Hiring a contractor in South Carolina: check, red flags, complaints
Check the CLB or RBC lookup, and make sure the classification and group limit cover your job. (source: SC CLB: General Information (opens in a new tab), source: SC Residential Builders Commission (opens in a new tab))
Check a license on the CLB website (official site, opens in a new tab)
How: Use SC LLR Licensee Lookup - Contractors for commercial work, or the Residential Builders Commission lookup for home builders. (source: SC CLB: General Information (opens in a new tab), source: SC Residential Builders Commission (opens in a new tab))
Checked against official South Carolina Contractor's Licensing Board (SC LLR) sources. See sources.
Red flags when hiring
- Bids a commercial job above its group limit. (source: SC CLB: Licensure Information (opens in a new tab))
- Builds or remodels a home for over $5,000 without an RBC license. (source: SC Code Title 40 Ch. 59 (opens in a new tab))
Penalties
- Unlicensed commercial contracting: misdemeanor, up to 1 year in prison or a fine up to $5,000. (source: SC Code Title 40 Ch. 11 (opens in a new tab))
- Unlicensed residential work: misdemeanor, $500 to $10,000 fine, at least 30 days in prison, or both. (source: SC Code Title 40 Ch. 59 (opens in a new tab))
Sources and last verified
Last verified: . Next check due: . Every fact on this page links to one of these official pages.
- SC CLB: General Information (opens in a new tab) (checked Oct 24, 2026)
- SC CLB: Licensure Information (opens in a new tab) (checked Oct 24, 2026)
- SC Residential Builders Commission (opens in a new tab) (checked Oct 24, 2026)
- SC Code Title 40 Ch. 11 (opens in a new tab) (checked Oct 24, 2026)
- SC Code Title 40 Ch. 59 (opens in a new tab) (checked Oct 24, 2026)
- SC LLR Licensee Lookup - Contractors (opens in a new tab) (checked Oct 24, 2026)
- SC RBC Licensee Lookup (opens in a new tab) (checked Oct 24, 2026)
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