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The Secretary of State's business entity FAQ takes the question head on. Can you get a retail license or business license from the Secretary of State's office? No. Retail licenses are issued by the Department of Revenue. Business licenses are issued at the county or city level. Professional licenses are issued by the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. That gives you three offices, and none of them is the one that forms your LLC.
Which office issues which license?
| License type | Who issues it |
|---|---|
| Business license | Your county or city |
| Retail license | South Carolina Department of Revenue |
| Professional license, such as contractor or CPA | Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation |
| LLC registration | Secretary of State |
The FAQ points to the South Carolina Association of Counties for county contacts. We did not read city or county pages, so we cannot say what they charge or when they renew. Ask the city or county where you operate.
How does the Department of Revenue fit in?
Its Business Tax Application is one online form for several accounts. You can apply for a sales tax license if your business requires one, apply for withholding if you have employees, and add other business tax accounts. The page says it takes up to 5 business days to process. LLCs doing business in the state must first register with the Secretary of State and hold a valid federal EIN.
We did not read a retail license fee, so we do not quote one. Get it from the Department of Revenue before you apply.
What is the Business One Stop?
SC Business One Stop, or SCBOS, is listed on the Secretary of State's resources page. The page says it offers a 9-step guide for starting a business and information on applying for retail and business licenses and registering for unemployment insurance. Use it as a checklist.
What does the LLC itself need?
The Articles of Organization cost $110 with the Secretary of State, and our South Carolina LLC guide walks through the steps. A South Carolina LLC has no annual report filed with the Secretary of State unless it is taxed as a corporation. Corporations file their report with the Department of Revenue.
Do not read that as "no upkeep." Your county or city license probably renews on its own schedule, and the tax accounts carry their own filing dates. We did not read those rules.
In what order should you do it?
- Check the name and file the Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State.
- Get the federal EIN. The Department of Revenue asks for it when an LLC applies.
- Submit the Business Tax Application for the sales tax license, withholding or other accounts that fit your business.
- Contact the county or city where you operate about its business license.
- If your trade has a licensing board, confirm its rules with Labor, Licensing and Regulation.
Write down who you asked and what they said. The Secretary of State also warns about mailers that charge hundreds of dollars for a certificate, so use the agency's own pages.
What about a DBA?
The Secretary of State does not register DBA or trade names. See the DBA section in our South Carolina guide for where that leaves you, and DBA vs LLC for the difference.
Where can you check a license?
We did not read a license verification tool for any of the three offices, so we do not link one. To confirm the LLC exists, use the Secretary of State search covered in our South Carolina business search guide. For general lookups, see business license lookup and state tax ID lookup. Compare North Carolina and Georgia.
What this page does not cover
It does not list county or city fees, board requirements, tax rates or Revenue forms. It is a guide, not legal or tax advice. Confirm each rule with the office that issues the license.