South Carolina Contractor's Licensing Board

To qualify for licensure, the licensure applicant shall file a written application on forms approved by the Board (available on this website) and include the following:

1. Fee
2. Certificate of Liability Insurance listing the SC Contractors' Licensing Board as Certificate Holder
3. Technical Examinations Score Sheet(s) and Code of Laws Score Sheets from PSI
4. Completed Document 130 (Initial License Application) including NTS Level I certificate of completion for burglar alarms and fire alarms or NICET Level II certificate of completion for fire alarms
5. Criminal background check for the entity's principal officers, all qualifying parties, and registered employees for all states in which the individual has lived within the past 10 years
6. A certificate of comprehensive general liability insurance providing for the following minimum coverage: one hundred thousand dollars due to bodily injury, death, or destruction of property as the result of the negligent act or acts of the principal insured. The policy must be purchased from an insurer or licensed agent authorized to do business in this state.

Primary qualifying party - a qualifying party who is an owner, partner, or officer of a burglar alarm system business, or a full-time employee holding a managerial or supervisory position within the alarm system business and who qualifies the licensee to engage in the burglar or fire alarm business and is registered with the department.

Qualifying party - an individual, owner, partner, officer, or employee of an alarm system business who has met the necessary requirements of a qualifying party and is registered with the department.

All licensure applicants must designate a Primary Qualifying Party who is an owner, partner, or officer of a burglar alarm system business, or a full-time employee holding a management position.

Registered means an owner, partner, principle officer, qualifying party, or registered employee of a burgler alarm business whose name and address has been listed or registered with the department as an individual who has access to a client's property or burglar alarm records that can reveal, but not be limited to, the type of burglar alarm system, burglar alarm security numbers or code, or any other information pertaining to the system that could compromise the client's burglar alarm system. This includes individuals who sell, install, or service a burglar alarm system at a client's residence and a full-time employee. Also included is a part-time employee that has access to customers' records or files.

Branch Offices- All burglar alarm system business branch offices are required to submit an application, certificate of liability insurance and separate license fee for each location. The branch office license authorizes the branch office to conduct business under the name of the licensed entity (main office). The licensed entity (main office) must apply for the branch office license prior to opening the branch office and must not conduct business from the branch office until the application has been approved by the department and a license number has been issued for the branch office. Each burglar alarm system business branch office doing business in this State must have a primary qualifying party assigned to that branch office location exclusively. This primary qualifying party may not be a primary qualifying party for any other business location.

Registered Employee means an individual of a burglar alarm business who has not met the requirements of a qualifying party and is employed more than thirty days in any given calendar year and is registered with the department.

Identification Requirement: All applicants must submit a copy of a valid Driver's License, State Issued ID, Passport or Military ID, and Social Security Card with the Registered Employee Application.

Registered means an owner, partner, principle officer, qualifying party, or registered employee of an burglar alarm business whose name and address has been listed or registered with the department as an individual who has access to a client's property or burglar alarm records that can reveal, but not be limited to, the type of burglar alarm system, burglar alarm security numbers or code, or any other information pertaining to the system that could compromise the client's burglar alarm system. This includes individuals who sell, install, or service a burglar alarm system at a client's residence and a full-time employee. Also included is a part-time employee that has access to customers' records or files.

The qualifying party or primary qualifying party must take the required exam(s) for the license to be obtained prior to applying for the license with the SC Contractor’s Licensing Board. The required PSI exams are:

• Burglar Alarm Exam and/or;
• Fire Alarm Exam
• Alarm Code of Laws

Study material resources can be found on page three (3) of the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin. In the PSI Candidate Bulletin, select your exams and submit the registration form to PSI.

All burglar alarm examinees must be NTS Level I or II certified.

All fire alarm examinees must be either NTS Level I or II certified, or NICET Level II or III certified.

NTS (National Training School – SC Alarm Association): 803-252-0580

NICET (National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies): www.nicet.org or 888-476-4238

Please be advised that the South Carolina Contractor's Licensing Board has determined that fire alarm system businesses are not required to have registered employees. This means that registered employees working for fire alarm system business are no longer required to be registered with the Board or meet the other registered employee requirements. Therefore, effective immediately, all registered employee credentials associated with alarm system business licenses have been closed. However, registered fire alarm employees who are also tied to burglar alarm system business licensees will remain active with their associated burglar alarm system license and must still register.

The Board has also determined that fire alarm system businesses are not required to have a license for each branch office of the fire alarm system business. This means that your business is no longer required to pay a separate license fee for each branch office that you operate or obtain a branch office certificate. Therefore, effective immediately, fire alarm system business branch office licenses are closed, and practice may continue under the main fire alarm system business license on file for your company. Any qualifying party associated with a branch office license has also been moved to the main fire alarm system business license number in the Board's database.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this decision, please contact the Board's administrative staff by phone at (803) 896-4686 or by email.