South Carolina Masonry License Requirements

For commercial work, South Carolina requires a Contractor’s Licensing Board (CLB) general-contractor license when the total cost of construction is more than $10,000. Masonry is a CLB classification. Its statutory scope includes poured-in-place concrete foundations such as footings and reinforced slabs, brick, concrete block, and common masonry products, including mortarless and synthetic products. Masonry is a non-technical-exam classification: the primary qualifying party (PQP) must pass the South Carolina Business Management and Law for Commercial Contractors exam and document qualifying experience, rather than take a separate masonry trade exam. A contractor working only in the residential specialty setting should instead evaluate the Residential Builders Commission (RBC) registration route; that is a separate program with its own threshold, experience, bond, and renewal rules.

Regulatory Body

Under South Carolina Code of Laws Title 40 Chapter 11 (Contractor's Licensing Act), South Carolina Contractor's Licensing Board (SCCLB) is the body that issues this license and enforces compliance with it. The South Carolina Contractor's Licensing Board sits within the SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR) and licenses general and building contractors statewide. The Board administers Title 40 Chapter 11, sets financial group limits (Group I–V), approves PSI examinations, and conducts disciplinary proceedings.

Official portal: https://www.llr.sc.gov/contractors/
Address: Synergy Business Park, Kingstree Building, 110 Centerview Drive, Columbia, SC 29210
Phone: (803) 896-4686

Eligibility Requirements

This guide does not establish a minimum applicant age; confirm any age requirement with the issuing authority. Applicants must provide a Social Security Number. LLR’s commercial-licensure instructions do not state a South Carolina residency requirement. Non-sole-proprietor applicants must provide South Carolina Secretary of State verification to conduct business in the state.

Good moral character

Use the current LLR application and any explanatory form it calls for to disclose requested judgments, prior license discipline, and other application responses. Do not assume that a conviction automatically decides eligibility.

Background investigation

LLR’s commercial-licensure instructions identify application disclosures and explanatory documentation where required; they do not state a universal fingerprint-based background check for this classification.

Experience and Education

Eligibility requires 2 years of For the commercial Masonry classification, the PQP/QP submits two years of relevant work experience performed within the previous five years. LLR lists Masonry as a non-technical-exam classification and requires the Work Experience Affidavit (Doc. 167). LLR says commercial and residential experience may be considered for some classifications, but only Nonstructural Renovation may rely entirely on residential experience., documented and independently verifiable. Payroll, tax, project, and supervisor records are the usual proof the board will accept.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

LLR Work Experience Affidavit (Doc. 167) for the commercial Masonry classification
LLR Primary Qualifying Party/Qualifying Party application (Doc. 168), when required
For a residential specialty registration, the RBC requires its experience affidavit or qualifying notarized references for each selected trade

Exam Requirements

Testing provider or authority: PSI Services LLC for the South Carolina Contractor’s Licensing Board. The following examination requirements cover the pathways described in this guide; follow each part's classification, waiver, and local-scope conditions. Unpublished format details do not remove an examination requirement:

South Carolina Business Management and Law for Commercial Contractors — 50 questions, 125 minutes, passing score 70%

Examination fee: $75 for the Business Management and Law examination. LLR lists Masonry as a non-technical-exam classification, so this guide does not add a masonry trade-exam fee.

Retake policy: PSI states that the Business Management and Law examination may be taken without a stated numerical limit during a 12-month period. Check PSI before scheduling because its bulletin controls current testing procedures.

Insurance and Bonds

The cited materials impose no contractor license bond for this credential. Bear in mind that specific contracts, permits, or public works can still require their own bonds.

General liability

LLR’s commercial Masonry licensure instructions require financial documentation or a CLB surety bond; they do not publish a masonry-specific general-liability minimum. A project owner, lender, municipality, or contract may impose separate coverage terms.

Workers' compensation

South Carolina workers’ compensation law generally includes private employments in which four or more employees are regularly employed. Confirm coverage and any statutory exclusions with the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission or counsel for the business’s actual workforce.

Additional financial requirements

The commercial applicant must submit an acceptable financial statement or a CLB surety bond for the requested group. Current general-contractor job/bid limits are Group 1 $100,000, Group 2 $400,000, Group 3 $1 million, Group 4 $3 million, and Group 5 unlimited. The corresponding CLB bond amounts are $20,000, $60,000, $150,000, $250,000, and $350,000. The documentation option and working-capital/net-worth requirements vary by group and by initial versus renewal filing.

Fee Schedule

Fee	Amount
Application	$350
Examination	$75
Initial license	No separate amount recorded; confirm in the fee guidance
Renewal (every 2 years)	$135

To turn these board fees into a realistic year-one budget — bond premium, liability insurance, and exam prep included — open the cost calculator preloaded for South Carolina masonry.

Renewal and Continuing Education

Expect to renew the South Carolina General Contractor License — Masonry Classification (Commercial) every 2 years. Renewal currently costs $135. Commercial general-contractor licenses renew by October 31 in even-numbered years. For the current 2026–2028 commercial cycle, LLR lists a $135 timely renewal fee and requires current financial documentation or a valid CLB bond before renewal. The residential specialty registration is separate: LLR lists a $100 renewal fee and a June 30 renewal in odd-numbered years.

Downloadable Asset

2026 South Carolina Masonry License Roadmap (PDF) — a printable step-by-step checklist for the application process.

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity

South Carolina does not accept the NASCLA Accredited Examination for this classification.

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
No formal bilateral reciprocity agreements identified.

No separate interstate Masonry reciprocity pathway is asserted here. LLR’s current waiver list controls whether a particular out-of-state license and classification can support an exam waiver; Masonry applicants still need to follow the Board’s current PQP and commercial-license instructions.

Weighing more than one jurisdiction? The national hub compares published Masonry license requirements by state — exam, bond, fee, and experience thresholds side by side.

Masonry Licensing in Neighboring States

Contractors working near a state line, or weighing where to qualify first, should compare South Carolina's requirements against the bordering jurisdictions before committing to an application:

Georgia Masonry License Requirements — No Georgia masonry-contractor license; masonry is a recognized specialty
North Carolina Masonry License Requirements — North Carolina General Contractor License — S(Masonry Construction), Building, or Residential Classification

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

Choose the applicable state pathway. Use the CLB commercial path when the total cost of construction is more than $10,000. For residential specialty work not regulated by Title 40, Chapter 11, evaluate the separate RBC registration; it applies to specialty undertakings over $500.
Designate the commercial qualifying party. Identify the PQP responsible for directing or reviewing masonry work and complete the current PQP/QP documentation required by LLR.
Document qualifying masonry experience. For the commercial non-technical Masonry classification, submit Doc. 167 showing two years of relevant experience in the prior five years.
Pass the commercial business-and-law examination. The PQP must pass PSI’s 50-question South Carolina Business Management and Law for Commercial Contractors examination; 35 correct answers is the current passing score.
Select a financial group and assemble support. Choose a job/bid limit supported by the required financial statement or CLB surety bond. Use LLR’s current instructions because financial-document options differ by group and filing type.
File the CLB application. Submit Doc. 165, the $350 initial fee, qualifying-party documents, exam pass sheet, business-entity verification when applicable, and the financial statement or bond.
Confirm city or county project requirements. A state CLB license does not replace local permits, inspections, or business-license requirements. Contact the project city or county building-permit/business-license department before contracting or starting work.
Maintain the correct credential. Commercial general-contractor licenses expire October 31 in even-numbered years. An RBC residential specialty registration renews on its separate schedule and has separate bond rules.

Application Checklist

The items below are the ones worth confirming before the application is filed with SCCLB:

Confirm whether the work follows the commercial CLB route or the separate RBC residential-specialty route
Commercial: designate the PQP and complete the current PQP/QP forms
Commercial: submit Doc. 167 documenting two years of relevant experience within five years
Commercial: PSI Business Management and Law pass sheet
Commercial: financial statement or CLB surety bond for the chosen group
Commercial: Doc. 165, $350 fee, and South Carolina business-entity verification when applicable
Residential specialty: select no more than three classifications and follow the RBC experience, credit-report, and bond instructions
Confirm each project locality’s permit, inspection, and business-license requirements

Common Filing Mistakes

Based on the board's own instructions and the sources cited here, the problems below are what most often stall a South Carolina Masonry application.

Using the obsolete $5,000 commercial threshold

The current commercial threshold is more than $10,000 in total cost of construction. Calculate the statutory total cost rather than relying on a partial contract price.

Preparing for a masonry trade exam that LLR does not require

Masonry is a non-technical-exam classification. The commercial PQP still needs the business-and-law pass and the required experience affidavit.

Selecting an unsupported financial group

The permitted job and bid limit depends on the financial statement or CLB bond. Choose the group before bidding and use LLR’s current group table.

Confusing the CLB bond with the residential-specialty bond

Commercial CLB bonds and RBC residential-specialty bonds are separate programs and are not interchangeable.

Assuming the state credential replaces local approval

Permits, inspections, and local business licenses are city- or county-specific. Confirm them with the project authority having jurisdiction.

Study and Reference Materials

The references below are either cited by the board, used during the application, or standard preparation for the trade. They are listed purely for convenience — CLR earns no commission on any of them.

PSI South Carolina Commercial Contractor Candidate Information Bulletin — PSI Services LLC. Use the current bulletin for the Business Management and Law examination format, fee, retake rules, and allowed references.
NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management — South Carolina Commercial Contractors, 9th Edition — NASCLA. PSI lists this as the Business Management and Law examination reference book.
South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 40, Chapter 11 — South Carolina Legislature. Use the statute for the commercial threshold, total-cost definition, and Masonry scope.

Other South Carolina Trade Licenses

CLR covers other South Carolina trades as well — the published guides below may be more relevant:

Frequently Asked Questions

Does South Carolina have a commercial Masonry classification?

Yes. LLR lists Masonry as a general-contractor classification. Its statutory scope includes specified poured-in-place foundations, brick, concrete block, and common masonry products.

When does the commercial state license apply?

Title 40, Chapter 11 requires a general or mechanical contractor license when the total cost of construction is more than $10,000. The statute defines total cost broadly, so do not use only the contractor’s labor charge to judge the threshold.

Is there a South Carolina masonry trade examination?

No separate Masonry trade examination is currently listed. Masonry is one of LLR’s non-technical-exam classifications, but the commercial PQP must pass the South Carolina Business Management and Law examination and submit the required experience affidavit.

What if the masonry work is only residential?

The RBC’s residential specialty registration includes Masonry and applies to qualifying specialty undertakings over $500 that are not regulated by Title 40, Chapter 11. It is limited to three classifications, has no exam, and requires one year of residential experience for each selected classification. Work over $5,000 requires the RBC surety bond described in its current instructions.

Do city and county requirements still apply?

Yes. LLR expressly advises contractors that cities and counties may require additional licensing or permitting. Verify the project jurisdiction’s permit, inspection, and business-license requirements; do not treat one locality’s rule as statewide.

Primary Sources

Regulatory requirements on this page are drawn from the official board, statute, and exam-provider materials listed below.

Verified 2026-09-04 · Next scheduled review 2026-12-03

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Corrections and presentation updates

2026-09-30: Corrected examination detection when format details are unpublished and updated the summary layout and requirements score. Source-check dates are unchanged.
2026-09-08: Shared template updated to distinguish unspecified eligibility requirements, retain cost qualifications, and use consistent headings. Source-check dates are unchanged by presentation updates.
2026-09-21: Local-only guides now use a compliance-focused structure and terminology instead of implying a statewide license application. Source-check dates are unchanged by this presentation update.