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How to become a plumber in South Carolina

The license steps in South Carolina, from apprentice to master or contractor, taken from the official licensing pages – plus pay, apprenticeships and where to apply.

The short answer

South Carolina has no apprentice or journeyman/master ladder; a Residential Plumber license requires at least one year of residential plumbing experience within the past five years and passing PSI's business/law and residential plumbing exams, while commercial work over $10,000 falls under a Mechanical Contractor license.

The steps in South Carolina

  1. 1

    Start as an apprentice

    The official pages we checked do not set out a separate apprentice registration in South Carolina. Most plumbers still start in an apprenticeship – see below. Ask the licensing office for the current rule.

  2. 2

    Earn your journeyman (first independent) license

    The Residential Plumber license from the Residential Builders Commission requires at least one year of residential plumbing experience within the past five years, verified before you can take the exam, and passing PSI's Business Management and Law exam plus the residential plumbing exam.

  3. 3

    Master or contractor license

    We could not confirm the master or contractor requirements for South Carolina on an official page. Ask the licensing office for the current rule.

  4. 4

    Keep your license current

    The Residential Plumbing license renews every two years before June 30 of each odd-numbered year.

Who licenses plumbers in South Carolina

South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (Residential Builders Commission; Contractor's Licensing Board). License types we found: Residential Plumber (Residential Builders Commission), Mechanical Contractor (Contractor's Licensing Board, commercial).

Official application page

Already licensed? Anyone can check a license on verify.llronline.com.

Licensed in another state?

Plumbers licensed by exam for at least one year in North Carolina or Mississippi can have the technical part of the exam waived; the business and law exam still applies.

Finding an apprenticeship

Most plumbers learn the trade through a 4- or 5-year apprenticeship, with about 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training each year plus classroom instruction, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Registered Apprenticeships are paid jobs with progressive wage increases, classroom instruction and a portable, nationally recognized credential; programs are approved by the Department of Labor or a State Apprenticeship Agency. Search programs at apprenticeship.gov, or ask local plumbing contractors and union locals.

Pay and job outlook

$63,800

Median yearly pay for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, May 2025 (BLS).

7%

Projected job growth from 2025 to 2035, with about 42,000 openings a year (BLS).

4-5 years

Typical apprenticeship, with about 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training a year (BLS).

National figures from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook; pay varies by state and city.

Already a plumber in South Carolina?

88 plumbing businesses are listed on Plumbers Pages so far. Add your business free, or see plumbers in South Carolina.

Sources

Requirements come from South Carolina’s official licensing pages and statutes, checked October 2026. Rules change – confirm with the licensing office before you apply.

  1. llr.sc.gov/res/PDF/Residential_Plumber_Lic-Electronic-PKG.pdf
  2. llr.sc.gov/res/PDF/FAQ/RBP%20FAQ.pdf
  3. llr.sc.gov/res/resplumber.aspx
  4. llr.sc.gov/res/
  5. llr.sc.gov/clb/
  6. llr.sc.gov/clb/faq.aspx
  7. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters
  8. U.S. Department of Labor – Apprenticeship.gov for career seekers

General information, not legal advice. All states · How we write our guides

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