At a Glance
Quick Answer
South Carolina does not have a state prevailing wage law. Federal Davis-Bacon Act still applies to federally funded construction projects over $2,000.
South Carolina has never enacted a state prevailing wage law. Only federally funded construction projects are subject to Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements.
Context
Prevailing Wage & Bidding in South Carolina
South Carolina has never enacted a state prevailing wage law, so there is no state wage schedule or certified-payroll mandate for state, county, or municipal construction. When you bid most public work in South Carolina, you price labor to competitive local market rates and your actual crew costs rather than to a government-determined rate book. This generally lets you bid leaner and simplifies estimating, because you are not building to published prevailing wages or weekly certified-payroll administration on purely state- or locally funded jobs.
The controlling exception is federal funding. Any South Carolina project funded in whole or part with federal dollars and exceeding $2,000 falls under the federal Davis-Bacon Act. On those projects you must pay the U.S. Department of Labor wage determination for the relevant county and classifications and submit weekly certified payroll (Form WH-347) to the contracting agency. Federally assisted highway, military, water/sewer, and housing work commonly carry Davis-Bacon, so confirm the funding source in the solicitation before you price labor.
The classic pitfall in a no-law state is treating every public job as wage-free and then discovering a federal nexus after award, when Davis-Bacon rates and fringes are often higher than local open-shop wages. That surprise erases margin. Before submitting a South Carolina bid, verify whether federal money is involved, pull any referenced wage determination, and include certified-payroll administration in your overhead for those jobs. Where there is no federal trigger, you can confidently bid to market rates without a state wage burden.
Details
Coverage Details
State Status
- Law
- No state prevailing wage law
- Agency
- N/A — No state prevailing wage program
- Certified Payroll
- Not required at state level
Federal Davis-Bacon Coverage
The federal Davis-Bacon Act applies to all federally funded or federally assisted construction contracts over $2,000 in South Carolina. This includes projects funded by federal agencies, FHWA highway projects, HUD housing, and projects receiving federal grants.
Reference
Key Facts
No state prevailing wage law has ever been enacted in South Carolina
Federal Davis-Bacon Act applies to federally funded projects over $2,000
South Carolina is among the southeastern states without state-level prevailing wage requirements
Enforcement
Penalties
Federal Davis-Bacon penalties apply to federally funded projects only.
Resources
Related Tools & Templates
Turn wage rules into bid-ready alerts
Use ConstructionBids.ai to track matching public projects, save bid searches, and move wage-sensitive scopes into your estimating workflow.
FAQ
Questions Contractors Ask
Does South Carolina have a prevailing wage law?
No. South Carolina does not have a state prevailing wage law. South Carolina has never enacted a state prevailing wage law. Only federally funded construction projects are subject to Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements.
Does Davis-Bacon apply in South Carolina?
Yes. The federal Davis-Bacon Act applies to all federally funded construction projects over $2,000 in South Carolina, regardless of state law. Contractors must pay the prevailing wage rate determined by the DOL for the project location.
Is certified payroll required in South Carolina?
South Carolina does not have a state-level certified payroll requirement. However, certified payroll (WH-347) is still required on any federal Davis-Bacon project in the state.
What are the penalties for prevailing wage violations in South Carolina?
Federal Davis-Bacon penalties apply to federally funded projects only.
Does South Carolina require prevailing wages on public projects?
No. South Carolina has never enacted a state prevailing wage law, so state and locally funded construction is bid at market labor rates with no state wage schedule or certified-payroll mandate. Only federally funded projects over $2,000 carry wage requirements, governed by the federal Davis-Bacon Act.
When does Davis-Bacon apply to a South Carolina construction project?
Davis-Bacon applies whenever a project is funded in whole or part with federal dollars and exceeds $2,000. You must then pay the U.S. Department of Labor wage determination for the county and trade and file weekly certified payroll, even though South Carolina has no state law.
What is the biggest bidding risk in a state with no prevailing wage law?
Assuming every public job is wage-free, then discovering a federal funding trigger after award. Davis-Bacon rates and fringes often exceed local open-shop wages, so an unaccounted-for federal nexus can erase your margin. Always confirm the funding source and pull any referenced wage determination before pricing labor.