Guide
Ten real offices and organizations that Greenville owners can use for free advice, mentoring, research, licenses, and state registrations.
Starting or running a business in Greenville means dealing with several layers of government and a long list of support organizations. Some offer free one-on-one advice. Others are the offices you are required to register with. Knowing which is which saves time.
Every organization below was checked on its own website. We grouped them into help and advice first, then the licensing and registration offices you will deal with. For the order in which to tackle the filings, see our guide to starting a business in Greenville, SC.
How we chose:
The South Carolina Small Business Development Centers offer free, confidential consulting, low-cost seminars, and links to resources for people starting or growing a business. The Greenville Area office is part of the Clemson Region and sits at 225 S. Pleasantburg Drive.
Use it for: a business plan review, financing preparation, cash flow questions, or a second opinion before a big decision.
SCORE is a nonprofit network of volunteer business mentors supported by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The Piedmont chapter serves the Upstate, including Greenville, with free mentoring and workshops on business plans, marketing, finances, and market research.
Use it for: an ongoing mentor relationship with someone who has run a business, rather than a one-time consultation.
The library's Business & Money section lists business research tools, including AtoZdatabases for business and household data, Business Source Premier, Gale Business: Entrepreneurship, Candid for nonprofit funding research, and LinkedIn Learning courses. Some resources are in-library only.
The library also has a small business development page listing classes and consultations offered with the SC SBDC Greenville Area office.
Use it for: market research, finding competitors and prospects, and free training.
The Greenville Chamber is a membership business and economic development organization that advocates for local businesses, hosts networking events, and maintains a searchable business directory. Its site also promotes the South Carolina Business Accelerator for high-potential entrepreneurs and publishes a legislative report.
Use it for: building local relationships, visibility, and staying informed on local policy that affects business.
NextGEN supports high-growth, high-potential entrepreneurs in Greenville and across the Upstate. Its programs include workshops, office hours, roundtables, pitch coaching, growth labs, and a Venture Mentor Service, plus community events such as Startup Drinks and the NEXT Venture Summit.
Use it for: scalable startups, especially founders who expect to raise outside investment.
Businesses operating within the City of Greenville get their business license through the city's Business License Center, which posts applications, instructions, and frequently asked questions on its site.
Use it for: your city business license if you are inside city limits. Our South Carolina business license guide explains how city and county requirements differ.
Greenville County runs a Business Registration Program for businesses located in the unincorporated area of the county that hold a license, permit, or registration from a South Carolina state agency. The county says there is no fee, the application is one page, and registrations are due before 31 December each year. Each business location is registered separately.
Use it for: businesses outside city limits, including many home-based businesses.
The Secretary of State's office accepts filings for corporations, nonprofit corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, and limited liability partnerships, and lets you search existing entities and registered agents online. Sole proprietorships and general partnerships do not file there. Its Charities Division handles registration for charitable organizations that solicit donations.
Use it for: forming an LLC or corporation, checking whether a name is taken, and ordering certificates. See our business entity guide before you file.
SCDOR is where you register a business for state taxes such as sales tax and withholding, and where you file and pay them through the MyDORWAY portal. The site also has help for responding to an SCDOR notice or letter.
The state's South Carolina Business One Stop site has a Business Wizard that lists the licenses, permits, and taxes that may apply to your type of business, which is a useful checklist before you register.
Use it for: sales tax and withholding registration, filing, and notices. Our SC sales tax guide covers the basics.
DEW handles state unemployment insurance for employers, including how to pay unemployment tax through its SUITS employer tax system, and offers help finding qualified workers and information on tax credits through SC Works.
Use it for: registering as an employer for unemployment insurance once you hire, and recruiting help. Our South Carolina payroll tax guide shows where DEW fits in.
The organizations above give advice and process registrations, but they do not keep your books or prepare your returns. Elite Pro-Tax, based in Easley and serving Greenville clients in person and virtually, handles business formation, bookkeeping, payroll, and business tax returns. See our Greenville location page for details.
Greenville County runs a Business Registration Program for businesses in the unincorporated area that hold a license, permit, or registration from a South Carolina state agency. The county says there is no fee and registration is due before 31 December each year. Businesses inside a city get their license from that city instead. Our SC business license guide has more detail.
The SC SBDC says its one-on-one consulting is free, with low-cost seminars. SCORE describes its mentoring as free, provided by volunteers and supported by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Some workshops from either group may carry a small fee, so check the event listing.
It depends on the business. An LLC or corporation files with the Secretary of State. Most businesses selling taxable goods register with SCDOR for sales tax, and employers register with SCDOR for withholding and with DEW for unemployment insurance. The SC Business One Stop Business Wizard can help you build a list for your business type.
SCDOR's website has a section for getting help with a notice or letter. If the letter involves a balance you cannot pay or a dispute, read our article on SCDOR tax issues. Elite Pro-Tax gathers documents and coordinates, and representation before SCDOR is handled by an independent licensed CPA it partners with.
Not the question you had? The full tax FAQ covers more ground, and our client reviews say what the work is actually like.
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