SC LLR Explained: Which Board Licenses Your Business and How to Look Up a License

If you are starting a business in South Carolina, you will hear about SC LLR within the first few weeks. The Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR) issues and enforces many professional and occupational licenses. It is the first place to check when you need to know whether your trade requires a license before you take a paying customer. This guide covers what LLR handles, what it does not handle, and how to run an LLR license lookup yourself.

This guide is informational only. It is not legal or tax advice. Licensing rules change, and the board's current published requirements control. For a specific situation, consult a qualified attorney or certified public accountant (CPA).

What LLR Is and Why It Matters

LLR administers dozens of licensing boards and commissions. Section 40-1-40 of the South Carolina Code lists 36 boards, and later legislation has added more, including the Massage Therapy Board. Each board sets its own education, examination, and experience requirements, and each board handles applications, renewals, and complaints for its profession.

The practical point for a business owner is that the license type matters. Some boards license an individual practitioner, some license a business or firm, and your company may need one, the other, or both. Confirm which applies with the board before you advertise services, sign a contract, or take a deposit.

Boards Most New Businesses Run Into

You do not need to memorize the full list. These boards cover the trades that most often come up for new businesses:

• Contractors' Licensing Board: general contracting work above the dollar thresholds described below.
• Residential Builders Commission: residential home builders.
• Real Estate Commission: real estate brokers and agents.
• Cosmetology and Barber Examiners: salons, barbershops, and the individuals who work in them.
• Manufactured Housing: businesses and individuals in the manufactured housing trade.
• Pyrotechnic Safety: fireworks and other pyrotechnic work.
• Funeral Service: funeral service practitioners and establishments.
• Massage Therapy Board: massage therapy practitioners.

Board names and scopes change over time, so check the complete board list on the LLR website before you assume your trade is covered or exempt.

What Is Not Handled by LLR

Many owners assume every regulated trade runs through LLR. It does not. Use this table to find the right agency before you apply anywhere:

Activity	Agency that handles it
Pest control	Clemson University, Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR)
Food service and retail food permits	South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA)
Tattoo operations and health facilities	South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH)
Security services and private investigation	South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED)
Insurance	Department of Insurance (DOI)
Vehicle dealers	South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV)

Retail food permits come from the SC Department of Agriculture. Some older guides and forms still point to the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) for food permits. That information is out of date because food permitting moved to SCDA when DHEC was split in 2024.

Local Business Licenses Come From Your City or County

South Carolina has no general statewide business license. Registering your entity with the Secretary of State is not a business license, and it does not authorize you to operate. The Secretary of State does not register DBA or trade names either. Most cities levy a local business license tax. Only nine counties do: Beaufort, Charleston, Dorchester, Horry, Jasper, Marion, Orangeburg, Richland, and Sumter.

Local business license years run May 1 to April 30, and licenses are due April 30. Renewals are handled at localblrenewal.com, a service of the South Carolina Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office. Contact the city or county clerk where your business will operate to confirm which local license applies to you.

If you sell tangible goods, you also need a Retail License from the South Carolina Department of Revenue (SCDOR). It is a one time, nonrefundable $50 fee per location, applied for through the Business Tax Application on MyDORWAY. Details are at dor.sc.gov.

Contractor Licensing Thresholds

Contractors are the trade owners ask about most. A commercial contractor license is required for work above $10,000. Residential specialty registration is required for work above $500. Before you bid, confirm with the Contractors' Licensing Board (or the board that governs your work) how the thresholds are measured. Ask whether they count labor, materials, or the full contract, and whether they apply per project or per contract.

The Residential Builders Commission Moved to a New Online Platform

In 2026, the Residential Builders Commission moved its applications to a new online platform. If you started an application before February 2, 2026, you must restart it on the new system. Do not assume an earlier application carried over. Contact the Commission directly if you are unsure where your application stands.

The Earn and Learn Act of 2023

The Earn and Learn Act of 2023 (2023 Act No. 13) affects how some occupational licensing works in South Carolina. Its effect differs by profession. Ask the board that licenses your occupation whether the Act applies to you and what documentation it accepts before you rely on it in an application.

How to Run an LLR License Lookup

The official tool is verify.llronline.com. Run a lookup before you hire a subcontractor, bring on a licensed partner, or accept a job that requires a license. Follow these steps:

1. Open verify.llronline.com.
2. Search by the person's name or the business name. If you have a license number, enter it for an exact match. Common names can return several records, so use the license number when you can.
3. Compare the name, city, and profession on the record with the person or company in front of you. Make sure the license type matches the work being done.
4. Read the status and expiration date. An expired or inactive license does not authorize current work, even if the person held that license before. Renewal is what makes it current again.
5. Review any disciplinary or complaint information shown on the record. For the complete file, ask the board directly.
6. Save a dated screenshot or PDF of the record to your project file. Check again before work begins and before any renewal date on the license.

If a lookup returns nothing, do not assume the person is unlicensed, and do not assume the search tool is broken. Check the spelling, try the license number, and then call LLR. Do not proceed with licensed work until you have confirmed the status with the agency.

Check Your Business Entity Records Too

A license lookup covers the individual or firm that holds a license. It does not confirm your business entity registration. Search entity names through the Secretary of State's Business Entities Online at businessfilings.sc.gov. A standard LLC files no annual report and pays no annual tax, so you do not owe a recurring entity filing for that structure. A corporation is different: it must file the Form CL-1 with its $25 initial License Fee within 60 days of doing business or using capital in South Carolina, then file its annual report with the SCDOR.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Treating Secretary of State registration as a business license. It is not one. Check your local license separately.
• Assuming LLR covers food, pest control, insurance, or vehicle sales. Those activities go to other agencies, as shown in the table above.
• Checking a license once and never again. Status changes, so check before work starts and at each renewal.
• Using an outdated Residential Builders application. Applications started before February 2, 2026 must be restarted.
• Overlooking E-Verify. South Carolina requires every private employer to verify new hires through E-Verify, and LLR enforces that requirement.

When to Get Professional Help

If your business needs more than one license, operates in a regulated trade with a complex structure, or faces a complaint or disciplinary matter, talk to a qualified South Carolina attorney. A CPA can advise on the tax side of your entity choice and the SCDOR filings. The South Carolina Small Business Development Centers (SC SBDC) at scsbdc.com can also help you think through the sequence of registrations before you spend money on the wrong one.

Quick Checklist

1. Confirm whether your trade is an LLR board profession or belongs to another agency.
2. Confirm the license type (individual, business, or both) with the board.
3. Register your entity with the Secretary of State and check the name on Business Entities Online.
4. Apply for your city or county business license and calendar the April 30 due date.
5. Run an LLR lookup on verify.llronline.com for yourself and for anyone you hire, then save a dated copy.

Reminder: this guide is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Confirm current requirements with the agency that administers each license, and consult a qualified attorney or CPA for your situation.