South Carolina Tax Agencies - Setup and Information

South Carolina Tax Agencies - Setup and Information

South Carolina Tax Agencies

  • South Carolina Department of Revenue (DOR) - income tax withholding (WH Tax)
  • South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce  - unemployment tax (UI Tax)

Set Up an Existing Company

If you’ve run payroll in South Carolina in the past, you can find your SC Withholding File Number on notices received from the State of South Carolina Department of Revenue, or by calling the agency at (803) 896-1450.

If you've run payroll in South Carolina in the past, you can find your Employer Account Number on the Employer Package, Liability Letter, and Employer Quarterly Contribution and Wages Report (Form UCE-120) received from the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce.

Unemployment Tax Rate: You can find your Unemployment Tax Rate on the Rate Notice from the SC Dept. of Employment and Workforce. It generally ranges from 0.06%–5.46% with a wage base of $14,000. If you're unsure, you should call the agency at (803) 737-3080.

When entering your unemployment tax rate, please include the loan repayment rate component if it exists, but not the Contingency Assessment rate.

Register a New Company

Income tax withholding

Register your company at the SC Department of Revenue online. You should receive your SC Withholding File Number and tax deposit schedule within 24 hours after registering online, or 3 weeks if registering by mail. Please keep this time frame in mind when planning your first South Carolina payroll. If you have any questions about the process, you should call the agency at (803) 737-3080.

Unemployment tax

Most companies are liable for state unemployment they pay $1500 of wages in any calendar quarter or have one employee during any 20 weeks in a calendar year. You can find out if you are liable and register your company at the SC Department of Employment and Workforce online. You should receive your 6-digit Employer Account Number in 2-3 weeks after registering. This is also known as your South Carolina State Tax ID. This will be a 9-digit number in this format XXXXXXXX-X. 

Unemployment Tax Rate: If you are a new employer, you will receive your unemployment tax rate after you have registered with the state. The rate for new employers is generally 1.23% in 2017, but it is always best to register and get the appropriate rate. This tax can range from 0.06% to 5.46% and has a wage base limit of $14,000.

When entering your unemployment tax rate, please include the loan repayment rate component if it exists, but not the Contingency Assessment rate.