Roof Replacement — South Carolina license requirements
01 The project
The starting point is the work itself — Roof Replacement in South Carolina. The job determines which trades are involved, and the trades determine which license classifications may be required.
| Component | Trade |
|---|---|
| Roof cover system | Roofing |
02 Jurisdiction
This project is evaluated for South Carolina — the two-track, three-threshold state. The CLB commercial track licenses general and mechanical contractors above $10,000 total cost of construction (S.C. Code § 40-11-30), through an entity qualified by a 70%-pass qualifying party, backed by the license group's net worth or a surety bond in lieu, renewed biennially. The RBC residential track licenses a residential builder above $5,000 (≤3 floors, ≤16 units) and issues residential specialty credentials above $500 — a licence after exam for plumbers/electricians/HVAC, a no-exam registration for the rest. South Carolina jurisdiction page.
www.llr.sc.gov returned a 20-second timeout to this project's fetcher and to a real browser render, so the CLB and RBC fee figures, the 10/31 renewal dates and the residential bond amounts were surfaced from Google's index of those official URLs rather than machine-read (flagged reported). The statute behind every threshold and classification was read in full from scstatehouse.gov. Permit fees, local construction rules and any municipal business-licence rate were not researched and remain LOCAL_AUTHORITY_REQUIRED. The residential/commercial overlap on buildings is CONFLICT-SC-001, resolved by scope with both statements published side by side. State requirements are not the complete story for any locality.
03 Trade → license
Relations below are recorded per state — only this jurisdiction's classifications are shown.
Trades involved: Roofing.
- May require RES-SPECIALTY-REGISTRATION — Residential Specialty Contractor — Registration (RBC, no exam) confirmed S-SC-40-59 rule SC-RBC-REGISTERED-SPECIALTYA RESIDENTIAL roofer is a residential specialty contractor; roofers sit in the registration branch (no exam) under § 40-59-20(7), over $500 (rule SC-RBC-REGISTERED-SPECIALTY).
- Component basis GC-SPECIALTY — General Contractors — Specialty (CLB) confirmed S-SC-40-11 rule SC-CLB-THRESHOLDA COMMERCIAL roof job over $10,000 needs the CLB General Contractor licence in the Specialty / Roofing subclassification (§ 40-11-410(4)(h)) — a different track from the residential registration (rule SC-CLB-THRESHOLD).
- Alternative path RESIDENTIAL-BUILDER — Residential Builder License / RBB (RBC) confirmed S-SC-40-59 rule SC-RBC-BUILDERWhere the roof work is part of a residential building undertaking over $5,000, the residential builder licence is the alternative credential — and a builder licensed by exam may do the roofing without a separate specialty credential (rule SC-RBC-BUILDER).
04 Scope
What the official sources say about the work involved — typed assertions, never a boolean "covers". Interpretations are marked as such.
- Officially included RESIDENTIAL-BUILDER Residential Building Under 3 Floors 16 Units Over 5000 (may_perform) S.C. Code Ann. § 40-59-20(6) S-SC-40-59 The residential builder's licensed envelope (rule SC-RBC-BUILDER).
- Officially excluded RES-SPECIALTY-REGISTRATION Construct Additions Without Residential Builder Supervision (may_not_perform) S.C. Code Ann. § 40-59-20(7) S-SC-40-59 The home-addition boundary: a specialty tradesperson doing an ADDITION needs a residential builder over them (rule SC-RBC-ADDITION).
- Officially included RES-SPECIALTY-REGISTRATION Residential Solar Panel Installation By Registration (may_perform) S.C. Code Ann. § 40-59-20(7) S-SC-40-59 Residential solar rides the NO-EXAM specialty registration — again no standalone solar credential (rule SC-NO-SOLAR).
- Officially excluded GC-SPECIALTY Fences Not Over Seven Feet Need No Licence Under Misc Metals (may_not_perform) S.C. Code Ann. § 40-11-410(4)(j) S-SC-40-11 A hard statutory limit — a ≤7-ft fence needs no Misc Metals licence (a useful minor-work boundary).
- Officially included RESIDENTIAL-BUILDER Any Residential Specialty Area Without Separate Credential (may_perform) S.C. Code Ann. § 40-59-20(7) S-SC-40-59 The umbrella rule — an exam-licensed residential builder subsumes the specialty areas (rule SC-RBC-BUILDER-SCOPE).
- Requires another classification GC-SPECIALTY Solar Roof Mount And Wiring Split Across Two Subclassifications (requires) S.C. Code Ann. § 40-11-410(4)(j) S-SC-40-11 Commercial solar is SPLIT across existing subclassifications — no credential titled 'solar' exists (rule SC-NO-SOLAR).
05 Requirements
| Requirement | Kind | Statement | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residential specialty contractor credential required when the undertaking exceeds $500 S.C. Code Ann. § 40-59-20(7) (scstatehouse.gov, read 2026-10-05) | registration | S.C. Code Ann. § 40-59-20(7): a 'residential specialty contractor' is an independent contractor contracting with a licensed residential builder, general contractor or property owner for special-skills work involving specialized trades 'when the undertakings exceed five hundred dollars and are not regulated by the provisions of Chapter 11.' It is issued as a LICENSE for plumbers/electricians/HVAC (after exam) or a REGISTRATION for the other named areas. | S-SC-40-59Source S-SC-40-59 — South Carolina General Assembly — Code of Laws Title 40 (Professions and Occupations), Chapter 11 (Contractors) and Chapter 59 (Residential Home Builders)S.C. Code Ann. Title 40, Chapter 59 — Residential Home Builders (Residential Builders Commission), official unannotated text — S.C. Code Ann. § 40-59-20(7) (scstatehouse.gov, read 2026-10-05) https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t40c059.php Retrieved 2026-10-05 · last verified 2026-10-05 Read IN FULL 2026-10-05 directly from the official www.scstatehouse.gov host (status 200). Key sections credited: § 40-59-10 (Residential Builders Commission created; eight members — two consumers, four active residential builders, one residential specialty contractor); § 40-59-20(6) ('residential builder' — constructs/superintends a residential building NOT over three floors and NOT more than sixteen units in any single apartment building, 'when the cost of the undertaking exceeds five thousand dollars'); § 40-59-20(7) ('residential specialty contractor' — special-skills work 'when the undertakings exceed five hundred dollars and are not regulated by the provisions of Chapter 11'; CANNOT construct additions without supervision by a residential builder; thirteen named areas — plumbers, electricians, HVAC, siding, insulation, roofers, floor covering, masons, drywall, carpenters, stucco, painters/wallpaperers, solar panel installers; plumbers/electricians/HVAC get LICENSES after exam, the rest get REGISTRATIONS; a residential builder licensed by exam may do any specialty area without a separate credential); § 40-59-25 (roofing-contract 5-business-day cancellation after a claim denial; deductible rebate is a misdemeanor); § 40-59-30 (unlicensed practice is a misdemeanor, fine $500–$10,000 and/or 30 days; an unlicensed firm cannot file a mechanics' lien or sue to enforce the contract). |
| Siding, masons, drywall, carpenters, stucco, painters and solar installers need only a REGISTRATION S.C. Code Ann. § 40-59-20(7) (scstatehouse.gov, read 2026-10-05) | registration | S.C. Code Ann. § 40-59-20(7): 'Vinyl and aluminum siding installers, masons, dry wall installers, carpenters, stucco installers, painters and wall paperers, and solar panel installers must be issued specialty contractor registrations, if the other requirements of this article are met.' | S-SC-40-59Source S-SC-40-59 — South Carolina General Assembly — Code of Laws Title 40 (Professions and Occupations), Chapter 11 (Contractors) and Chapter 59 (Residential Home Builders)S.C. Code Ann. Title 40, Chapter 59 — Residential Home Builders (Residential Builders Commission), official unannotated text — S.C. Code Ann. § 40-59-20(7) (scstatehouse.gov, read 2026-10-05) https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t40c059.php Retrieved 2026-10-05 · last verified 2026-10-05 Read IN FULL 2026-10-05 directly from the official www.scstatehouse.gov host (status 200). Key sections credited: § 40-59-10 (Residential Builders Commission created; eight members — two consumers, four active residential builders, one residential specialty contractor); § 40-59-20(6) ('residential builder' — constructs/superintends a residential building NOT over three floors and NOT more than sixteen units in any single apartment building, 'when the cost of the undertaking exceeds five thousand dollars'); § 40-59-20(7) ('residential specialty contractor' — special-skills work 'when the undertakings exceed five hundred dollars and are not regulated by the provisions of Chapter 11'; CANNOT construct additions without supervision by a residential builder; thirteen named areas — plumbers, electricians, HVAC, siding, insulation, roofers, floor covering, masons, drywall, carpenters, stucco, painters/wallpaperers, solar panel installers; plumbers/electricians/HVAC get LICENSES after exam, the rest get REGISTRATIONS; a residential builder licensed by exam may do any specialty area without a separate credential); § 40-59-25 (roofing-contract 5-business-day cancellation after a claim denial; deductible rebate is a misdemeanor); § 40-59-30 (unlicensed practice is a misdemeanor, fine $500–$10,000 and/or 30 days; an unlicensed firm cannot file a mechanics' lien or sue to enforce the contract). |
| Residential builder licence required when the cost exceeds $5,000 S.C. Code Ann. § 40-59-20(6) (scstatehouse.gov, read 2026-10-05) | license | S.C. Code Ann. § 40-59-20(6) verbatim: "'Residential builder' means one who constructs, superintends, or offers to construct or superintend the construction, repair, improvement, or reimprovement of a residential building or structure which is not over three floors in height and which does not have more than sixteen units in any single apartment building, when the cost of the undertaking exceeds five thousand dollars. Anyone who engages or offers to engage in such undertaking in this State is considered to have engaged in the business of residential building." | S-SC-40-59Source S-SC-40-59 — South Carolina General Assembly — Code of Laws Title 40 (Professions and Occupations), Chapter 11 (Contractors) and Chapter 59 (Residential Home Builders)S.C. Code Ann. Title 40, Chapter 59 — Residential Home Builders (Residential Builders Commission), official unannotated text — S.C. Code Ann. § 40-59-20(6) (scstatehouse.gov, read 2026-10-05) https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t40c059.php Retrieved 2026-10-05 · last verified 2026-10-05 Read IN FULL 2026-10-05 directly from the official www.scstatehouse.gov host (status 200). Key sections credited: § 40-59-10 (Residential Builders Commission created; eight members — two consumers, four active residential builders, one residential specialty contractor); § 40-59-20(6) ('residential builder' — constructs/superintends a residential building NOT over three floors and NOT more than sixteen units in any single apartment building, 'when the cost of the undertaking exceeds five thousand dollars'); § 40-59-20(7) ('residential specialty contractor' — special-skills work 'when the undertakings exceed five hundred dollars and are not regulated by the provisions of Chapter 11'; CANNOT construct additions without supervision by a residential builder; thirteen named areas — plumbers, electricians, HVAC, siding, insulation, roofers, floor covering, masons, drywall, carpenters, stucco, painters/wallpaperers, solar panel installers; plumbers/electricians/HVAC get LICENSES after exam, the rest get REGISTRATIONS; a residential builder licensed by exam may do any specialty area without a separate credential); § 40-59-25 (roofing-contract 5-business-day cancellation after a claim denial; deductible rebate is a misdemeanor); § 40-59-30 (unlicensed practice is a misdemeanor, fine $500–$10,000 and/or 30 days; an unlicensed firm cannot file a mechanics' lien or sue to enforce the contract). |
| Licence required for general or mechanical contracting over $10,000 S.C. Code Ann. § 40-11-30 (scstatehouse.gov, read 2026-10-05) | license | S.C. Code Ann. § 40-11-30 verbatim: 'No entity or individual may practice as a contractor by performing or offering to perform contracting work for which the total cost of construction is greater than ten thousand dollars for general contracting or greater than ten thousand dollars for mechanical contracting without a license issued in accordance with this chapter.' The $10,000 figure was raised from $5,000 by 2023 Act No. 69 (H.4115) § 3, effective 2023-05-19. | S-SC-40-11Source S-SC-40-11 — South Carolina General Assembly — Code of Laws Title 40 (Professions and Occupations), Chapter 11 (Contractors) and Chapter 59 (Residential Home Builders)S.C. Code Ann. Title 40, Chapter 11 — Contractors (Contractor's Licensing Board), official unannotated text — S.C. Code Ann. § 40-11-30 (scstatehouse.gov, read 2026-10-05) https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t40c011.php Retrieved 2026-10-05 · last verified 2026-10-05 Read IN FULL 2026-10-05 directly from the official www.scstatehouse.gov host (status 200). Key sections credited: § 40-11-10 (board created under LLR; nine members, seven licensed contractors + two consumers); § 40-11-20 (definitions — 'contractor', 'general contractor', 'mechanical contractor', 'mechanical construction', 'license classification', 'license group', 'qualifying party', 'total cost of construction', 'net worth', 'working capital'); § 40-11-30 (LICENSING REQUIREMENT — 'No entity or individual may practice as a contractor … for which the total cost of construction is greater than ten thousand dollars for general contracting or greater than ten thousand dollars for mechanical contracting without a license', raised from $5,000 by 2023 Act No. 69 eff. 2023-05-19); § 40-11-100 (administrative penalties ≤$500 first / ≤$1,000 second / ≤$2,500 per day); § 40-11-110 (discipline, incl. (15) failure to maintain net worth/working capital/surety bond and (21) contracting beyond a group or outside a classification); § 40-11-200 (unlicensed practice is a misdemeanor ≤1 year and/or ≤$5,000; no bid or contract without a licence); § 40-11-230 (qualifying party: 70%+ technical exam + 70%+ SC-law exam; primary qualifying party needs 2 years full-time experience within the previous 5 years); § 40-11-240 (entity licensure); § 40-11-250 (ALL licences renew BIENNUALLY, 90-day retroactive grace); § 40-11-260 (net worth/working capital by license group for General AND Mechanical); § 40-11-262 (SURETY BOND in lieu of a financial statement, in the net-worth amount for the group, State of South Carolina as obligee); § 40-11-410 (license classifications — the four General Contractor classifications and the Mechanical subclasses). |
| Roofing contract may be cancelled within 5 business days of a claim denial S.C. Code Ann. § 40-59-25 (scstatehouse.gov, read 2026-10-05) | contract rule | S.C. Code Ann. § 40-59-25: where a written roofing contract will be paid from property/casualty insurance proceeds and the insurer denies all or part of the claim, the insured may cancel before midnight of the FIFTH BUSINESS DAY after receiving the denial notice; the contractor must give a boldface 10-point cancellation statement and a 'NOTICE OF CANCELLATION' form. Rebating any part of the insurance deductible is a misdemeanour (§ 40-59-25(E)) and grounds for suspension/revocation. | S-SC-40-59Source S-SC-40-59 — South Carolina General Assembly — Code of Laws Title 40 (Professions and Occupations), Chapter 11 (Contractors) and Chapter 59 (Residential Home Builders)S.C. Code Ann. Title 40, Chapter 59 — Residential Home Builders (Residential Builders Commission), official unannotated text — S.C. Code Ann. § 40-59-25 (scstatehouse.gov, read 2026-10-05) https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t40c059.php Retrieved 2026-10-05 · last verified 2026-10-05 Read IN FULL 2026-10-05 directly from the official www.scstatehouse.gov host (status 200). Key sections credited: § 40-59-10 (Residential Builders Commission created; eight members — two consumers, four active residential builders, one residential specialty contractor); § 40-59-20(6) ('residential builder' — constructs/superintends a residential building NOT over three floors and NOT more than sixteen units in any single apartment building, 'when the cost of the undertaking exceeds five thousand dollars'); § 40-59-20(7) ('residential specialty contractor' — special-skills work 'when the undertakings exceed five hundred dollars and are not regulated by the provisions of Chapter 11'; CANNOT construct additions without supervision by a residential builder; thirteen named areas — plumbers, electricians, HVAC, siding, insulation, roofers, floor covering, masons, drywall, carpenters, stucco, painters/wallpaperers, solar panel installers; plumbers/electricians/HVAC get LICENSES after exam, the rest get REGISTRATIONS; a residential builder licensed by exam may do any specialty area without a separate credential); § 40-59-25 (roofing-contract 5-business-day cancellation after a claim denial; deductible rebate is a misdemeanor); § 40-59-30 (unlicensed practice is a misdemeanor, fine $500–$10,000 and/or 30 days; an unlicensed firm cannot file a mechanics' lien or sue to enforce the contract). |
06 Rule: SC-RBC-REGISTERED-SPECIALTY
S.C. Code Ann. § 40-59-20(7): siding, insulation, roofers, floor covering, masons, drywall, carpenters, stucco, painters/wallpaperers and solar panel installers are residential specialty areas issued as REGISTRATIONS — no examination — where the undertaking exceeds $500 and is not regulated by ch. 11.
| Outcome | Conclusion | Caveats |
|---|---|---|
| registration-trade-over-five-hundred | sc_specialty_registration_required |
|
| registration-trade-at-or-below-five-hundred | sc_specialty_registration_not_triggered | — |
| not-a-registration-trade | sc_not_a_registration_specialty_trade | — |
07 Rule: SC-CLB-THRESHOLD
S.C. Code Ann. § 40-11-30: 'No entity or individual may practice as a contractor … for which the total cost of construction is greater than ten thousand dollars for general contracting or greater than ten thousand dollars for mechanical contracting without a license issued in accordance with this chapter.' The figure was raised from $5,000 by 2023 Act No. 69 § 3 (eff. 2023-05-19). Work AT OR UNDER $10,000 needs no CLB licence; the residential track is a separate question (SC-RBC-BUILDER).
| Outcome | Conclusion | Caveats |
|---|---|---|
| commercial-above-threshold | sc_clb_license_required |
|
| commercial-at-or-below-threshold | sc_clb_license_not_required | — |
| residential-track | sc_clb_not_the_residential_track | — |
08 Rule: SC-RBC-BUILDER
S.C. Code Ann. § 40-59-20(6): a 'residential builder' is one who constructs, superintends or offers to construct/superintend the construction, repair, improvement or reimprovement of a residential building 'not over three floors in height' with 'not more than sixteen units in any single apartment building, when the cost of the undertaking exceeds five thousand dollars.' Missing facts (floors, units, cost) yield NOT_DETERMINED — the size limits are part of the definition, never assumed.
| Outcome | Conclusion | Caveats |
|---|---|---|
| residential-over-five-thousand | sc_residential_builder_license_required |
|
| residential-at-or-below-five-thousand | sc_residential_builder_license_not_triggered | — |
| building-outside-the-chapter-59-envelope | sc_outside_chapter_59_envelope | — |
| commercial-track-work | sc_chapter_59_not_applicable | — |
09 Rule: SC-RBC-SPECIALTY
S.C. Code Ann. § 40-59-20(7): a 'residential specialty contractor' contracts for special-skills work in a specialized trade 'when the undertakings exceed five hundred dollars and are not regulated by the provisions of Chapter 11.' Plumbers, electricians and HVAC get a LICENCE after exam; siding, insulation, roofers, floor covering, masons, drywall, carpenters, stucco, painters and solar panel installers get a no-exam REGISTRATION.
| Outcome | Conclusion | Caveats |
|---|---|---|
| specialty-over-five-hundred | sc_residential_specialty_credential_required |
|
| at-or-below-five-hundred | sc_specialty_credential_not_triggered | — |
| regulated-by-chapter-11 | sc_clb_track_governs_instead | — |
| no-specialty-work | sc_specialty_rule_not_triggered | — |
10 Rule: SC-RBC-ROOF-CANCEL
S.C. Code Ann. § 40-59-25: where a property insurer DENIES a claim for roof work, the roofing contract may be CANCELLED within five business days after the claim denial (the contractor must return any consideration); offering or paying a rebate of the insured's deductible is a misdemeanour.
| Outcome | Conclusion | Caveats |
|---|---|---|
| within-five-business-days-of-denial | sc_roofing_cancellation_right_available | — |
| past-the-window | sc_roofing_cancellation_window_expired | — |
| no-claim-denial | sc_roofing_cancellation_not_triggered | — |
11 Residential registration vs commercial Roofing subclassification
| Question | South Carolina answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Residential roof, trade contractor? | no-exam specialty registration over $500 (rule SC-RBC-REGISTERED-SPECIALTY) | S-SC-40-59 |
| Residential roof, exam-licensed builder? | the builder covers it — no separate specialty credential (rule SC-RBC-BUILDER-SCOPE) | S-SC-40-59 |
| Commercial roof over $10,000? | CLB General Contractor — Specialty / Roofing subclassification (rule SC-CLB-THRESHOLD) | S-SC-40-11 |
| Insurer denies the roof claim? | the roofing contract is cancellable within five business days — and a deductible rebate is a misdemeanour (rule SC-RBC-ROOF-CANCEL) | S-SC-40-59 |
12 Fees and the credential boundary
| Question | South Carolina answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| CLB initial / renewal fee | $350 initial, $135 on-time renewal, biennial on 10/31 (surfaced from llr.sc.gov) — rule SC-CLB-FEE | S-SC-CLB-FEES |
| RBB application / licence / renewal | $135 / $220 / $220 — rule SC-RBC-FEE | S-SC-RBC-LICENSURE |
| Residential specialty credential? | licence after exam (plumber/electrician/HVAC) or no-exam registration — rule SC-RBC-SPECIALTY | S-SC-40-59 |
| Is there a standalone solar credential? | no — verified absence (rule SC-NO-SOLAR) | S-SC-40-11 |