South Carolina Contractor's Licensing Board

How to Apply for a General and Mechanical License

Applying for a License by Examinations

See Examinations to determine if a technical exam is required.

1.  To apply for a license, download the following:

• The PSI Candidate Information Bulletin (PSI 800-733-9267)
• Initial application, Doc #165
• A financial statement is required. For general contractor's not bidding jobs over $100,000 or mechanical contractors not bidding jobs over $30,000, download the financial statement balance sheet, Doc #172. For larger jobs, an accountant must prepare your financials (see Doc #165 for more information).

2.  In the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin, select your exams and submit the registration form to them.

• You must take a technical exam
• You must take the Business Management and Law exam
• Study material resources can be found on page 3 of the Candidate Information Bulletin

3.  After registering, you will receive an Eligibility Letter from PSI. Call the number at the bottom of the letter and schedule an appointment at the testing site of your choice.
4.  After you have passed both the PSI technical exam and Business Management & Law exam, submit the following to the SC Contractor’s Licensing Board:

• Application, Doc #165 (entire application/all pages must be completed)
• PSI technical exam score sheet
• PSI Business Management & Law score sheet
• Financial Statement (use Doc #172 for Groups 1 & 2 only; for Groups 3-5 use an accountant)
• If you have registered your corporation, partnership, LLC with the S.C. Secretary of State, attach a copy of the certificate (optional)
• License Fee

How to Apply for a License by Waiver

A technical examination must have been passed with one of the participating states listed below. The applicant must not have any outstanding complaints with any other licensing agency and all applicants must be currently licensed in good standing.

• ALABAMA: Electrical
• GEORGIA: Unrestricted Electrical = SC Electrical; Unrestricted Conditioned Air (if exam passed after 6/30/1980) = SC Air Conditioning and Heating
• LOUISIANA: Building Construction = SC Building. Earthwork/Drainage/Levees (3 exams) = SC Grading. Concrete/Steel/Wood Bridges (3 exams) = SC Bridges. Asphalt Hot & Cold Plant Mix/Asphalt Surface Treatment (2 exams) = SC Asphalt Paving. Paved Highways/Concrete & Soil Treatment (2 exams) = SC Concrete Paving. Transmission Pipeline = SC Pipelines. Tunnels = SC Boring & Tunneling. Sewer/Storm Drains & Waterlines (2 exams) = SC Water & Sewer Lines. Filter Plants & Water Purification = SC Water & Sewer Plants. Industrial Piping = SC Pressure & Process Piping
• MISSISSIPPI: Building. Electrical.
• NORTH CAROLINA: Intermediate or Unlimited Electrical = SC Electrical. Roofing = SC Specialty Roofing. Building. Water & Sewer Lines. Water & Sewer Plants. Grading. Highway (if exam passed prior to 4/1/1999)
• PENNSYLVANIA (Reading, PA ONLY): Mechanical/Electrical = SC Electrical
• TENNESSEE: BC-b, BC-C = SC Limited Building. BC, BC-B, BC-BC = SC Unlimited Building. CMC/Mechanical = SC Air Conditioning, Refrigeration, and Plumbing. CMC-A = SC Plumbing. CMC-C = SC Air Conditioning and Refrigeration. CE = SC Electrical
• TEXAS: Class A Air Conditioning/Refrigeration or Class A Air Conditioning = SC Air Conditioning and Heating. Class B Air Conditioning/Refrigeration or Class B Air Conditioning = SC Packaged Equipment. Class A Refrigeration = SC Refrigeration. Master Electrician = SC Electrical
• UTAH: HVAC = SC Air Conditioning. Residential/Small Commercial = SC Limited Building (Groups 1-3). General Building = SC Unlimited Building (Groups 1-5). Master Electrician = Electrical. Excavation & Grading = SC Grading. Warm Air Heating = SC Heating. Refrigerated Air Conditioning = SC Packaged Equipment. Steel Erector = Structural Framing. Sewer & Waste Water Pipeline = SC Water & Sewer Lines. Concrete. Glass & Glazing. General Roofing. Refrigeration. Swimming Pools.
• MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH CAROLINA (MASC): Master Electrical, or Master Plumber, if exams passed after 1/1/1990. Master Mechanical, if exam passed after 9/6/2013, = SC Air Conditioning, Heating, Packaged Equipment, and Refrigeration.

1. Request a Letter of Verification from your state licensing board listed above. The letter must include licensee name, license number, license issue date, license expiration date, name of exam qualifier and social security number, name of exam passed and date exam passed.
2. Applicants are required to pass the PSI Business Management & Law exam for South Carolina. Schedule the exam with PSI at 800-733-9267 or psiexams.com.
3. Submit the following to the SC Contractor’s Licensing Board:

• Application, Doc #165 (do not have to complete Experience Affidavit page)
• Letter of Verification from your state licensing board
• PSI Business Management & Law score sheet
• Financial Statement (use Doc #172 for Groups 1 & 2 only; use an accountant for Groups 3-5)
• If you have registered your corporation, partnership, LLC with the S.C. Secretary of State, attach a copy of the certificate (optional)
• License Fee

How to Apply for a Burglar/Fire Alarm License

1. To apply for a license, download the following:

• The PSI Candidate Information Bulletin (PSI 800-733-9267)
• Initial application, Doc#130

2. In the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin, select your exams and submit the registration form to them:

• You must take a technical exam (burglar alarm exam and/or fire alarm exam)
• You must take the Alarm Code of Laws exam
• Study material resources can be found on page 3 of the Candidate Information Bulletin.
• After registering, you will receive an Eligibility Letter from PSI. Call the number at the bottom of the letter and schedule an appointment at the testing site of your choice.

3. All burglar and fire alarm examinees must be NTS Level I or II certified. All fire alarm examinees must be either NTS Level I or II certified, or NICET Level II or III certified.

• NTS (National Training School - SC Alarm Association): (803) 252-0580
• NICET (National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies): www.nicet.org or (888) 476-4238

4. All burglar alarm examinees and principal officers must submit a Criminal Background Check/Report.

5. A Certificate of Liability Insurance ($100,000 minimum coverage) must be submitted in your DBA name and have the same address. The insurer affording the general liability coverage must be licensed to write insurance policies in South Carolina. The “Certificate Holder” on the form must be listed as the “SC Contractor’s Licensing Board”.

6. After you have passed both the PSI technical exam and Alarm Code of Law exam, submit the following to the SC Contractor’s Licensing Board:

• Application, Doc#130 (entire application/all pages must be completed)
• PSI technical exam score sheet
• PSI Alarm Code of Law score sheet
• NTS Level I or II certificate or NICET Level II or III certificate (as applicable)
• Criminal background report(s)
• Certificate of Liability Insurance
• $200 License Fee

How to Apply for a Fire Sprinkler License

1. To apply for a license, download and complete the application, Doc#145.

2. All applicant qualifiers must be certified as a NICET Level III or IV technician in "Fire Protection Engineering Technology Automatic Sprinkler System Layout" or “Fire Protection Engineering Technology Water-Based Systems Layout”.

• NICET (National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies): www.nicet.org or (888) 476-4238

3. A Certificate of Liability Insurance ($100,000 minimum coverage) must be submitted in your DBA name and have the same address. The insurer affording the general liability coverage must be licensed to write insurance policies in South Carolina. The “Certificate Holder” on the form must be listed as the “SC Contractor’s Licensing Board”.

4. Submit the following to the SC Contractor’s Licensing Board:

• Application, Doc#145 (entire application/all pages must be completed)
• NICET Level III or IV certificate
• Certificate of Liability Insurance
• $200 License Fee