Cola City Roofing works as the roofing subcontractor on new homes in Columbia and the Midlands. We bid roof packages for production and custom builders, general contractors and developers. This page covers the South Carolina rules a builder must get right at the roof stage. Each one links to its statute or office.
Who may roof a new house in South Carolina?
A roofing sub on a house is a residential specialty contractor. S.C. Code §40-59-20(7) covers an independent contractor who takes work from a licensed residential builder, a general contractor or an individual owner. The rule applies when the undertaking exceeds $500. Roofers are one of the trades listed by name.
The builder needs its own credential. A residential builder builds or superintends houses of up to three floors, or apartment buildings of up to 16 units, when the cost exceeds $5,000 (§40-59-20(6)). A builder licensed by examination may do roofing work itself without a separate specialty registration.
Bigger buildings move to another board. Commercial work with a total cost over $10,000 needs a Contractor's Licensing Board license (§40-11-30). The threshold rose from $5,000 under 2023 Act No. 69, effective May 19, 2023.
What a roofer's registration covers
LLR's specialty registrant FAQ defines the roofer trade as work on materials that "form a water tight, weather resistant surface for roofs and decks." That includes accessories, flashing, valleys, gravel stops and roof insulation panels above the roof deck.
The law also sets a hard edge. A specialty contractor "is prohibited from undertaking work outside the scope of his license or registration, including employing, hiring, and contracting or subcontracting with others to perform such work on his behalf" (§40-59-20(7)).
- Structural work. The LLR FAQ limits structural work by a specialty registrant to jobs supervised by a licensed builder or general contractor. Keep rafter, truss and framing fixes with the framer or the builder.
- Sheathing. The roofer definition names materials above the roof deck and doesn't mention the deck itself. If you want your roofing sub to replace damaged panels, ask the Commission at (803) 896-4696 how that work is classified (FAQ contact).
- Three classifications at most. A specialty registration may cover up to three classifications. More than three requires a residential builder license (§40-59-240(A)).
- Second-tier subs. A registered roofer may subcontract only in the trades on its own registration, per the FAQ.
Does the $5,000 bond rule apply to a builder's roofing sub?
Possibly not, but confirm it. §40-59-240(D) requires a surety bond when a specialty contractor's job "for an individual property owner" exceeds $5,000 in materials and labor. That wording points at owner contracts, not subcontracts under a builder.
LLR's FAQ describes the bond more broadly: a $5,000 surety bond for registrants doing work over $5,000 in total cost of construction. Because the two texts differ, confirm with the Commission at (803) 896-4696 before relying on either reading.
What happens if a sub isn't registered?
Local permit offices may not issue a permit for regulated work without evidence of a license, registration or exemption. They also report suspected unlicensed contracting to the Commission (§40-59-280).
An unregistered contractor can't file a mechanics' lien or sue to enforce a contract made in violation of the chapter (§40-59-30(B)). Contracting without a registration is a misdemeanor with a fine of $500 to $10,000 (§40-59-30(A)).
So run the Residential Builders Commission lookup before a sub's first house. The lookup's status notes say a PENDING or LAPSED registrant can't do work over $500.00. Our guide to checking a roofer's license in South Carolina walks through the screens and the board orders search.
Workers' comp: why a roofing sub's coverage is the builder's risk
South Carolina makes the hiring contractor a statutory employer. Under §42-1-410, a contractor that subcontracts work is liable to the sub's injured worker. It owes what it would owe had it employed that worker directly.
§42-1-400 applies the same rule to an owner whose own trade or business includes the work. §42-1-420 carries it down to a sub's own subcontractors. For a builder, an injury on an uninsured roofing crew can become the builder's claim.
The builder keeps a remedy. §42-1-440 gives the principal contractor a right to indemnity from the party who should have paid. The worker may recover from the sub or the principal contractor, but not from both (§42-1-450).
Small subs may be exempt. The title doesn't apply to an employer with fewer than four regular employees in the state, or under $3,000 in payroll the year before (§42-1-360(2)). Ask an exempt sub how its crew is covered, and ask your own carrier how your policy treats uninsured subs.
Why you collect a certificate on the day you engage the sub
§42-1-415 rewards paperwork. If a sub represented that it had workers' comp when it was engaged, the higher-tier contractor can be reimbursed from the Uninsured Employers' Fund. The proof must be on a standard form acceptable to the Commission, collected when the sub is engaged, and turned over when a claim is filed.
Reimbursement comes after payment. If the sub is uninsured, the higher-tier contractor or its carrier "shall in the first instance pay all benefits due." A sub that knowingly fakes coverage, or fails to send notice of a lapse by certified mail within five days, faces fraud penalties and a two-year license revocation (§42-1-415(C)).
To confirm coverage, search the Workers' Compensation Commission's Verify Coverage page by employer and accident date. The Commission's coverage staff take calls at (803) 737-6203, weekdays from 8:30 to 5:00.
The Commission also runs e-mail notifications for policies cancelled mid-term. It built the service with the South Carolina Home Builders Association so a general contractor can be told when a sub appears to have let coverage lapse. We explain the whole rule in the statutory employer rule for roofing subs.
Which inspections look at the roof?
Each Midlands office publishes its own inspection sequence, and none lists a stand-alone roof inspection for a new house. Where the roof is named, it is checked with framing, before anything is covered.
Where the roof appears in published Midlands inspection lists (checked October 2026)
| Office | What it publishes about the roof stage | How inspections are requested |
|---|---|---|
| City of Columbia | Rough-in & Frame Inspection is made "after the roof, framing, fire blocking, and bracing are in place." Roofing is on the list of rough-in items not to be concealed before approval (inspections page). | Access portal. Each subcontractor requests its own inspections. |
| Richland County | Pre-rough-in Sheathing Inspection, then House Wrap and Framing Rough. No roofing line item (residential inspection page). | (803) 576-2140, option 2 |
| Town of Lexington | The FRAMING inspection lists "Sheathing, Vapor barrier, Roofing, Flashing" (inspection sheet). | Voicemail line (803) 358-7267 |
| Lexington County | No published stage list. Plan review asks for exterior wall and roof details, or engineered truss documentation (submittal requirements). | BluePrince portal; questions (803) 785-8130 (building permits page) |
| West Columbia | No published stage list. A certificate of occupancy follows the final inspection (building permits page). | EnerGov portal; Building Official (803) 936-6286 |
| Cayce | No published stage list. All contractors and subs need a current business license before working on job sites (Building Services FAQ). | Online inspection request form |
| Irmo and Chapin | No roofing-specific list. All new homes require plan review (CC&I Irmo page). | CC&I iWorQ portals |
Truss paperwork belongs to this stage. South Carolina's modification to R802.10.1 says truss design drawings ship with the trusses and are approved at the inspection, not before installation. It carries into the 2024 code (2024 Modifications Index). The roof inspection stages post has the office-by-office detail.
The 2024 code starts on January 1, 2027
Local offices start enforcing the 2024 codes with South Carolina modifications on January 1, 2027, the date the Building Codes Council chose (2024 Modifications Index). Until then, houses are permitted under the 2021 South Carolina Residential Code.
Which edition applies turns on the permit. Under S.C. Code §6-9-130(A), a building is inspected to the codes in force locally when its original permit was issued. Where that date is missing, the office uses the date the completed application came in.
So a house permitted in December 2026 is inspected to the 2021 code through its final, even if it is roofed in 2027. A house permitted on or after January 1, 2027 is a 2024-code house from the footing up.
South Carolina's roof-related modifications in the 2024 index are short. Drip edge stays tied to the shingle maker's instructions (R905.2.8.5, carried over). In the 2024 version, wind design points to the ASCE Hazard Tool (R301.2.1). In wind-design areas, the underlayment table for asphalt shingles is changed to match the ordinary requirements (Table R905.1.1(2), new).
The base IRC changed more, including underlayment types and metal panel underlayment. Our 2024 South Carolina residential code guide compares both editions, with posts on underlayment and wind requirements.
What to send your roofing sub, and what to get back
A roof bid is only as good as the information behind it. Settle the ventilation plan, the wall-to-roof flashing conditions and the homeowner's shingle choice before the crew arrives, not on the roof.
Roof-stage handoff between builder and roofing subcontractor
| Builder sends the sub | Why it matters | Builder gets from the sub |
|---|---|---|
| Permit number, issuing office and permit date | The permit date sets the code edition (§6-9-130). | Registration number and an ACTIVE status on the LLR lookup |
| Full plan set: elevations, roof plan, pitches, overhangs | Pitch drives underlayment method and material; the roof plan sets valleys, crickets and walls. | A written scope tied to the plan set and the house address |
| Truss drawings or framing details | Ties attic layout and bearing to the roof plan. | Notice of any framing or sheathing problem before covering it |
| Material spec: shingle or panel line, color, underlayment, flashing | Wind rating and installation method follow the product chosen. | The manufacturer's installation instructions the crew will follow |
| Ventilation design: intake and exhaust, attic type | Exhaust and intake must match the product and the attic. | Confirmation the vent products fit the shingle and the plan |
| Local Table R301.2 entries from the permit office | Design wind speed and ice barrier come from the local table. | How the install meets those entries |
| Inspection sequence for that office | The roof is often checked with framing before it is covered. | Who requests the inspection, and the result |
| Who gets the homeowner paperwork | Product warranty terms differ by manufacturer and product line. | Warranty documents and product labels for the homeowner file |
| Insurance requirements | Statutory employer exposure (§42-1-410). | Certificate of insurance, workers' comp proof collected at engagement (§42-1-415) |
For pitch and quantities, our roofing calculators and the post on roof size, pitch and cost help with early takeoffs. For attic airflow, see the roof ventilation guide and ridge vents versus box vents.
The warranty handoff to the homeowner
The builder answers to the homeowner, and the state's yardstick is the South Carolina Residential Construction Standards. The Residential Builders Commission adopted them on September 14, 2022. Violations of three things may be deemed evidence of substandard work: the building codes, manufacturer specifications or installation instructions, and the performance standards themselves.
That second item is why the installation instructions belong in your file. If the crew didn't follow them, the work can be treated as substandard even when the inspector passed it.
The standards also set the clocks. LLR may inspect for code and manufacturer violations up to eight years from substantial completion. It inspects for performance-standard items identified by the homeowner within twelve months, and roofing is on that list. A certificate of occupancy is evidence of substantial completion.
What the roofing chapter expects
- A leak under normal conditions falls short of the standard. The contractor's first job is to inspect and find which trade caused it (Chapter XXIII).
- Blow-offs during the warranty period, outside storm conditions, are the contractor's to repair unless winds exceeded basic wind speeds.
- Broken shingles reported in writing before occupancy get replaced.
- Ridges of decking showing through the roof must be corrected if they exceed 3/8 inch and can't be fixed from below.
- Shade differences between shingles are treated as normal, and no warranty covers them.
The standards add that "nothing in this section creates, limits, or modifies a warranty." The manufacturer provides its own written product warranty. And if a homeowner later serves a notice of claim, a contractor or subcontractor has 30 days to inspect, offer to remedy, settle or deny it (§40-59-850(A)).
Give the homeowner the roof paperwork in one place. Include the shingle line and color, the product warranty, the permit number, the final inspection and underlayment-stage photos. Our new home roof guide is written for buyers, and you're welcome to share it at closing.
Owner-builders: the rules are narrower
An owner may act as their own builder, but only under §40-59-260. The home must be for the owner's or the family's own use, not for sale or rent. The owner must sign the permit application in person and receives a state disclosure statement (§40-59-260(C)).
The disclosure warns that selling or renting within two years of completion creates a presumption the house was built for sale or rent. It also says: "You may not hire an unlicensed person as your residential builder or specialty contractor." The owner must also file a public notice with the register of deeds; skipping it revokes the exemption (§40-59-260(E)).
Some offices check that notice up front. Lexington County asks for a recorded copy of the Disclosure Statement and Public Record Notice before it issues an owner's permit (submittal requirements). An owner-builder who hires a roofing sub takes on the same lookup, insurance and workers' comp questions a builder does.
Requesting a roof bid
Building in Columbia or elsewhere in the Midlands? Send your plan set and material spec through our contact page and we'll prepare a bid. Ask us for our registration number and certificate of insurance, and run the lookup before you sign.
