 (as of Oct 6, 2026) South Carolina Department of Revenue, as of
Assumed name (DBA)
- South Carolina does not register DBAs at the state level. The Business One Stop says to ask the county or municipality, and a DBA can typically be recorded on the local business licence. South Carolina Business One Stop, as of
State tax registration
- A retail (sales tax) licence is applied for through a Business Tax Application with the Department of Revenue. South Carolina Business One Stop, as of
- Retail licence fee: $50 (as of Oct 6, 2026) South Carolina Business One Stop, as of
Statewide business licence
- Registration with the Secretary of State is not a local business licence. Apply for one with the county and/or municipality where the business is located. South Carolina Business One Stop, as of
State rules for pool, lifeguard and contractor work
These lines point to the state’s own rules. Whether one applies to your work is for the state to say, so confirm with the agency named in each line.
- Regulation 61-51 puts every public pool under a qualified operator holding a South Carolina Pool Operator certification from a Department-approved provider, who inspects at least three times a week. South Carolina Department of Environmental Services, as of
- Since May 19, 2023, a General Contractor licence with the Swimming Pools classification (or a residential builder licence) is needed to construct, service or repair a residential pool when the job meets the threshold below. South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, as of
- Residential pool job amount at which the licence is needed: $10,000 (as of Oct 6, 2026) South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, as of
City and county licences
City and county licences vary by place. Check with your city hall or county clerk before you start work.
Sources
- Registering with the Secretary of State South Carolina Business One Stop. As of .
- Downloadable Paper Forms South Carolina Secretary of State. As of .
- Corporate FAQs South Carolina Department of Revenue. As of .
- Doing Business As (DBA) South Carolina Business One Stop. As of .
- Retail License South Carolina Business One Stop. As of .
- Regulation 61-51 Public Swimming Pools South Carolina Department of Environmental Services. As of .
- Swimming Pools, Contractors’ Licensing Board South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. As of .
Official pages change. Each line shows the day we last read it.
Last checked