Electrician licensing in South Carolina

Scope of work

South Carolina splits electrical licensure into two tracks. Commercial electrical work over the state threshold is licensed through the Contractor's Licensing Board (CLB) Mechanical classification. Residential electrical work is licensed through the Residential Builders Commission (RBC) as a Residential Specialty Contractor (Electrical). Source: SC CLB (https://llr.sc.gov/clb/); SC RBC Residential Electrician (https://www.llr.sc.gov/res/reselectric.aspx).

Commercial Track (CLB Mechanical-Electrical). Required for commercial electrical projects above the statutory threshold published by the CLB. Applicants establish a company qualifier who passes two exams: a South Carolina Business and Law exam and the electrical technical exam, both administered by PSI Services. A minimum score of 70 percent is required to pass each section. Source: SC CLB (https://llr.sc.gov/clb/).

Residential Track (RBC Residential Specialty — Electrical). Required for residential electrical projects over $500. The RBC Residential Electrical technical exam has 60 multiple-choice questions with a passing score of 73.3 percent. Applicants must also pass the SC Business Management exam. Source: SC RBC Residential Electrician (https://www.llr.sc.gov/res/reselectric.aspx); SC RBC Examination Information (https://llr.sc.gov/res/exam.aspx).

Net worth and bond substitute

The CLB assigns mechanical contractors to license groups based on reviewed financial statements; the group sets the maximum project size the licensee may bid. A contractor who does not meet the net-worth threshold for a desired group may post a surety bond equal to twice the minimum net worth for that group to qualify. Specialty mechanical contractors (including electrical) are subject to a $10,000 bond at the specialty level. Source: SC CLB (https://llr.sc.gov/clb/).

Exam Waivers

The RBC recognizes exam-waiver agreements for Residential Electrical with North Carolina and Mississippi; applicants currently licensed in a reciprocal state may be exempted from the technical exam. The Business Management exam is generally still required. Source: SC RBC (https://www.llr.sc.gov/res/licensure.aspx).

Fees

Biennial CLB renewal fee is $220. Confirm current application and exam fees on the board page before remitting, because the board updates the fee schedule periodically. Source: SC LLR Continuing Education (https://llr.sc.gov/bcc/bcce.aspx).

Renewal and CE

CLB licenses renew on a 2-year cycle; the reporting period runs July 1 to June 30 of each odd-numbered year. Per SC Code of Regulations 8-150, 24 hours of approved continuing education are required per 2-year cycle for CLB mechanical specialty licensees. Hours cannot be carried to the next cycle. RBC Residential Builders and Residential Specialty contractors are not required to complete continuing education to renew under current RBC rules; confirm current RBC CE status before renewal. Source: SC LLR Continuing Education (https://llr.sc.gov/bcc/bcce.aspx).

Municipal layer

Even with a CLB or RBC license, individual electrical work is permitted at the local building department. Cities may require additional registration. Confirm each jurisdiction where you pull permits.