Pickens County and Anderson County, South Carolina
Clemson websites for Pickens and Anderson County pros
Clemson's late penalty starts at $25 plus 15% on May 1, and every 1099 worker or sub needs a separate license.
Who needs a license
Clemson is in Pickens and Anderson Counties. Businesses located in the city and nonresident businesses that come in to work both need a license before doing business there. The city calls the license an excise tax on the privilege of doing business, measured by gross income under state code section 5-7-30.
The city's checklist helps: if you sell to the public, hold an IRS EIN or an SC LLR license, take 1099 pay, lease property to others, or work on a construction project in the city, you need one. W-2 employees work under your license, but 1099 workers and subs, including those hired by a general contractor, need their own.
Apply online and pay the emailed invoice, or email a downloaded application; the state standardized application works too. Have your state licenses first. Home businesses file a Home Occupation application with Planning and Development, and commercial sites call the Fire Marshal at 864-653-2058 for a life safety inspection. Contractors without a city location can buy a per-job license and upgrade it for later jobs.
Licenses run May 1 to April 30 and renew on prior calendar-year revenue. Reminders go out in January, renewal opens in February, and April 30 is the deadline. For 2026-2027, Class 1 started at $30 for the first $2,000, and the penalty was $25 plus 15% on May 1, rising monthly.
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Clemson business license
From the City of Clemson licensing and renewal pages and the state renewal center.
- Who needs one
- Resident and nonresident businesses; 1099 workers need their own. City of Clemson
- Late penalty
- $25 plus 15% from May 1 (2026-2027). Local Business License Renewal Center
Clemson FAQs
Which counties is Clemson in?
Pickens and Anderson Counties.
Can my subcontractors use my license?
No. Only W-2 employees can; 1099 workers and subs need their own.
Is there a per-job option?
Yes, for contractors without a location in the city.
When do renewal reminders arrive?
By email in January; renewal opens in February.
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