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Plan for Columbia, SC

Starting a Business in Columbia: Licenses, Registrations & Checklist

A step-by-step plan to open a business in Columbia: what to file first, what depends on what, and which permits come before opening day. Change the business details to fit yours.

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Dates

Permits and registrations specific to Columbia, SC

Sales tax permitSouth Carolina retail license
City of ColumbiaHas its own business licenses, taxes or permits (listed below).
Lexington CountyHas its own business licenses, taxes or permits (listed below).
Local licenses and permits to obtain
  • Municipal or county business license — Columbia, Lexington County, South Carolina · City or county business license office: Columbia / Lexington County (city)
  • Obtain certificate of occupancy for premises in Columbia · Columbia (Lexington County) building department (city)
  • Renew City of Columbia business license · City of Columbia Business Licenses Division (city)
  • File Lexington County business personal property return · Lexington County Auditor (county)
Register with these South Carolina agencies

Startup sequence and prerequisites in Columbia

Based on your selections, this plan has 10 steps. What you file first decides what you can do next: later registrations and licenses wait on the ones below.

Do these first

  1. Maintain a registered agent in South Carolina
  2. File formation documents with the South Carolina Secretary of State
  3. Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)

Then, once those are done

  • Register for and file South Carolina entity-level taxes — after: Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)
  • Municipal or county business license — Columbia, Lexington County, South Carolina — after: Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)
  • Obtain certificate of occupancy for premises in Columbia — after: Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)
  • Renew City of Columbia business license — after: Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)
Start planObligations (9)
Government fees

No fee amounts are known for this plan yet.

Total incomplete: some fees unknown

10 of 10 steps have no fee amount in our data. The figures above count only the 0 steps with a recorded fee. Check each agency's fee schedule.

File formationOct 25, 2026in 7 days
Ready to operateJan 1, 2027in 75 days
Opening dateNot setAdd a target opening date to check the plan fits
Progress0 / 10Saved in this browser

Things the formation documents depend on: a registered agent and any professional approvals.

Suggested planning date: Oct 25, 2026
Ongoing
not individually checked

File the formation documents with the state.

Suggested planning date: Nov 8, 2026
One-time
not individually checked
After: Maintain a registered agent in South Carolina

Obtain the EIN (and apply for tax-exempt status, for nonprofits). Most registrations need it.

Suggested planning date: Nov 11, 2026
One-time
not individually checked
After: File formation documents with the South Carolina Secretary of State

State tax accounts, trade name, foreign qualification and publication requirements.

Suggested planning date: Nov 25, 2026
Annual
not individually checked
After: Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)

Licenses and permits you need before you operate: state, industry, local and professional.

Suggested planning date: Dec 25, 2026
Annual
not individually checked
After: Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)
Suggested planning date: Dec 25, 2026
One-time
not individually checked
After: Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)
Statutory deadline: Dec 25, 2026 · in 68 days
Annual
not individually checked
Applies because: Business is located in Columbia, SC. Schedule: April 30.After: Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)

Recurring filings and payments, in the order they fall due.

Statutory deadline: Nov 1, 2026 · in 14 days
Annual
checked Oct 16, 2026
Applies because: Business operates in SC. Schedule: November 1.
Statutory deadline: Apr 15, 2027 · in 179 days
Annual
not individually checked
Applies because: Federal tax treatment is sole_prop. Schedule: April 15.
Statutory deadline: Apr 30, 2027 · in 194 days
Annual
checked Oct 13, 2026
Applies because: Business is located in Lexington County, SC. Schedule: April 30.
Suggested planning dates are allowances, not agency processing times. Statutory deadlines come from the rules and are labeled as such.

Common questions about Columbia

The state licenses your industry through its own regulator, and the city and county add local permits. These are the authorities and local items on record for Columbia:

  • Contractor licensing: South Carolina Contractors' Licensing Board
  • Real estate licensing: South Carolina Real Estate Commission
  • Alcohol licensing: South Carolina Department of Revenue, Alcohol Beverage Licensing
  • Child care licensing: South Carolina Department of Social Services
  • Health facility licensing: South Carolina Department of Public Health
  • Municipal or county business license — Columbia, Lexington County, South Carolina (City or county business license office: Columbia / Lexington County, city)
  • Obtain certificate of occupancy for premises in Columbia (Columbia (Lexington County) building department, city)
  • Renew City of Columbia business license (City of Columbia Business Licenses Division, city)
  • File Lexington County business personal property return (Lexington County Auditor, county)

With your current selections, the licenses and permits are: Municipal or county business license — Columbia, Lexington County, South Carolina; Obtain certificate of occupancy for premises in Columbia; Renew City of Columbia business license. Change the industry above to see yours.

Sources: sos.sc.gov, dor.sc.gov, dew.sc.gov

Formation comes first; tax, license and employer registrations wait on it. In your plan the first steps are:

  1. Maintain a registered agent in South Carolina
  2. File formation documents with the South Carolina Secretary of State
  3. Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)

Sources: sos.sc.gov, dor.sc.gov

No fee amounts are recorded for your plan yet.

Steps without a recorded fee are not counted, so check each agency's fee schedule before you budget.

Sources: sos.sc.gov, dor.sc.gov

In your plan for Columbia, requirements come from four levels. South Carolina sets formation, state taxes and employer rules; the city and county add local licenses and taxes.

  • Federal (2): Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN); File federal income tax return: Form 1040 with Schedule C
  • State (3): Maintain a registered agent in South Carolina; Register for and file South Carolina entity-level taxes; File the annual unclaimed property holder report (South Carolina)
  • County (1): File Lexington County business personal property return
  • City (3): Municipal or county business license — Columbia, Lexington County, South Carolina; Obtain certificate of occupancy for premises in Columbia; Renew City of Columbia business license

Sources: sos.sc.gov, dor.sc.gov

  • Register for unemployment insurance with South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce.
  • Workers' compensation: South Carolina Workers' Compensation Commission. Required when: 4 employees (annual payroll of $3,000 or more)
  • Register to withhold South Carolina income tax from wages.

Sources: dew.sc.gov, llr.sc.gov, dor.sc.gov

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