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South Carolina requires all plumbing professionals to obtain a mechanical contractor license with a plumbing subclassification before any work or bidding takes place.

Contractors must take and pass the Plumbing Contractor Licensing Exam, along with the South Carolina Business & Law Exam, as a requirement for licensure.

Professionals with a plumbing license in South Carolina can work on plumbing within private property lines. This type of license also allows licensees to install, repair, and replace appliances related to a property’s water supply.

Furthermore, license holders can install any of the components necessary to convey waste from a location and connect to public utilities as needed and as allowed by utility owners.

Plumbing License Groups

Plumbing licenses are divided into five different groups. Each license group has a different financial limit per job or bid. These limits are:

• Group 1: $17,500
• Group 2: $50,000
• Group 3: $100,000
• Group 4: $200,000
• Group 5: Unlimited

Each group must pass the respective required exams in order to apply for a license. In addition, applicants must submit proof of at least two years of hands-on, full-time experience in fieldwork that has taken place within the last five years. It should be noted that only evidence of commercial work will be accepted.

Each group must also supply various GAAP financial statements, surety bonds, and/or balance sheets as part of their license applications.

• Group 1 must provide a self-prepared balance sheet with a net worth of $3,500 or a $7,000 surety bond
• Group 2 must provide a self-prepared balance sheet with a net worth of $10,000 or a $20,000 surety bond
• Group 3 must provide a CPA/PA prepared GAAP financial statement of $20,000 or a $40,000 surety bond
• Group 4 must provide a CPA/PA prepared GAAP financial statement of $40,000 or an $80,000 surety bond
• Group 5 plumbers must provide a CPA- or PA-audited compiled GAAP financial statement that shows a net worth of $200,000 or a $400,000 surety bond

All applications, work experience, test scores, and financial documents must be turned in and approved before you will be allowed to schedule the licensure exams.

Obtaining Your South Carolina Plumbing License

Interested professionals who want an application packet or more information about licensing can contact the South Carolina CLB at 803-896-4686. They can also visit the Contractor License Board website (www.llr.sc.gov/clb/).

It’s important to note that the state does not require continuing education courses to be completed before each license renewal. In addition, South Carolina has reciprocity agreements for licenses with Ohio and Tennessee.

There are 80 questions on the Technical Plumber Exam in SC, and you will have four hours to complete the test. You must correctly answer at least 56 of those questions to pass.

Don’t trust something as important as your professional license to just anyone; trust the leader in South Carolina plumbing exam prep guides. To gain access to the best exam prep materials and customer support anywhere, enroll with RocketCert today.