Do you need a license to do electrical work in South Carolina?

Yes. In South Carolina, electrical contracting needs a state license: a mechanical contractor license in the electrical subclassification for jobs costing more than $10,000, or a residential specialty contractor license from the Residential Builders Commission for residential electrical work over $500. Mechanical contractor licenses are issued under the chapter administered by the South Carolina Contractor’s Licensing Board in the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. A contract that contains electrical work above 50 volts must be performed by a contractor licensed in the electrical subclassification or a licensed public electrical utility contractor. Residential electricians must pass the required examination; the residential specialty license covers work not regulated by the contractors’ licensing chapter. This is S.C. Code §§ 40-11-10, 40-11-30, 40-11-410, 40-59-20, 40-59-30.

WhatSouth Carolina
Electrician licenseState license: mechanical (electrical) or residential

Source

S.C. Code §§ 40-11-10, 40-11-30, 40-11-410, 40-59-20, 40-59-30

Read the statute in the South Carolina Code of Laws (South Carolina Legislature): scstatehouse.gov.

Checked against the statute on November 13, 2026.

This is a summary of a published statute, not legal advice. Rules change, local ordinances can add to them, and the terms of a specific lease may differ. Check the citation and speak to a lawyer before acting.

How Seayora uses this rule

A contractor on Seayora keeps each license with its issuing state, its expiry date and the last four digits of its number, and the business is warned before one lapses — on the website and both phone apps. A customer finding a pro on Seayora sees whether a license is on file.

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