South Carolina Contractor License Renewal (CLB)

At a glance

Who needs the license

Anyone performing or offering to perform general or mechanical contracting work where the total cost of construction is greater than $10,000. For residential-only work other than residential swimming pools, contact the Residential Builders Commission instead

Expires

General contractor licenses on October 31 of every even-numbered year; mechanical contractor licenses on October 31 of every odd-numbered year. Licenses renew every two years

This cycle

2026-2028 general contractor licenses had to be renewed by October 31, 2026. Renewals postmarked November 1, 2026 to January 31, 2027 pay a late fee. Mechanical contractor renewals open in August 2027

Before you can renew

File one financial document through the board's Document Submission portal: a financial statement with a balance sheet dated no more than 12 months before the renewal application, or a surety bond (or a bond continuation certificate if your bond on file has expired or is about to). There is no grace period for this. If a surety bond you already filed hasn't expired, you don't need to submit anything. The board emails you once it's accepted, and then you can renew online

Financial statement

General contractor groups 1-4 may use the board's owner-prepared financial statement (Doc #172); groups 3 and 4 may instead use a CPA-compiled statement; group 5 needs a CPA-reviewed statement or a bond. CPA statements must follow GAAP, not an income-tax basis

Surety bond amounts (general contractors)

Group 1 $20,000; group 2 $60,000; group 3 $150,000; group 4 $250,000; group 5 $350,000. Bonds payable to the Residential Builders Commission aren't accepted

Qualifying party

Each licensed classification needs a primary qualifying party on file in a management role. Make any changes with the board before you renew

Continuing education

None: the Practice Act (Title 40, Chapter 11) and the board's regulations (Chapter 29) set no CE requirement for renewal

Fee

$135 if renewed or postmarked by October 31

Late renewal

A renewal not postmarked by October 31 leaves the license lapsed. Late fees: November $100 + $135 = $235; December $150 + $135 = $285; January $200 + $135 = $335

Renewing on paper

Mail the 2026-2028 renewal form (Doc #176) with your financial statement or surety bond and a check or money order payable to SCCLB (no cash; fees aren't refundable) to PO Box 11329, Columbia, SC 29211, or deliver it to 110 Centerview Dr., Columbia. The postmark date sets the fee

Document Submission login

You upload the financial statement or bond with your User ID and password; the portal can email a forgotten User ID or a password reset link to the address on file. To change that email address, email contact.clb@llr.sc.gov with the last 5 digits of your SSN or Federal Tax ID

After January 31

Late renewal closes and the license must be reinstated: the reinstatement fee is $350, and state law requires an application meeting every qualification for an initial license

Mechanical contractors file a financial statement or surety bond at renewal too, but their group amounts differ from general contractors': check the board's renewal page when mechanical renewals open in August 2027.

An entity that changes its name, organizational status or federal employer identification number must report it to LLR within 15 days, or the license is cancelled.

How to renew

1. Check that the board has the right primary qualifying party on file for each classification: changes must be made with the board before you renew.
2. Get your financial document ready: a financial statement with a balance sheet dated within the last 12 months, or a surety bond for your group's amount (or a continuation certificate).
3. Upload it through the board's Document Submission portal and wait for the acceptance email. There's no grace period for this step.
4. Renew online and pay the $135 fee by October 31. Renewing on paper instead? Send the financial statement or bond with the renewal application, Doc #176.
5. Missed October 31? Do the same steps by January 31: the fee is $235 if renewed or postmarked in November, $285 in December, $335 in January.

Deadline checklist

• 60 days outCheck your primary qualifying party is up to date with the board, and get your financial statement or surety bond ready.
• 45 days outUpload the financial statement or bond through Document Submission, then watch for the board's acceptance email.
• 30 days outOnce accepted, renew online and pay the $135 fee.
• October 31Last day to renew or postmark without a late fee. In November the late fee is $100.
• November 30Missed October 31? Renewing or postmarking by November 30 costs $235; from December 1 it's $285.
• January 31Last day of late renewal ($335 in January). After that, late renewal closes and the license must be reinstated.

Put this renewal in your calendar

Know your expiration date? Download a free calendar file with reminders before it, no sign-up needed. It's made in your browser: nothing you type is sent to us (your browser keeps it only if you follow the sign-up link, for your new ledger). A Google Calendar button sends just that one event to Google.

The file covers one date: once you renew, make a new one. How to add it to your calendar

Frequently asked questions