South Carolina

South Carolina Licensing Overview

South Carolina licenses 60 out of 102 lower-income occupations (more than half of the occupations included in the study) . The state’s licensing laws are more burdensome than most other states. The state's licensing laws rank 15th in the nation.

On average, South Carolina requires $243 in licensing fees, 428 days of education and about 2 exam. Fees for a license exceed $1000 for Midwife, Direct Entry.

Which occupation in a South Carolina is the most regulated?

Out of the 60 occupations that require an occupational license in South Carolina, a license for Preschool Teacher, Public School has the highest burden. A Preschool Teacher, Public School license requires $594 in fees, 3 exams, no experience, and 4 years of education.

Which occupation in a South Carolina is the least regulated?

Out of the 60 occupations that require an occupational license in South Carolina, a license for Weigher has the lowest burden. A Weigher license requires $5 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no of education.

Which occupational license in South Carolina is the most expensive?

An occupational license in South Carolina costs the most for Midwife, Direct Entry. A Midwife, Direct Entry license requires $1500 in fees, 2 exams, 1 year experience, and 2 years of education.

Which occupational license in South Carolina is the least expensive?

An occupational license for in South Carolina costs the least for Milk Sampler. A Milk Sampler license requires $0 in fees, 1 exams, no experience, and no of education.

Which occupational license in South Carolina takes the most time to obtain?

In South Carolina, an occupational license takes the most time (due to required education/experience) for Preschool Teacher, Public School, Athletic Trainer.It takes 1460 days (4 years) total.

Which occupational license in South Carolina takes the least time to obtain?

In South Carolina, an occupational license takes the least time due to required education/experience (0 days) for Bus Driver, City/Transit, Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer, Truck Driver, Other, Vegetation Pesticide Applicator, Milk Sampler, Travel Guide, Pharmacy Technician, Fisher, Commercial, Weigher.

In South Carolina, which occupational licenses require exams?

In South Carolina, to obtain an occupational license there is at least one exam required for: Preschool Teacher, Public School, Athletic Trainer, Midwife, Direct Entry, Optician, Earth Driller, Water Well, Pest Control Applicator, Veterinary Technician, HVAC Contractor (Commercial), Mobile Home Installer, Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Commercial), Cement Finishing Contractor (Commercial), Glazier Contractor (Commercial), Iron/Steel Contractor (Commercial), Paving Contractor (Commercial), Pipelayer Contractor, Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Commercial), Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Commercial), Door Repair Contractor (Commercial), Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial), Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial), Insulation Contractor (Commercial), Mason Contractor (Commercial), Painting Contractor (Commercial), Terrazzo Contractor (Commercial), Barber, Cosmetologist, HVAC Contractor (Residential), Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Residential), Glazier Contractor (Residential), Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential), Massage Therapist, Makeup Artist, Skin Care Specialist, Manicurist, Fire Alarm Installer, Security Alarm Installer, School Bus Driver, Emergency Medical Technician, Bus Driver, City/Transit, Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer, Auctioneer, Shampooer, Truck Driver, Other, Vegetation Pesticide Applicator, Security Guard, Unarmed, Milk Sampler. School Bus Driver requires 7 exams.

South Carolina licenses 60 of the 102 lower-income occupations studied here. Its laws are the 17th most burdensome and require, on average, $220 in fees, 440 days of education and experience, and around two exams. South Carolina ranks as the 22nd most broadly and onerously licensed state, placing it in the middle of the pack.

South Carolina frequently licenses occupations that are unlicensed elsewhere, such as commercial floor sander and painting contractors, both of whom are licensed by just 21 other states. And both these occupations face particularly steep burdens in South Carolina. The state requires 730 days (two years) of experience before these contractors can work. Meanwhile, the average education and experience requirements across states that license these occupations are under 500 days—50 percent less than South Carolina requires. Given that fewer than half of states license these occupations at all, it is curious that South Carolina licenses them so onerously.

South Carolina also imposes burdens on some occupations that seem excessive compared to those for other occupations that may present greater risks to the public. For example, aspiring EMTs must pay $80 in fees, complete an estimated 34 days (144 hours) of education and pass two exams. But it takes three times longer to become a makeup artist (105 days), 10 times longer to become a residential carpenter or cabinet maker contractor (365 days), and more than 20 times longer to become a veterinary technician (730 days). South Carolina could improve lower-income job prospects by repealing or easing these and other heavy licensing burdens, or—if government regulation is necessary—by replacing them with less restrictive regulatory alternatives.

Burden Rank	Occupation	Number of States that License	Fees	Education/Experience (Days)	Education	Experience	Exams	Minimum Grade	Minimum Age
1	Preschool Teacher, Public School	50	594	1460	4 years	None	3	0	18
2	Athletic Trainer	49	440	1460	4 years	None	1	0	0
3	Midwife, Direct Entry	37	1500	1095	2 years	1 year	2	12	0
4	Optician	22	420	730	None	2 years	2	12	18
5	Earth Driller, Water Well	51	417	730	None	2 years	3	0	18
6	Pest Control Applicator	51	375	730	None	2 years	2	0	18
6	Veterinary Technician	36	375	730	2 years	None	2	0	18
8	HVAC Contractor (Commercial)	37	385	730	None	2 years	3	0	0
9	Mobile Home Installer	37	175	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
10	Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Commercial)	25	325	730	None	2 years	2	0	0
10	Cement Finishing Contractor (Commercial)	24	325	730	None	2 years	2	0	0
12	Glazier Contractor (Commercial)	26	310	730	None	2 years	2	0	0
12	Iron/Steel Contractor (Commercial)	26	310	730	None	2 years	2	0	0
12	Paving Contractor (Commercial)	24	310	730	None	2 years	2	0	0
12	Pipelayer Contractor	27	310	730	None	2 years	2	0	0
12	Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Commercial)	37	310	730	None	2 years	2	0	0
12	Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Commercial)	26	310	730	None	2 years	2	0	0
18	Door Repair Contractor (Commercial)	24	250	730	None	2 years	1	0	0
18	Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial)	25	250	730	None	2 years	1	0	0
18	Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial)	22	250	730	None	2 years	1	0	0
18	Insulation Contractor (Commercial)	24	250	730	None	2 years	1	0	0
18	Mason Contractor (Commercial)	26	250	730	None	2 years	1	0	0
18	Painting Contractor (Commercial)	22	250	730	None	2 years	1	0	0
18	Terrazzo Contractor (Commercial)	23	250	730	None	2 years	1	0	0
25	Barber	51	175	350	1500 clock hours	None	2	9	17
26	Cosmetologist	51	100	350	1500 clock hours	None	2	10	16
27	HVAC Contractor (Residential)	35	280	365	None	1 year	2	0	0
27	Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Residential)	36	280	365	None	1 year	2	0	0
29	Glazier Contractor (Residential)	30	270	365	None	1 year	2	0	0
29	Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential)	30	270	365	None	1 year	2	0	0
31	Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Residential)	30	50	365	None	1 year	0	0	0
31	Cement Finishing Contractor (Residential)	30	50	365	None	1 year	0	0	0
31	Drywall Installation Contractor (Residential)	30	50	365	None	1 year	0	0	0
31	Floor Sander Contractor (Residential)	27	50	365	None	1 year	0	0	0
31	Insulation Contractor (Residential)	30	50	365	None	1 year	0	0	0
31	Mason Contractor (Residential)	31	50	365	None	1 year	0	0	0
31	Painting Contractor (Residential)	27	50	365	None	1 year	0	0	0
31	Paving Contractor (Residential)	28	50	365	None	1 year	0	0	0
31	Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential)	31	50	365	None	1 year	0	0	0
31	Terrazzo Contractor (Residential)	28	50	365	None	1 year	0	0	0
41	Massage Therapist	45	345	117	500 clock hours	None	1	12	18
42	Makeup Artist	37	210	105	450 clock hours	None	2	10	16
43	Skin Care Specialist	51	100	105	450 clock hours	None	2	10	16
44	Manicurist	51	335	70	300 clock hours	None	2	10	16
45	Fire Alarm Installer	39	744	4	22 clock hours	None	3	0	18
45	Security Alarm Installer	37	744	4	22 clock hours	None	3	0	18
47	School Bus Driver	51	36	5	30 clock hours	None	7	0	18
48	Emergency Medical Technician	51	135	35	150 clock hours	None	2	0	18
49	Bus Driver, City/Transit	51	34	0	None	None	5	0	18
49	Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer	51	34	0	None	None	5	0	18
51	Auctioneer	28	435	19	80 clock hours	None	1	0	18
52	Shampooer	33	90	42	None	6 weeks	1	0	16
53	Truck Driver, Other	51	32	0	None	None	4	0	18
54	Vegetation Pesticide Applicator	51	175	0	None	None	2	0	18
55	Security Guard, Unarmed	34	65	1	4 clock hours	None	1	0	18
56	Milk Sampler	43	0	0	None	None	1	0	0
57	Travel Guide	37	150	0	None	None	0	0	0
58	Pharmacy Technician	44	56	0	None	None	0	0	0
59	Fisher, Commercial	43	25	0	None	None	0	0	0
60	Weigher	24	5	0	None	None	0	0	0

South Carolina Occupational Licensing

60 out of 102 moderate-income occupations licensed

15th most burdensome licensing laws for moderate-income occupations

Average Fees for Licenses:$243