Certificate of Authorization (COA)
A Certificate of Authorization (COA) is required to practice or offer to practice residential building, residential specialty contracting, or home inspecting through a firm. However, when an individual is practicing residential home building, residential specialty contracting, or home inspecting in their name as individually licensed, or if an individual has at least fifty-one percent of the ownership interest and is the sole resident licensee for the firm, that person or entity is not required to be issued a COA.
A firm is a business entity functioning as a sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability partnership, professional association, professional corporation, business corporation, limited liability company, joint venture, or other legally constituted organization which offers or provides building services through licensed residential builders, residential specialty contractors, or home inspectors.
A COA is not a standalone license. COA applicants must have at least one resident licensee in responsible charge for each office that will be engaged in providing or offering to provide residential building, residential specialty contracting, and/or home inspecting work or services in South Carolina.
A resident licensee in responsible charge means a licensed practitioner who spends a majority of each normal workday working out of a principal or branch office and who is in responsible charge of the office and the services provided from that office, including, but not limited to, responsibility for applying for any building permits for the firm. A resident licensee in responsible charge must be an officer, principal owner, or employee of the firm, and must also be a licensed residential builder, licensed/registered residential specialty contractor, or licensed home inspector, depending on the nature of the firm's activities.
- A residential home builder must supervise the residential home building aspects of the principal or branch office and may also supervise the residential specialty contracting from that location.
- A residential specialty contractor may supervise residential specialty contracting services of the principal or branch office as long as the services are within the scope of residential specialty contracting in the classifications for which the individual is authorized to engage.
- A home inspector may supervise home inspecting services of the principal or branch office as long as the services are within the scope of home inspecting for which the individual is authorized to engage.
A resident licensee in responsible charge is considered in responsible charge of only one place of business at a given time.
A Resident Licensee in Responsible Charge Affidavit must be submitted for each resident licensee in responsible charge for the firm.
| Cerficuate of Authorization (RBC) Fees | |
| Fee Type | Current Fee Amount |
| Application Fee | $100 |
| Renewal Fee | $100 |