Inside the State of South Carolina most plumbing work requires you to hold a residential license. A commercial plumbing license is required in prior to bidding on commercial, residential, and public works construction involving projects that exceeds $5,000. To become a licensed plumber, candidates are required to pass the South Carolina plumbers exam.
Requirements to Obtaining a Plumbing License in South Carolina
In order to become a licensed plumber in South Carolina you will first need to pass the Business and Law Exam. The Business and Law exam is required to take the Residential Plumbing exam in order to become a licensed plumber in the State of South Carolina.
Residential Plumbing License
The South Carolina residential plumbing license is required to perform construction work, repairs, improvement, or reimprovement which requires special skills and involves the use of specialized construction trades or craft, when the undertakings exceed $200.
In order to apply for your residential plumbing license, you need to have had at least one year of previous hands-on experience as a plumber.
South Carolina Commercial Plumbing License
With a South Carolina commercial plumbing license, you are permitted to do industrial and residential work as well.
In order to apply for your commercial plumbing license, you need to have had at least two years of previous hands-on experience as a plumber.
A $10,000 surety bond is required for licensed residential specialty contractors prior to bidding on commercial, residential, and public works construction involving projects that exceeds $5,000.
Work that can be Done Under this Plumbing License
In the State of South Carolina, most plumbing work requires a licensed plumber. Only state licensed plumbers can repipe, replace a water heater, or repair septic systems. Without a state plumbing license, you’re limited to unclogging pipes and making small repairs.
Applying to get your South Carolina Plumber License
To apply for a plumbers license in South Carolina you have to complete the license application and send it along with a $100 application fee made payable to the South Carolina Residential Builders Commission at the address listed below. This license application fee is nonrefundable.
South Carolina Residential Builders Commission
110 Centerview Drive
Columbia, SC 29210Phone: 803-896-4696
Email: Contact.RBC@llr.sc.gov
Plumbing Schools in South Carolina
There are plenty of plumbing schools that offer a great plumbing education in South Carolina. Horry-Georgetown Technical College, Midlands Technical College and York Technical College, just to name a few, offer 2-year curriculum and 4-year curriculum courses in South Carolina. Some colleges provide online classes. In some cases, you can learn permit and residential law through online classes. For repairs, in-person classes are required.
State Licensing and Exams
Licensing and certification requirements for plumbers are usually determined at the state level and tend to vary slightly from state to state. Often, the job of enforcing and regulating these requirements falls to individual municipalities. To check the requirements for a plumbing license in a particular state select your location on the State Licensing Requirements page.
If you need more information on passing the journeyman plumbing exams then perhaps you might want to read: How To Do The Plumber Journeyman Exam to help you get started as an apprentice plumber or journeyman plumber.
External References
Residential Speciality HVAC License Application Form
F.A.Q. Residential Plumbing Contractor
