This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Permit and tax rules change, and your situation may differ. Always confirm current requirements with the official state agency linked in this guide, and consult a licensed attorney or tax professional for advice about your specific business.Last verified against official state sources: 2026-06-11
Anyone engaging in business as a retailer in South Carolina needs a Retail License before making retail sales, and it never expires. Craft vendors get a special break: if you sell only products you created or assembled at arts and crafts shows and festivals, the cheaper $20 Artist and Craftsman License covers you statewide. It kicks in once you sell at shows more than four times in a fiscal year, and it is not valid for online sales or sales outside shows and festivals.
About 1 to 2 business days after payment when applying online through MyDORWAY.
Transient or temporary businesses (sales for no more than 30 consecutive days at one location) need the $50 Retail License, but craft vendors selling their own creations at shows use the Artist and Craftsman License instead. If a special event runs longer than 11 consecutive days, vendors must hold a full Retail License regardless of frequency.
South Carolina has one of the most generous event-vendor exemptions: per SCDOR's Events and Festivals guide, if you sell at craft shows or festivals four times or less in a fiscal year, each running 11 consecutive days or less, you may not need a license or to collect state sales tax at all. Past four events a year, the $20 Artist and Craftsman License is required. Vendors near the threshold should confirm with SCDOR, since the agency's own wording is hedged.
The statewide rate is 6 percent, and counties and municipalities add voter-approved local taxes (Local Option, Capital Projects, School District, Transportation, and others), so the total depends on the event location. SCDOR publishes county rate charts and a lookup tool; charge the rate in effect where the event is held.
South Carolina has no statewide general business license, but many SC cities and counties require a local business license on top of the Retail License, so check both where you live and where the event is held.
Making sales without a valid Retail License can result in fines of up to $500 per occurrence.
SCDOR's Events and Festivals guide asks promoters to send the agency vendor information (names, business details, license numbers) plus event location, date, and time, and to confirm whether admission is charged, since paid admissions trigger a separate 5 percent Admissions Tax and license.
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Anyone engaging in business as a retailer in South Carolina needs a Retail License before making retail sales, and it never expires. Craft vendors get a special break: if you sell only products you created or assembled at arts and crafts shows and festivals, the cheaper $20 Artist and Craftsman License covers you statewide. It kicks in once you sell at shows more than four times in a fiscal year, and it is not valid for online sales or sales outside shows and festivals.
Retail License, or the $20 Artist and Craftsman License for festival-only sellers, issued by the South Carolina Department of Revenue (SCDOR). Cost: $50 one-time (standard Retail License) or $20 (Artist and Craftsman License). About 1 to 2 business days after payment when applying online through MyDORWAY.
South Carolina has one of the most generous event-vendor exemptions: per SCDOR's Events and Festivals guide, if you sell at craft shows or festivals four times or less in a fiscal year, each running 11 consecutive days or less, you may not need a license or to collect state sales tax at all. Past four events a year, the $20 Artist and Craftsman License is required. Vendors near the threshold should confirm with SCDOR, since the agency's own wording is hedged.
The statewide rate is 6 percent, and counties and municipalities add voter-approved local taxes (Local Option, Capital Projects, School District, Transportation, and others), so the total depends on the event location. SCDOR publishes county rate charts and a lookup tool; charge the rate in effect where the event is held.
South Carolina has no statewide general business license, but many SC cities and counties require a local business license on top of the Retail License, so check both where you live and where the event is held.
Browse upcoming craft fairs in South Carolina with booth fees and application deadlines, read our picks for the best South Carolina craft fairs, and use the booth ROI calculator to plan your season.
Last verified: 2026-06-11. Spotted something out of date? Let us know.