RICHLAND COUNTY, S.C. — During a regular called meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 5, Richland County Council will consider an ordinance that would change the renewal date for all business licenses in the county.
The Business License Ordinance Amendment would change the date of business license renewal to April 30th of each year. Currently, the renewal date in Richland County is March 15th. The change of date would allow Richland County to comply with Act 176, the SC Business License Standardization Act passed by the South Carolina General Assembly in 2020.
Simply put, the state law requires all jurisdictions in the state to use a single date -- April 30 -- for business license renewal and a standard license year period -- May 1 to April 30. All jurisdictions have until January 1, 2022, to comply to the date change as well as standardizing other licensing practices as well, such as standard applications, acceptance of payment from a statewide online payment center, and the method of calculating a business' gross income.
Businesses with a license in Richland County will have until April 30, 2022, to renew. Fees for renewal will be recalculated to make use the county doesn't collect more business license taxes in 2022 than it did in the 2020 license year.
You can see the ordinance in full below.
Richland County Council will meet at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 5, in Council Chambers at 2020 Hampton Street in Columbia.
