South Carolina: business records and regulators
Where to look a business up in South Carolina, where to search the UCC filings against it, and the offices that regulate banks, lenders and securities there.
Each link opens the state's own site in a new tab, so what you type there goes to that site, not to us. Some state searches charge a fee or ask you to make an account. Privacy
South Carolina records and regulators
Business search
Look a business up in the state's register of businesses.
South Carolina Secretary of State: Business Entities Search (opens in a new tab)
The search shows general information for every entity on file, including its registered agent and office.
UCC search
Find the UCC filings against a business: the financing statements lenders file to record a lien on its assets, such as a blanket lien.
South Carolina Secretary of State: Uniform Commercial Code search (opens in a new tab)
The online system searches financing statements, retrieves copies and takes requests for certified search results.
Banking and lending regulator
Oversees the banks the state charters. Check its site for the lender and broker licenses the state requires.
South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions: Consumer Finance Division (opens in a new tab)
It licenses companies other than banks and insurers that make consumer loans above 12% APR not secured by real estate.
Securities regulator
The state office for securities offerings, brokers and investment advisers.
Find a lender in South Carolina
Official lists of the lenders that work in South Carolina. Each opens on its own site, filtered to South Carolina where the list allows it.
SBA 504 lenders (Certified Development Companies) (opens in a new tab)
The nonprofit lenders that make SBA 504 loans for property and big equipment, from the SBA's own list, filtered to the state.
SBA microloan lenders (opens in a new tab)
Nonprofit lenders that make SBA microloans of up to $50,000, from the SBA's own list, filtered to the state.
SBA Lender Match (opens in a new tab)
The SBA's own matching tool: you answer a few questions about your business on its site, and two business days later it gives you a list of the lenders interested; some may contact you. It is not a loan application. What you type goes to the SBA and those lenders, not to us.
Certified CDFIs (community lenders) (opens in a new tab)
The CDFI Fund's list of every certified community development financial institution (CDFI): loan funds, banks and credit unions. Download the list and sort it by the State column.
The FDIC's BankFind: search for the banks with offices in the state.
Credit unions (opens in a new tab)
The NCUA's credit union locator. Credit unions lend to their members, so check who can join.
Before you sign with any lender, check it is licensed: see the banking and lending regulator above, and Check a lender or platform. A few national lenders and platforms are named, with how they were chosen, in the provider directory.
State rules for South Carolina on our route pages
- Business line of credit: Outside consumer loans, a written contract can set any rate of interest. Without one, the limit is 6% a year. South Carolina's supervised lender license covers only consumer loans, to individuals mainly for personal, family or household purposes, not business loans. A loan broker, anyone paid to arrange or help you get a loan, credit card or line of credit, may not take any fee before the loan closes, or mislead you. Banks, credit unions, consumer finance companies, attorneys, registered mortgage brokers and other licensed firms acting under their licenses are left out. There is no broker license: the Department of Consumer Affairs enforces the law, and can ask the Administrative Law Court to order refunds and fines of up to $5,000 for each violation. (South Carolina Code 37-10-106: maximum rate of interest (any rate by express written agreement); South Carolina Code 37-3-104, 37-3-501 and 37-3-502: consumer loan and supervised loan defined; license to make supervised loans; South Carolina Code 34-36-10 to 34-36-50: loan brokers (advance fees prohibited))
- Equipment loans and finance agreements: Outside consumer loans, a written contract can set any rate of interest. Without one, the limit is 6% a year. South Carolina's supervised lender license covers only consumer loans, to individuals mainly for personal, family or household purposes, not business loans. A loan broker, anyone paid to arrange or help you get a loan, credit card or line of credit, may not take any fee before the loan closes, or mislead you. Banks, credit unions, consumer finance companies, attorneys, registered mortgage brokers and other licensed firms acting under their licenses are left out. There is no broker license: the Department of Consumer Affairs enforces the law, and can ask the Administrative Law Court to order refunds and fines of up to $5,000 for each violation. (South Carolina Code 37-10-106: maximum rate of interest (any rate by express written agreement); South Carolina Code 37-3-104, 37-3-501 and 37-3-502: consumer loan and supervised loan defined; license to make supervised loans; South Carolina Code 34-36-10 to 34-36-50: loan brokers (advance fees prohibited))
- Online business loans: Outside consumer loans, a written contract can set any rate of interest. Without one, the limit is 6% a year. South Carolina's supervised lender license covers only consumer loans, to individuals mainly for personal, family or household purposes, not business loans. A loan broker, anyone paid to arrange or help you get a loan, credit card or line of credit, may not take any fee before the loan closes, or mislead you. Banks, credit unions, consumer finance companies, attorneys, registered mortgage brokers and other licensed firms acting under their licenses are left out. There is no broker license: the Department of Consumer Affairs enforces the law, and can ask the Administrative Law Court to order refunds and fines of up to $5,000 for each violation. (South Carolina Code 37-10-106: maximum rate of interest (any rate by express written agreement); South Carolina Code 37-3-104, 37-3-501 and 37-3-502: consumer loan and supervised loan defined; license to make supervised loans; South Carolina Code 34-36-10 to 34-36-50: loan brokers (advance fees prohibited))
Sources
- South Carolina Secretary of State: Business Entities, File and Search Online · checked November 1, 2026
- South Carolina Secretary of State: Searches (Business Entities Search) · checked November 1, 2026
- South Carolina Secretary of State: UCC File and Search Online · checked November 1, 2026
- South Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banking: home page (state-chartered banks, savings banks, savings and loan associations, credit unions and trust companies) · checked November 1, 2026
- South Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Consumer Finance: home page · checked November 1, 2026
- South Carolina Attorney General: Securities (Securities Division; check a registration) · checked October 20, 2026