Are any businesses exempt from the County’s business license requirement?

Yes. State law (Sec 4-9-30(12)) establishes that certain businesses are exempt from County business licensing requirements. These include the following:

  1.  teachers, ministers, and rabbis;
  2.  telephone, telegraph, gas and electric utilities or other utilities regulated by the Public Service Commission;
  3.  insurance companies, and
  4.  businesses making loans secured by real estate (unless it has a premises located in the county but outside a municipality).

Other businesses exempted from all (county or city) business license taxes by State or US law include the following:

  1.  Vendors selling produce
  2.  air express and passenger interstate transportation;
  3.  alcoholic beverages;
  4.  banks and building loan companies;
  5.  credit unions, both state and federal;
  6.  Marketing Cooperative Associations and Mutual benevolent aid associations; and
  7.  Workers’ Compensation insurance premiums.


Show All Answers

1. What is a business license?
2. Who is required to obtain a license?
3. When do I need a business license?
4. When does the business license expire?
5. When is payment due for the business license?
6. What gross should be reported for the license renewal?
7. How is the fee calculated?
8. Are rates calculated the same for revenue in the millions?
9. When will penalties be assessed?
10. Are there different rates for in-county and out of county businesses?
11. If I am doing more than one type of business activity at my business, do I need more than one business license?
12. My business is in a City or Town, do I also need a County License?
13. If I own land with trees and wish to sell them do I need a license?
14. If a company is coming in to buy my trees, do they need a license?
15. I have a roadside produce stand or produce truck etc. Do I need a business license?
16. Are any businesses exempt from the County’s business license requirement?
17. Does the County of Orangeburg provide retail licenses?
18. What if my business closes? What should I do?