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South Carolina Payroll Tax and Registration Guide

To comply with South Carolina payroll tax regulations, employers must submit key information before Beyond can begin processing payroll:

  • South Carolina Employer Identification Number and applicable tax IDs
  • Tax rates, as assigned by state agencies based on your business type and history
  • Power of attorney and third-party access to allow Beyond to submit required filings and tax payments on your behalf
  • Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes for all employees

 

Providing complete and accurate information is essential. Without it, Beyond may not be able to file or pay your taxes correctly, and any resulting fees or penalties are the employer’s responsibility.

Simplify State Tax Registrations with Middesk

Need help getting set up with state agencies? Beyond partners with Middesk to make it easier to manage your business's state registrations and stay compliant, no matter where your employees are located.

With Middesk, you can:
• Register for required tax IDs and agency accounts quickly and securely
• Manage all your state accounts through a single, user-friendly platform
• Track compliance and government correspondence directly from your dashboard
• Complete “foreign qualification” steps with the Secretary of State for multi-state compliance

Explore what Middesk has to offer

Understand what you need to provide and what tax-related tasks Beyond takes care of for South Carolina employers

What Beyond Needs from You

All South Carolina Employers

Task

Purpose

Register with the South Carolina Department of Revenue

Allows your business to file and pay withholding taxes

Register with the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW)

Enables payment of state unemployment insurance

Provide Beyond with your South Carolina Withholding Tax Account Number and deposit frequency

Required to file and remit withholding taxes

Provide Beyond with your South Carolina Unemployment Account Number

Identifies your account with DEW

Provide Beyond with your South Carolina Unemployment (SUI) Tax Rate

Annual rate assigned by DEW

Submit SOC Codes for all employees

Required for unemployment filings

Provide your South Carolina Administrative Assessment Tax Rate

Supports the administration of the state’s UI program

What Beyond handles for South Carolina employers

Withholding Tax

  • Form WH-1601

    SC Withholding Tax Payment
    • Filed monthly or quarterly

  • Form WH-1605

    SC Withholding Quarterly Tax Return
    • Filed quarterly

  • Form WH-1606

    SC Withholding Fourth Quarter and Annual Reconciliation Return
    • Filed annually

  • WH-1612

    Transmittal Form for W-2s or 1099s
    • Filed annually

  • State W-2

    Wage and Tax Statement
    • Filed annually

Unemployment Insurance Tax

  • Form UC-B6

    Employer Quarterly Contribution Report
    • Due every quarter

  • UCE-120

    Employer Quarterly Wage Report
    • Due every quarter

Additional Reports

  • New Hire Report

    South Carolina Report of New Hires
    • Submitted as required

Where to Find Your Tax Account Info

Existing Employers in South Carolina:

If you’ve processed payroll in South Carolina before, you should already have the necessary account numbers and tax details:

  • Withholding Tax Account Number and Deposit Frequency: These are listed on correspondence from the South Carolina Department of Revenue
  • If you can’t locate your account details, call the SCDOR at (803) 896-1450
  • Unemployment Account Number and SUI Rate: Found on the annual Tax Rate Notice or Quarterly Wage Report issued by the DEW

 

New Employers in South Carolina:

You must register with both of the following agencies:

  • South Carolina Department of Revenue – to handle withholding taxes
  • South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) – to manage unemployment insurance contributions

 

You can register online via the MyDORWAY portal for withholding and the State Unemployment Insurance Tax System (SUITS) for unemployment. If needed, paper registration forms (e.g., UCE-151) are also available.

Withholding Tax Details

  • After registering, you will receive your Withholding Tax Account Number, Letter ID, and Deposit Frequency
  • These credentials are necessary for Beyond to handle filings and payments
  • If you employ individuals who work or live in South Carolina, or if you withhold South Carolina income tax,  you are required to register

Unemployment Tax Details

Updated January 1, 2025

  • Existing employers:
    • Your Unemployment ID is provided on the Tax Rate Notice or Wage Report
    • The SUI rate ranges from 0.06% to 5.40% based on experience
    • The 2025 wage base is $14,000
    • The rate excludes the Administrative Contingency Assessment (see below)

 

  • New employers:
    • Start with a default SUI rate of 0.41%
    • Registration is immediate upon completing the SUITS application
    • Paper form UCE-151 may be submitted by mail if you cannot register online

Administrative Contingency Assessment (DACA Rate)

  • South Carolina requires a separate DACA Rate of 0.06% for most employers
  • This rate supports the state’s Unemployment Insurance program
  • You can find the DACA rate in Box 3 of your annual Tax Rate Notice

SOC Code Requirements

South Carolina mandates a Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Code for every employee reported on your unemployment return. If this code is missing, your filing may be rejected.

To submit SOC Codes through Beyond:

  • Navigate to each employee’s tax settings
  • Under South Carolina withholding, select the appropriate SOC Code from the dropdown

 

To find SOC Codes and descriptions, visit South Carolina’s official website.

Have employees working in other states?

If your business operates across state lines or has remote team members based in different states, it’s essential to make sure the proper state paperwork is completed for each location. Beyond takes care of filing the necessary forms in every state where your employees are on payroll, helping you stay compliant no matter where your team works.

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