Plumber License Requirements in South Carolina
- Training hours
- —
- Upfront cost
- $355
- Exam
- Residential Plumbers Examination
- Renewal cycle
- Every 2 years
- Issuing board
- South Carolina Residential Builders Commission (RBC), SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR)
How to get licensed
- 1
Meet the prerequisites
Pass a criminal background check. No minimum age is stated in the Commission's FAQ. Applicants must submit a full credit report (TransUnion, Experian, or Equifax — the Commission reviews outstanding judgments/liens, not the credit score), a Social Security number (required by SC law for child-support enforcement purposes), and a state-issued photo ID. Anyone answering yes to a prior arrest/conviction question must submit a sealed state or federal criminal background report; the Commission additionally checks the SC Public Index and national/state sex offender registries, and a felony arrest/conviction within the preceding 10 years (or pending charges, probation, or sex-offender registration) triggers a required in-person Commission appearance for application review. DACA recipients are not eligible for licensure per a March 3, 2014 SC Attorney General opinion. [1]
- 2
Complete approved training
Complete the required training. South Carolina licenses residential plumbing contractors, not a separate journeyman-level state credential. Applicants must document at least 1 year of hands-on residential plumbing experience gained within the preceding 5 years, supervised by a licensed residential plumber or other appropriately licensed professional (experience can be from any state or country, not just SC). A college degree does not waive the 1-year experience requirement, though it is considered; applicants lacking W-2s/1099s (e.g. unpaid apprentices) must appear before the Commission for an experience review. Separately, individual "Journeyman"/"Master Plumber" certification exists via the Municipal Association of South Carolina (MASC) — a quasi-official body, not the state licensing board — and is recognized by many SC municipalities for permit-pulling purposes and can substitute for the Commission's own technical exam (see reciprocity notes); it is not itself an LLR-issued state license, so no hour requirement for it is recorded here. [1]
- 3
Residential Plumbers Examination
Pass the Residential Plumbers Examination. Two required components: the trade-specific Residential Plumbers exam and the Business Management and Law exam; both must be passed within 12 months of eligibility, with a maximum of 3 attempts in that window before a 12-month wait is imposed PSI sets its own exam fee, which is paid directly to PSI (by certified check or money order) and was not published on the Commission's FAQ page reviewed, so it is left null here; applicants should check psiexams.com for current pricing. [1]
- 4
Submit your application
Submit your application to South Carolina Residential Builders Commission (RBC), SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR) with the $135 application fee. Typical processing time: Applications reviewed within 15 business days of receipt; applications are valid for 1 year from receipt (must reapply and repay fees if the license isn't issued within that year). [1]
- 5
Receive your license
Once your application is approved, South Carolina Residential Builders Commission (RBC), SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR) issues your Residential Plumbing Contractor License for South Carolina.
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee [1] | $135 |
| License fee [1] | $220 |
| Renewal fee [1] | None specified |
| Residential Plumbers Examination [1] | None specified |
The $135 application-processing fee (certified check or money order to "LLR-Residential Builders Commission") is due at application. After passing both required exams, the applicant submits test results plus a further $220 fee to receive the license. Renewal fee is left null — the Commission's FAQ confirms a 2-year renewal cycle and a late fee for renewals received after June 30, but does not state the renewal dollar amount on the page reviewed. A $10,000 surety bond is also required (separate from these fees) if the licensee will undertake projects exceeding $5,000 in combined labor and materials.
Renewal & continuing education
Renew every 2 years.
The Residential Plumbing Contractor license renews every 2 years, before June 30 of each odd year (2025, 2027, 2029, etc.), per S.C. Code Ann. Section 40-59-230(C). A late fee applies to renewals received after June 30; the license lapses if not renewed, and may remain inactive for up to 3 years before the licensee must reapply and retest under Section 40-59-230(A). No continuing-education requirement is mentioned in the Commission's FAQ.
Reciprocity
Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.
The Commission has an Exam Waiver Agreement (technical portion only) with North Carolina and Mississippi — an applicant licensed by examination (not grandfathered) in one of those states can skip the Residential Plumbers technical exam but must still pass South Carolina's Business Management and Law exam. Separately, holders of a SC Commercial Mechanical Contractor license with a plumbing classification, or anyone who has passed the Master Plumbing exam through the Municipal Association of South Carolina (MASC), can likewise skip the Residential Plumbers technical exam (still must pass the Business & Law exam). No interstate compact covers plumbing licensure.
1 state-approved training provider in South Carolina — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.
Cost calculator
- $135
- $220
Frequently asked questions
Does South Carolina license individual journeyman plumbers, or only contractors?
The state (via LLR's Residential Builders Commission) licenses Residential Plumbing Contractors, not a separate individual journeyman credential. A private, quasi-official body — the Municipal Association of South Carolina (MASC) — offers a Master Plumbing certification that many municipalities recognize for permit-pulling, and passing it can waive the Commission's own technical exam, but it is not itself a state-issued license.
What experience do I need for a SC Residential Plumbing Contractor license?
At least 1 year of hands-on residential plumbing experience within the preceding 5 years, supervised by a licensed residential plumber or other appropriately licensed professional. The experience doesn't have to be from South Carolina — any state or country counts.
Who administers the South Carolina Residential Plumbing exam, and what does it cover?
PSI Examination Services, under a Commission-issued Examination Eligibility Letter (valid 1 year, up to 3 attempts). You must pass both the trade-specific Residential Plumbers exam and a Business Management and Law exam.
What does a SC Residential Plumbing Contractor license cost?
A $135 application-processing fee, plus a $220 fee once you've passed both required exams (PSI's own exam fee is separate and paid directly to PSI). If you'll take on projects over $5,000 in combined labor and materials, you also need a $10,000 surety bond.
Can I transfer my out-of-state plumbing license to South Carolina?
The technical exam is waived only for applicants licensed by examination (not grandfathered) in North Carolina or Mississippi — you'd still need to pass SC's Business Management and Law exam. Holders of a SC Commercial Mechanical Contractor license (plumbing classification) or the MASC Master Plumbing certification can similarly skip the technical exam but still need the Business & Law exam.
Sources
- [1] web.archive.org/web/20250715145339/https://llr.sc.gov/res/PDF/FAQ/plumbing%20FAQ.pdf — accessed 2026-07-12