Look at the easternmost point of South Carolina and you’ll find Horry County. Look at Horry County and you’ll find a destination haven for retirees, vacationers, and people who own second homes.
Personally, I love this area. I’ve gone on a few golf trips to Myrtle Beach. The courses are incredible. The foodie spots plentiful. And the mild winters (for the most part) are a huge bonus.
Another bonus? Horry County is not just a great place to visit and live. According to the Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corporation (MBREDC), it’s also a great place to do business.
Some of the reasons include:
If you like the way this sounds and are thinking about starting a business of your own in Horry County, that’s exciting. But first things first. You’ll need a business license. How to get one and what you need to do so often depends on what kind of business you own and where it’s located within the county.
It may sound complicated, but that’s why we wrote this guide.
Yes. Although South Carolina doesn’t require statewide business licenses, each city and nine counties (Horry is one of them) require that you have a business license.
Where you go within that county to get your license depends on where you specifically plan to locate your business.
Each municipality (city or town) administers its own business licenses and has its own processes in place for getting them. So let’s look at that next.
Different cities in Horry County may have different rules, regulations, and systems for obtaining a business license. Fear not. We’ve done the research to point you in the right direction.
To learn more about how to get your business license in Horry County, click one of the locations below in which you plan to conduct your business:
Within the city limits of Myrtle Beach
Within the city limits of North Myrtle Beach
Within the city limits of Conway
Within the city limits of Surfside Beach
Within the city limits of Loris
In Horry County but not in any other municipality
In addition, you may need other special licenses, depending on the type of business you run and industry you’re in, whether it’s personal services, food services, construction, or something else.
There are a few ways you can find the application needed for a business license in Horry County:
Since the purpose of this article is to make the process as easy as possible for you, let’s focus on the third option. Here are some helpful links that will either take you straight to the online application — or give you the address where you can pick one up.
You also can contact them with questions at 843-915-5620.
Get an affordable & customized policy in just minutes. So you can get back to what matters: Your business.
When submitting a Horry County business license application, it’s a good idea to know which permits and accompanying documents you might need to submit along with it.
Here are a couple of additional resources that may help you understand exactly what you need:
In addition, it’s also a good idea to understand a bit about insurance. No matter what kind of business you run, accidents can happen. And lawsuits can follow. We’ve put together a page covering the basics of South Carolina Business Insurance.
We’ve also put together a list of insurance policies you should consider.
The type of business insurance you might need depends on the type of business you own. Let’s look at some of those now.
General liability insurance – Provides coverage against costs associated with third-party accidents, property damage, and bodily injury.
Professional liability insurance – Provides coverage if a customer sues your business for mistakes related to your services.
Workers’ compensation insurance – Protects you and your business if your employees get hurt, injured, or sick while working on the job. In South Carolina, if you employ four or more workers full- or part-time, you are required to have this type of insurance.
Cyber liability insurance – Protects your business from the costs of claims involving stolen customer data, cyberattacks, breaches, and fraud.
Inland marine insurance – Provides coverage for damaged, stolen, or lost tools and equipment.
Business personal property insurance – Typically covers the equipment, furniture, fixtures, and inventory that you own, use, or rent inside your workspace. If you use a laptop or mobile phone to run your business — or have an inventory of materials and supplies needed to run it — this type of insurance can be vital to support it.
We know, it’s a lot to think about, especially when you’re looking into licenses and permits in Horry county and getting your business started. But it’s best to have a plan and know what it will cost you. Which is why we made that part easy, too.
Spend a few minutes with our handy quote tool, and we’ll get to work looking for quotes from respected insurers. Then all you have to do is choose the one that’s best for you.
Or if you want to talk to a helpful human (one of our licensed insurance agents), you can give us a call at 844-654-7272. We’re here Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (ET). We’ll answer all your questions and help you get what you need for your business.
A growing population. Nice weather. Lots of outdoor activities. Horry County is gaining traction as not just a great place to visit but a great place to live and do business.
However, diving in as a business owner first means diving in as a researcher and figuring out what you need to get started. A business license is one thing you definitely need.
Hopefully, this article streamlines the Horry county business license process for you. Because the sooner you get your business license application in and fulfill your local requirements, the sooner you can get going.
If you’re ready to go, Horry County is ready for you. Good luck!
I went to college to be an accountant and graduated with a degree in creative writing. Words won out over numbers, but barely. All credit goes to my parents. Had they talked about anything other than banking at the dinner table growing up—and had they never bribed me with Pop-Tarts to read books, play with my Matchbox cars and quietly exercise my imagination—who knows where my left and right brain would be today.
Chris writes on a number of topics such as legal resources, small business taxes, and social media marketing.
This content is for general, informational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal, tax, accounting, or financial advice. Please obtain expert advice from industry-specific professionals who may better understand your business’s needs. Read our full disclaimer
