Please note that the South Carolina Business and Law exam as well as the South Carolina Electrician exam is required to be passed to obtain your contractors license.
Financial requirements:
All licenses that fall under the category of General Contractor are divided in five financial categories based on net worth:
- Group 1 – Allows for jobs of $17,500 or less, applicants must submit a self-prepared financial statement showing a net worth of at least $3,500.
- Group 2 – Allows for jobs of $50,000 or less, applicants must submit a self-prepared financial statement showing a net worth of at least $10,000.
- Group 3 – Allows for jobs of $100,000 or less, applicants must submit a financial statement that has been compiled or reviewed by a CPA showing a net worth of at least $20,000.
- Group 4 – Allows for jobs of $200,000 or less, applicants must submit a financial statement that has been compiled or reviewed by a CPA showing a net worth of at least $40,000.
- Group 5 – There are no financial limits on the size of job allowed, applicants must submit an audited financial statement that has been prepared by a CPA showing a net worth of at least $200,000.
Experience required:
- Within the past five years, contractor must show two years of actual work experience as a full-time employee in the desired classification. Only commercial experience is accepted.
The South Carolina Electrician license covers the installation, alteration, or repair of wiring-related electrical material and equipment used in the generating, transmitting, or utilization of electrical energy less than six hundred volts, including all overhead electrical wiring on public rights-of-way for signs and street decorations and all underground electrical distribution systems of less than six hundred volts serving private properties.
This license also includes, but is not limited to, installing, altering, and repairing, panels, controls, conductors, conduits, cables, devices, plates, electric ceilings, control wiring; and electric heating, lighting fixtures, lamps, general outside lighting, underground and overhead feeder distribution systems for services, and related components or work necessary to provide a complete electrical system and installing window or through-the-wall air conditioning units not to exceed three HP or three tons where no piping is necessary.
Under this license, general outside lighting is limited solely to within property lines and not on public easements or rights-of-way. A contract that contains electrical work above fifty volts must be performed by a contractor licensed under this license or a licensed public electrical utility contractor.
This license also includes installing, altering, and repairing all lighting on private property, athletic fields, stadiums, parking lots, and the design, installation, and servicing of fire alarm systems.
The first step in the licensing process is to pass the exams. A completed application should then be submitted to the state licensing board with documentation of your experience, financial information and your passing test scores.
To apply, contact the South Carolina Contractors Licensing Board at (803) 896-4686. The licensing fee for all commercial licenses is $350.
Important Contacts
There are currently no continuing education requirements for this license.
American Contractors offers a one and a half day course to prepare for the South Carolina Electrician examination. We also offer preparation for the South Carolina Commercial Business Law exam which is necessary to obtain this license. Please contact us at 1-800-992-1910 for additional information.
