LaunchPath

Flagship channel-state reference guide

Start DoorDash in South Carolina: full reference guide

Use this page when you want the complete dense version: all sections, all appendices, and the full official source directory in one scrollable reference surface.

Last verified: April 29, 2026 Reference mode Dense appendix

Built from reviewed public pages for South Carolina, IRS, FinCEN, Charleston, DoorDash. Use it as a first-pass guide, then verify the official links that match your setup.

How to use this page

Dense appendix modeFull source directory attachedLast verified April 29, 2026

This version favors completeness over pacing. Use it when you need the appendix, the dense source trail, or the full long-form reference in one place.

Best reading order

  1. Use the fast-answer and official-links sections first if you only need the main route and source trail.
  2. Open the entity, setup, tax, and local sections only where your exact launch path actually branches.
  3. Use the full source directory last as the appendix, not the starting point, unless you already know the exact agency task.
Fast answer appendix Official links first Full source directory
Back to the guided journey

Reference mode

Everything in one dense page

The guided journey is the easier starting point. This page keeps the full accordion guide and source appendix when you want the complete research-backed reference view.

Best when you need

  • The full section map in one scroll without the lighter journey framing.
  • The appendix and official-source directory preserved next to the answer sections.
  • A clearer audit trail before you print, compare, or cross-check another route.

Still better handled in the journey

  • First-pass reading when you want the shortest, safest beginner route.
  • Deciding what to do first before you need the full appendix.
  • Switching states or platforms quickly without reading the full dense version.
Reference map
Start here Fast answer If you want to open DoorDash in South Carolina, the current safest beginner lane is: Everyone 5 steps

If you want to open DoorDash in South Carolina, the current safest beginner lane is:

  1. Choose your setup: sole proprietorship vs single-member LLC.
  2. Get the South Carolina formation and self-employment baseline in place before launch instead of guessing a retail-license or seller-permit path.
  3. Decide whether you are staying in the simple statewide lane or whether the real operating base creates a sharper Charleston or CHS branch.
  4. Open and verify your DoorDash Dasher account, complete identity verification, and confirm the transportation mode and payout method that actually fit your plan.
  5. Launch only after payout, mileage and tax records, insurance reality, and any local or airport-property follow-up branch are understood.

Practical first-launch recommendation

For a first launch, the lowest-friction lane is still:

ordinary restaurant delivery,

one founder,

one account,

one transportation mode that already fits the market,

no airport-heavy plan on day one,

and no attempt to import retail, resale, or storefront logic into the ordinary courier baseline.

Avoid these first-launch mistakes

  • Assuming South Carolina needs a statewide seller-permit filing for the ordinary Dasher lane
  • Treating a Charleston home base like it is automatically the same as the simple statewide lane
  • Treating CHS rideshare pickup geometry as proof of DoorDash courier authorization

South Carolina-specific friction

Charleston is the sharper local branch because the city makes business-license, home-occupation, and occupancy questions concrete enough that a real city base should be closed directly rather than flattened into a statewide answer, and the official state retail-license pages separately warn that state retail licensing is not the same thing as local business licensing.

  • Charleston is the sharper local branch because the city makes business-license, home-occupation, and occupancy questions concrete enough that a real city base should be closed directly rather than flattened into a statewide answer, and the official state retail-license pages separately warn that state retail licensing is not the same thing as local business licensing.
  • CHS is a real property branch, but the airport-owned record currently closes geometry better than it closes a DoorDash courier-access answer.
  • The safest beginner reading is to treat both as expansion branches, not as day-one assumptions.
Back to top Next: Quick-start checklist
Checklist Quick-start checklist Use the research-backed checklist groups before you spend, before your first sale, and before launch goes live. Everyone 3 groups

Do these before you spend money

  • Pick your entity.
  • Pick your business base: ordinary statewide lane or a sharper Charleston / airport-property lane.
  • Stay in the lowest-friction first lane: ordinary restaurant delivery, not alcohol, Shop & Deliver, airport-heavy work, or DoorDash Tasks on day one.
  • Do not assume a retail license, seller permit, or resale certificate belongs in the ordinary Dasher lane unless a fresh official source clearly requires it.
  • Confirm the work is not blocked by lease terms, building rules, parking limits, or home-business restrictions.

Do these before your first paid delivery

  • Form the business or close the local public-name branch if needed.
  • Get an EIN from the IRS if applicable.
  • Open a dedicated business bank account.
  • Close the self-employment, tax-recordkeeping, and mileage-tracking baseline.
  • Review the Charleston branch before relying on a simple statewide answer if your real operating base is there.
  • Create your Dasher account, complete verification, and choose your payout setup.

Do these before launch goes live

  • Confirm the transportation mode actually works in your market.
  • Set up weekly payout and, if you want it, the optional Fast Pay or DoorDash Crimson branch.
  • Build a mileage, fees, and tax-recordkeeping routine from day one.
  • Treat airport-property work at CHS as a separate follow-up branch rather than a default beginner lane.
Back to top Next: Official links you will use first
Choose your setup Entity choice Compare the sole-proprietor and single-member LLC paths before banking, tax setup, and platform onboarding. Everyone 2 options

Sole proprietor

Best for: Best if you want the cheapest and simplest start.

What it means

Why someone chooses it

Main downside:

single-member LLC

Best for: Best if you want a cleaner long-term shell.

What it means

Why someone chooses it

Main downside:

Back to top Next: What to do in order
Main path What to do in order The full end-to-end setup path, kept in the same order as the researched guide. Everyone 14 steps

  1. Step 1: Choose a low-risk launch model

    Main guide step 1

    Start with:

    • ordinary restaurant delivery,
    • no alcohol,
    • no Shop & Deliver dependency,
    • no airport-heavy plan,
    • and no assumption that DoorDash Tasks exists or works the same way in your market.

  2. Step 2: Choose your name and public identity

    Main guide step 2

    You need to decide whether you are:

    Why it matters: Important:

    • operating under your own legal name,
    • using a local public-name branch,
    • or using an LLC name that may differ from the public-facing name.
    • Your Dasher profile does not replace legal registration details.
    • Keep the public-name branch separate from the legal formation branch.

  3. Step 3: Form the business

    Main guide step 3

    If you choose sole proprietor:

    Why it matters: If you choose single-member LLC:

    • stay under your legal name or close the local public-name branch first,
    • then keep that setup separate from DoorDash onboarding.
    • Check the South Carolina name record.
    • File Articles of Organization.
    • Get the EIN after the state filing is accepted.
    • Add the public-name branch later if the public-facing name differs.
    • Keep the lighter non-corporate LLC maintenance answer visible.

  4. Step 4: Get your EIN

    Main guide step 4

    Use the direct IRS path if applicable. Most LLCs need one. Many sole proprietors can technically operate without one if they have no employees, but it still makes banking and tax administration cleaner.

  5. Step 5: Open banking and bookkeeping

    Main guide step 5

    Do this right away:

    • open a business checking account,
    • keep platform income and expenses separate from personal money,
    • save every payout record, toll, parking charge, phone cost, hot-bag purchase, and support adjustment,
    • and start a mileage and tax file from day one.

  6. Step 6: Handle the South Carolina tax and self-employment baseline

    Main guide step 6

    This is where the ordinary DoorDash lane differs from a seller packet:

    • SCBOS and SCDOR both say a Retail License is for businesses making retail sales of taxable goods or specifically taxed services and that the retail-license branch is not the same thing as the local business-license branch,
    • the reviewed official South Carolina record still does not identify that retail-license branch as a default requirement for the ordinary solo Dasher lane described in this packet,
    • the clean baseline is self-employment tax, records, mileage, and estimated-tax planning where needed,
    • and any heavier direct-sales, storefront, inventory, or separately taxed-service branch should stay separate unless the facts actually change.

  7. Step 7: Check local permits, city rules, and home-business limits

    Main guide step 7

    Do this before operating:

    Why it matters: Current draft boundary:

    • check whether the business base is actually in Charleston,
    • check whether the address creates a local business-license, home-occupation, or certificate-of-occupancy branch,
    • and keep those city questions separate from CHS airport access.
    • Charleston says all businesses operating or generating income in the city need a business license,
    • the official SCBOS retail-license page also says that retail licenses are not the same thing as local business licenses, so city licensing and state retail-licensing should stay visibly separated in this packet,
    • a business without a physical location in Charleston still needs a city business license before doing business inside city limits,
    • a commercial location also needs a separate Certificate of Occupancy,
    • and any home occupation in city limits requires both a Home Occupation Application and a business license.

  8. Step 8: If you hire employees later, reopen the employer branch

    Main guide step 8

    If you do not hire anyone yet, skip this for now.

    Why it matters: If you hire: That employer branch is not the same thing as your own solo-Dasher setup.

    • reopen South Carolina withholding and unemployment branches,
    • reopen workers' compensation,
    • reopen the DEW liability test if wages reach $1,500 in a quarter or if the business has at least one employee during any 20 weeks in a calendar year,
    • and reopen Charleston local follow-up if the business base is in the city.

  9. Step 9: Create your Dasher account and clear verification

    Main guide step 9

    Use DoorDash's current public onboarding pages as the stable baseline:

    Why it matters: Current public DoorDash baseline rechecked on April 29, 2026:

    • the public signup page still says Dashers generally must be 18 or older,
    • the public safety record says prospective Dashers verify a valid government ID and complete a background-check branch,
    • weekly direct deposit remains the default public payout baseline,
    • Fast Pay remains the once-per-day optional transfer branch with a public $1.99 fee,
    • and DoorDash Crimson remains the no-fee instant-payout branch if you are approved and choose it.
    • Sign up to dash.
    • Upload the required identity information.
    • Complete the background-check and identity-verification branch.
    • Wait for approval.
    • Go live only after the account is active and payout is configured.

  10. Step 10: Choose the right delivery lane before you expand

    Main guide step 10

    For a beginner launch:

    • ordinary restaurant delivery first,
    • Shop & Deliver second,
    • alcohol later as a separate compliance branch,
    • airport-area work only after the base account is stable.

  11. Step 11: Treat airport-property work as a separate branch

    Main guide step 11

    CHS remains a retained airport-property branch for this packet.

    • The airport-owned ground-transportation page says rideshare pickup uses a covered shelter at Zones 1, 2, or 3, across both roadways and to the right of the last sidewalk.
    • That closes useful airport-property geometry, but it does not by itself publish a DoorDash courier-access rule.
    • Practical reading: use the airport-owned page to understand property boundaries and keep repeated CHS work separate from the ordinary statewide Dasher lane until the courier-specific answer is tighter.

  12. Step 12: Insurance reality check

    Main guide step 12

    Do not treat DoorDash's broad public safety pages as a substitute for confirming the current insurance wording and your own carrier's position.

    • Do not treat DoorDash's broad public safety pages as a substitute for confirming the current insurance wording and your own carrier's position.
    • South Carolina's reviewed startup and employer record is strong on formation and local branches, but it does not erase the need to confirm whether the actual vehicle and policy fit delivery use.
    • Re-check the live help flow before relying on one static help title or older screenshot for auto-insurance or occupational-accident posture.

  13. Step 13: Launch with a compliance-first operating routine

    Main guide step 13

    Once live, keep these habits:

    • reconcile payouts, fees, and reimbursements,
    • keep tax reserves separate,
    • monitor support adjustments and account-health issues,
    • and re-check Charleston and CHS branches before you scale into them.

  14. Step 14: Reopen the packet when the facts change

    Main guide step 14

    Reopen the legal, tax, and insurance stack if you change entity type, add employees, or switch the business address.

    • Reopen the legal, tax, and insurance stack if you change entity type, add employees, or switch the business address.
    • Reopen the local branch if the real operating base moves into Charleston.
    • Reopen the airport-property branch if the work starts depending on repeated CHS deliveries, staging, or parking.
    • Reopen the platform branch if you add Shop & Deliver, alcohol, or other non-ordinary delivery lanes.

Best practical order for the LLC launch path

  1. Decide whether you are truly staying in the ordinary solo Dasher lane.
  2. Choose the legal name and file the LLC if you want one.
  3. Add the public-name branch only if the public operating name differs from the legal LLC name.
  4. Get the EIN.
  5. Open the bank account.
  6. Organize mileage, parking, and tax tracking.
  7. Check whether the actual business base creates a sharper Charleston local branch.
  8. Build the Dasher account and complete verification.
  9. Confirm transportation-mode and insurance fit.
  10. Choose your payout setup.
  11. Add airport-property work near CHS only after the ordinary local lane is stable.
Back to top Next: South Carolina tax stack
State filing and tax South Carolina tax stack Keep the South Carolina registration, tax, and maintenance rules together while you launch. Everyone 7 checks

1. EIN

A typical single-member LLC should get an EIN early.

  • A typical single-member LLC should get an EIN early.
  • A sole proprietor may not always need one federally, but it is often practical anyway.

2. No default seller-permit branch for the ordinary Dasher lane

SCBOS says a Retail License is required before making sales of taxable goods and is not the same thing as a local business license.

  • SCBOS says a Retail License is required before making sales of taxable goods and is not the same thing as a local business license.
  • SCDOR says the Retail License branch applies to persons engaging in retail sales and to specifically taxed services under Sales and Use Tax.
  • The reviewed official South Carolina record still does not identify that retail-license branch as a default requirement for the ordinary DoorDash courier lane described in this packet.
  • Treat the founder baseline as self-employment, records, mileage, and estimated-tax planning where needed.

3. Keep public-name and entity-maintenance branches separate

A sole proprietor keeps local naming questions separate from tax posture.

  • A sole proprietor keeps local naming questions separate from tax posture.
  • An LLC keeps its lighter maintenance answer visible from formation.

4. single-member LLC tax-classification rule

South Carolina DOR says an LLC not taxed as a corporation is not subject to the corporate annual report and license fee branch.

  • South Carolina DOR says an LLC not taxed as a corporation is not subject to the corporate annual report and license fee branch.
  • If the LLC later becomes taxed as a corporation, reopen the CL-1 and corporate filing path instead of reusing the lighter default LLC answer.

5. Retail-license and local business-license separation

SCBOS says a state Retail License is not the same thing as a local business license.

  • SCBOS says a state Retail License is not the same thing as a local business license.
  • SCDOR keeps the Retail License branch tied to retail sales and specifically taxed services, not to the ordinary courier baseline used in this packet.

6. Local and airport branches stay conditional

Charleston local follow-up depends on the actual address facts.

  • Charleston local follow-up depends on the actual address facts.
  • CHS airport-property follow-up depends on whether the business truly relies on repeated airport-area operations.
  • Keep both separate from the ordinary statewide courier lane.

7. Reopen the stack if the model changes

If you change entity type, city base, service lane, or operating model, reopen the South Carolina tax analysis instead of assuming the beginner stack still fits.

  • If you change entity type, city base, service lane, or operating model, reopen the South Carolina tax analysis instead of assuming the beginner stack still fits.
Back to top Next: DoorDash account and operations
Platform setup DoorDash account and operations Use this section for the DoorDash-specific account, plan, eligibility, and operations work. Everyone 5 steps

  1. Step 9: Create your Dasher account and clear verification

    Platform step 1

    Use DoorDash's current public onboarding pages as the stable baseline:

    Why it matters: Current public DoorDash baseline rechecked on April 29, 2026:

    • the public signup page still says Dashers generally must be 18 or older,
    • the public safety record says prospective Dashers verify a valid government ID and complete a background-check branch,
    • weekly direct deposit remains the default public payout baseline,
    • Fast Pay remains the once-per-day optional transfer branch with a public $1.99 fee,
    • and DoorDash Crimson remains the no-fee instant-payout branch if you are approved and choose it.
    • Sign up to dash.
    • Upload the required identity information.
    • Complete the background-check and identity-verification branch.
    • Wait for approval.
    • Go live only after the account is active and payout is configured.

  2. Step 10: Choose the right delivery lane before you expand

    Platform step 2

    For a beginner launch:

    • ordinary restaurant delivery first,
    • Shop & Deliver second,
    • alcohol later as a separate compliance branch,
    • airport-area work only after the base account is stable.

  3. Step 11: Treat airport-property work as a separate branch

    Platform step 3

    CHS remains a retained airport-property branch for this packet.

    • The airport-owned ground-transportation page says rideshare pickup uses a covered shelter at Zones 1, 2, or 3, across both roadways and to the right of the last sidewalk.
    • That closes useful airport-property geometry, but it does not by itself publish a DoorDash courier-access rule.
    • Practical reading: use the airport-owned page to understand property boundaries and keep repeated CHS work separate from the ordinary statewide Dasher lane until the courier-specific answer is tighter.

  4. Step 12: Insurance reality check

    Platform step 4

    Do not treat DoorDash's broad public safety pages as a substitute for confirming the current insurance wording and your own carrier's position.

    • Do not treat DoorDash's broad public safety pages as a substitute for confirming the current insurance wording and your own carrier's position.
    • South Carolina's reviewed startup and employer record is strong on formation and local branches, but it does not erase the need to confirm whether the actual vehicle and policy fit delivery use.
    • Re-check the live help flow before relying on one static help title or older screenshot for auto-insurance or occupational-accident posture.

  5. Step 13: Launch with a compliance-first operating routine

    Platform step 5

    Once live, keep these habits:

    • reconcile payouts, fees, and reimbursements,
    • keep tax reserves separate,
    • monitor support adjustments and account-health issues,
    • and re-check Charleston and CHS branches before you scale into them.
Back to top Next: Local permits and Charleston branch
Local branch Local permits and Charleston branch These local and city checks can still change the answer even after the state and platform path is clear. Location-specific 2 branches

Local permits and location checks

South Carolina pushes many real-world licensing answers down to local city or county government.

  • South Carolina pushes many real-world licensing answers down to local city or county government.
  • For any place where the business will operate:
  • check local business-license, zoning, home-business, or occupancy questions tied to the actual address,
  • route a real Charleston operating address into the city appendix instead of treating it as the same thing as the statewide lane,
  • keep those city questions separate from the ordinary statewide courier lane,
  • keep airport-property access separate from city licensing,
  • reopen the CHS branch before relying on repeated airport-property deliveries, staging, or parking,
  • and reopen the analysis if the work starts looking more like repeated airport-property work, warehousing, or visible commercial operations at the residence.

Charleston Appendix

If the business operates in Charleston, add one more review layer.

  • If the business operates in Charleston, add one more review layer.
  • Charleston says all businesses operating or generating income in the city need a business license.
  • SCBOS separately warns that a state Retail License is not the same thing as a local business license, so do not collapse Charleston's city-license branch into the state sales-tax branch.
  • A business without a physical location in Charleston still needs a city business license before doing business in the city, with the annual fee tied to income collected inside the city during the previous year.
  • A commercial location also needs a separate Certificate of Occupancy.
  • A home occupation within city limits requires both a Home Occupation Application and a business license.
  • Treat that as a retained local branch, not as statewide certainty.
  • CHS airport-property work is a separate trust branch. The airport-owned page closes pickup geometry, but this packet does not treat that as proof of ordinary DoorDash courier authorization. Safe reading: keep CHS out of the day-one lane unless the courier-specific rule becomes clearer.
Back to top Next: Employees and insurance
Optional branch Employees and insurance Use this branch if you plan to hire or need the insurance follow-up that comes with scaling. Only if hiring or scaling 4 branches

1. Employer startup checklist

South Carolina Business One Stop keeps I-9, E-Verify, withholding, unemployment, workers' compensation, and poster requirements in one public checklist.

  • South Carolina Business One Stop keeps I-9, E-Verify, withholding, unemployment, workers' compensation, and poster requirements in one public checklist.

2. Withholding and unemployment

South Carolina says employers with employees earning wages in the state must register for withholding.

  • South Carolina says employers with employees earning wages in the state must register for withholding.
  • DEW says a for-profit business becomes liable for South Carolina unemployment-tax contributions if it pays $1,500 or more in wages in any calendar quarter or has at least one employee during any 20 weeks in a calendar year.

3. Workers' compensation

South Carolina says businesses that regularly employ 4 or more employees generally must maintain workers' compensation coverage, subject to stated exceptions.

  • South Carolina says businesses that regularly employ 4 or more employees generally must maintain workers' compensation coverage, subject to stated exceptions.
  • reopen workers' compensation,

4. Keep employer coverage separate from DoorDash safety language

DoorDash's public safety and insurance-help posture does not replace payroll, workers' compensation, or local employer obligations once staff are hired.

  • DoorDash's public safety and insurance-help posture does not replace payroll, workers' compensation, or local employer obligations once staff are hired.
Back to top Next: Ongoing compliance calendar
Stay compliant Ongoing compliance calendar Keep the recurring compliance checks and live-operating routine visible after launch. Everyone 3 groups

Before first dash

  • Finish entity or public-name setup.
  • Get the EIN if applicable.
  • Open the bank account.
  • Build the tax and mileage tracker.
  • Check the sharper city or airport-property branch if your facts point there.
  • Complete DoorDash verification and choose a payout method.

Monthly

  • Save payout records.
  • Reconcile fees and adjustments.
  • Review tax reserves.
  • Keep Charleston and CHS branches visible if the work starts drifting in that direction.

Annual and recurring

  • Renew city business-license or occupancy branches if your real facts trigger them.
  • Recheck the direct insurer answer when the policy renews or the vehicle changes.
  • Recheck live DoorDash signup, payout, safety, insurance, and tax-document pages on the action date before reuse.
Back to top Next: Common mistakes
Avoid these Common mistakes These are the repeated beginner errors called out in the research pack. Everyone 6 mistakes

Common Mistakes New Dashers Make

  • Assuming South Carolina needs a statewide seller-permit filing for the ordinary Dasher lane
  • Treating a Charleston home base like it is automatically the same as the simple statewide lane
  • Treating CHS rideshare pickup geometry as proof of DoorDash courier authorization
  • Treating the state Retail License branch and the Charleston city-license branch like they are the same requirement
  • Mixing personal and business money from day one
  • Choosing an airport-heavy plan before the ordinary local lane is stable

Practical first-launch recommendation

For a first launch, the lowest-friction lane is still:

ordinary restaurant delivery,

one founder,

one account,

one transportation mode that already fits the market,

no airport-heavy plan on day one,

and no attempt to import retail, resale, or storefront logic into the ordinary courier baseline.

Back to top Next: Full official source directory
Full appendix Full official source directory Every official source row from the research pack, kept in its full table structure. Everyone 37 rows

Source group

Statewide Start

South Carolina Business One Stop

State business portal

Form / portal Business One Stop
Fee None for the page
Timing First planning step
Who needs it Everyone

Official statewide startup hub for formation, taxes, and employer setup.

Open official link

South Carolina Secretary of State

Business filings portal

Form / portal Business Filings Online
Fee Varies by filing
Timing Before launch
Who needs it Filing entities

Official filing portal for entity work.

Open official link

South Carolina Department of Revenue

State tax hub

Form / portal Tax portal
Fee None for the page
Timing Early planning
Who needs it Founders checking whether any tax account is needed

Useful state boundary page, but this packet does not assume a day-one seller-permit answer for the ordinary DoorDash lane.

Open official link

Source group

Entity Choice and Formation

South Carolina Secretary of State

LLC formation filing

Form / portal Articles of Organization
Fee $110.00 plus possible SC.GOV service fee online
Timing At formation
Who needs it single-member LLC founders

Official filing path for South Carolina LLCs.

Open official link

South Carolina Department of Revenue

LLC maintenance boundary

Form / portal Corporate tax guidance
Fee Varies by tax classification
Timing During entity planning
Who needs it LLCs checking ongoing obligations

South Carolina DOR says an LLC not taxed as a corporation is not subject to the corporate annual report and license fee branch.

Open official link

Source group

Sole Proprietor and Public Name Branch

South Carolina Business One Stop

Sole proprietor baseline

Form / portal Startup guidance
Fee None for the page
Timing First setup step
Who needs it Sole proprietors

South Carolina keeps the ordinary sole-proprietor lane lighter than the entity-filing lane.

Open official link

South Carolina Secretary of State

DBA boundary

Form / portal General guidance boundary
Fee None for the page
Timing Early planning
Who needs it Sole proprietors and LLCs using another name

South Carolina does not register DBA names at the state level, so public-name branches stay local and fact-specific.

Open official link

Source group

Federal and State Tax Setup

IRS

EIN overview and online application

Form / portal EIN application
Fee Free
Timing Early in setup
Who needs it LLCs, employers, founders wanting an EIN

Use the direct IRS path only.

Open official link

IRS

Federal self-employment baseline

Form / portal Gig economy tax center
Fee None for the page
Timing Before first filing and ongoing
Who needs it Gig workers and self-employed founders

Good federal anchor for Schedule C, records, and estimated-tax planning.

Open official link

South Carolina Business One Stop

Sales-tax boundary page

Form / portal South Carolina Sales Tax
Fee None for the page
Timing During tax-boundary review
Who needs it Founders deciding whether they are actually selling goods at retail

SCBOS says any business that sells products in South Carolina must obtain a retail license from SCDOR. Use this as a direct-sales boundary source, not as proof that the ordinary DoorDash courier lane automatically needs retail licensing.

Open official link

South Carolina Business One Stop

Retail-license boundary page

Form / portal Retail License
Fee $50 if a retail license is actually required
Timing Before making retail sales of taxable goods
Who needs it Founders whose facts change into retail sales or other taxed sales activity

SCBOS says businesses must obtain a retail license before making sales of taxable goods and that the retail license is not the same thing as a local business license. Use this as the official boundary source, not as proof that the ordinary DoorDash courier lane automatically needs retail licensing.

Open official link

South Carolina Department of Revenue

SCDOR retail-license rule

Form / portal Licensing (Retail License)
Fee $50 non-refundable fee if the retail-license branch applies
Timing Before making retail sales or specifically taxed services
Who needs it Founders whose facts change into retail sales or other taxed sales activity

SCDOR says every person engaging in business as a retailer must obtain a retail license before making retail sales taxed under Sales and Use Tax, and that taxed services can also trigger the branch. Keep this separate from the ordinary non-retail DoorDash courier baseline used in this packet.

Open official link

South Carolina Department of Revenue

Business Tax Application

Form / portal MyDORWAY Business Tax Application
Fee Varies by tax account
Timing Before opening a tax account that the facts actually require
Who needs it Founders whose facts change into retail sales, withholding, or other tax-account branches

Official online application path for a retail license and other tax accounts. Keep it visible as the state tax-registration portal without importing it into the ordinary solo-Dasher lane unless the facts change.

Open official link

South Carolina Department of Revenue

State withholding and employer tax boundary

Form / portal Withholding tax
Fee Varies by employer facts
Timing At first hire
Who needs it Employers

Useful employer boundary page once wages begin.

Open official link

Source group

Federal Reporting

FinCEN

Federal reporting status

Form / portal Interim Final Rule Q&A
Fee None
Timing Check before filing
Who needs it Everyone forming an entity

As of April 29, 2026, domestic entities are exempt from BOI reporting under the public interim-final-rule guidance.

Open official link

Source group

Employees, Payroll, and Insurance

South Carolina Business One Stop

Employer startup checklist

Form / portal Employer startup guidance
Fee None for the page
Timing At first hire
Who needs it Employers

Keeps I-9, E-Verify, withholding, unemployment, workers' compensation, and poster requirements visible.

Open official link

South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce

Unemployment liability test

Form / portal UI tax guidance
Fee Contributions vary
Timing At first hire and ongoing
Who needs it Employers

DEW says a for-profit business becomes liable if it pays $1,500 or more in wages in a quarter or has at least one employee during any 20 weeks in a calendar year.

Open official link

South Carolina Workers' Compensation Commission

Workers' compensation threshold

Form / portal Employer FAQ guidance
Fee Premium-based or varies
Timing Before or at hiring
Who needs it Employers

South Carolina says businesses that regularly employ 4 or more employees generally must maintain workers' compensation coverage, subject to stated exceptions.

Open official link

Source group

Platform Setup

DoorDash

Public signup page

Form / portal Dasher signup flow
Fee No public signup fee identified
Timing Before launch
Who needs it All prospective Dashers

Public signup page checked on April 29, 2026 says Dashers generally must be 18 or older. Treat the live page as the same-day source before relying on screenshots.

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DoorDash

Getting-started guidance

Form / portal Getting Started with DoorDash as a New Dasher
Fee None for the page
Timing During onboarding
Who needs it New Dashers

Public page routes new Dashers to app videos, support, signup-status checks, and common setup issues.

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DoorDash

Identity verification and screening posture

Form / portal Public safety and identity article
Fee None for the page
Timing Before launch
Who needs it Prospective Dashers

DoorDash says prospective Dashers verify a valid government ID and complete a background-check branch using Social Security number details.

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DoorDash

Dasher pay overview

Form / portal Dasher Pay
Fee No monthly plan fee identified
Timing Before launch and ongoing
Who needs it Active Dashers

Current public pay page says Dashers can use weekly direct deposit, Fast Pay for a $1.99 fee per transfer, or DoorDash Crimson for no-fee instant payouts if approved.

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DoorDash

DoorDash Crimson payout account

Form / portal DoorDash Crimson
Fee No monthly account fee stated on the public page
Timing During setup and ongoing
Who needs it U.S. Dashers using Crimson

Current public page says approved Dashers can receive no-fee deposits after every dash and manage the account inside the Dasher app.

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DoorDash

DoorDash Crimson onboarding details

Form / portal Crimson onboarding article
Fee Transfer or optional feature fees vary
Timing During setup and ongoing
Who needs it Dashers comparing payout methods

Public April 8, 2026 article says Crimson can provide a virtual card, external-bank linking, direct-deposit features, and account-routing details inside the app. Keep payout-brand drift explicit because public pages still overlap with Fast Pay and older wording.

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DoorDash

Tax-document posture

Form / portal Public tax article
Fee None for the page
Timing Before tax season
Who needs it Dashers filing taxes

Public March 18, 2024 article still says Dashers are self-employed and DoorDash does not withhold taxes from delivery payments. Re-check live tax-help pages on the action date.

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Source group

Fulfillment, Logistics, and Delivery Operations

DoorDash

Local delivery work overview

Form / portal Driving Opportunities
Fee None for the page
Timing Before launch
Who needs it Prospective Dashers

Public page explains the flexible courier model and transport-mode options. Use it as the baseline ordinary restaurant-delivery lane instead of assuming grocery, alcohol, or Tasks are universal day-one features.

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DoorDash

First-dash onboarding

Form / portal What to Expect on a First Dash
Fee None for the page
Timing Before first dash
Who needs it New Dashers

Public article describes the basic accept, pick up, and drop off workflow and keeps the beginner lane centered on ordinary restaurant delivery.

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DoorDash

Shop & Deliver branch

Form / portal Shop & Deliver overview
Fee None for the page
Timing Optional later branch
Who needs it Dashers adding shopping orders

Public page says Shop & Deliver uses the Red Card and a different shop-pay-deliver workflow. Keep it as an expansion branch instead of the default beginner lane.

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DoorDash

Alcohol-delivery safety branch

Form / portal Public safety article
Fee None for the page
Timing Optional later branch
Who needs it Dashers accepting alcohol orders

DoorDash says alcohol orders can require in-app ID scanning and responsible-handoff steps. Treat this as a later compliance branch rather than a default launch assumption.

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DoorDash Help

Dasher support portal

Form / portal Support portal
Fee None for the page
Timing Ongoing
Who needs it Active Dashers

Use this when a live account issue, tax-document issue, insurance question, or payout issue cannot be solved from public pages.

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Source group

Insurance Checkpoint

DoorDash

Public safety and support layer

Form / portal Safety With DoorDash
Fee None for the page
Timing Before first dash and ongoing
Who needs it All Dashers

Public safety page describes in-app safety tools, SafeDash, and a 24/7 Trust and Safety line.

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DoorDash Help

Auto-insurance and occupational-accident help branch

Form / portal Support portal and help search
Fee None for the page
Timing Before first dash and at each renewal
Who needs it Car-based Dashers

Dedicated public help articles for auto insurance and occupational-accident coverage exist, but the exact public wording is not stable enough to treat it as a fully closed universal answer. Re-check the live help flow or in-app screens on the action date.

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Source group

Charleston And Airport Branch

City of Charleston

Charleston business-license page

Form / portal Business License Information
Fee Varies by gross income and rate class
Timing Before operating in the city
Who needs it Charleston businesses

Charleston says any business operating or generating income in the city needs a business license.

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City of Charleston

Charleston home-occupation page

Form / portal Home Occupation Application
Fee Varies
Timing Before operating from a home in the city
Who needs it Charleston home-based businesses

Charleston says any home occupation within city limits requires a home-occupation application and business license.

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City of Charleston

Charleston certificate-of-occupancy path

Form / portal CSS portal CO application
Fee Varies by permit path
Timing Before occupying a physical commercial location
Who needs it Businesses using commercial space in Charleston

Charleston says a business with a physical location in the city needs a separate Certificate of Occupancy application.

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South Carolina Business One Stop

Local-versus-state license separation

Form / portal Retail License guidance
Fee $50 if the retail-license branch applies
Timing During Charleston closeout
Who needs it Charleston businesses comparing city and state obligations

SCBOS says the retail license is not the same thing as the local business license. Use this row to keep Charleston's city-license branch separate from state sales-tax licensing.

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Charleston International Airport

Airport pickup geometry

Form / portal Ground Transportation
Fee None for the page
Timing Before relying on airport-heavy work
Who needs it Dashers using CHS

Official airport page says rideshare pickup uses a covered shelter at Zones 1, 2, or 3. Use it as airport geometry, not as a closed DoorDash courier rule.

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Source group

Retained Follow-Up

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