South Carolina
Septic installers and pumpers in South Carolina, checked against the state's licence list
South Carolina licenses septic installers and pumper/haulers itself, through the Department of Environmental Services (SCDES), which took over the environmental half of the old DHEC in July 2024. The county does not license anyone and does not issue the septic permit: SCDES does both.
1,616 businesses hold a current licence: 1,384 install, 1,351 may repair and 343 pump. Source: SCDES Onsite Wastewater Contractors list, read 2026-09-18.
Find your county
Grouped by the SCDES local office that covers the county, because that is the office that takes the permit application.
Aiken local office
Anderson local office
Beaufort local office
Charleston local office
Columbia local office
Florence local office
Greenville Spartanburg local office
Greenwood local office
Lancaster local office
Myrtle Beach local office
Orangeburg local office
Sumter local office
What each licence allows
| Licence | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Installer Tier 1 | May install gravity-fed residential systems. Not authorized to repair an existing system. |
| Installer Tier 2 | Tier 1 work plus pumps, grease traps, curtain drains, elevated and mounded systems, and commercial, large and community systems. Authorized to repair. |
| Installer Tier 3 | Everything in Tiers 1 and 2 plus the specialized systems in Standard 610. Authorized to repair. |
| Pumper/Hauler | Licensed to clean septic tanks, self-contained toilets and other sewage holding systems. |
Source: Regulation 61-56, Onsite Wastewater Systems. Read 2026-09-18.
How a septic permit works in South Carolina
The homeowner applies to SCDES on form D-1740 through the ePermitting portal; the application fee is $150. SCDES evaluates the site and, if it suits a conventional system, issues a Permit to Construct, which is good for five years. Only then does a licensed installer build the system, and the installer must schedule an SCDES inspection before it is covered.
Source: SCDES, residential septic permits. Read 2026-09-18.