LaunchPath

Flagship channel-state reference guide

Start Facebook Marketplace 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, Columbia, Facebook Marketplace. 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 Facebook Marketplace in South Carolina, you usually need to do five things in order: Everyone 2 steps

If you want to open Facebook Marketplace in South Carolina, you usually need to do five things in order:

  1. Choose your setup: sole proprietorship vs single-member LLC.
  2. Decide which Facebook Marketplace branch you are actually using:

Practical first-launch recommendation

If you are testing casually with minimal risk, sole proprietor can work.

If you intend to build a real resale business with repeat listings, stored inventory, or ongoing shipping activity, single-member LLC is usually the better long-term path in South Carolina.

If your account is eligible for shipping and checkout on Facebook, that is the strongest public-source fit for a South Carolina marketplace-only beginner lane. If you plan local meetup, cash, or other off-platform payment, treat that branch as direct selling and resolve the South Carolina retail-license and local business-license analysis before launch.

Avoid these first-launch mistakes

  • Assuming South Carolina marketplace-only relief also answers the retail-license and ST-8A resale questions for every fact pattern
  • Storing inventory or planning regular meetups in Columbia without clearing the city business-license and home-occupation rules first
  • Treating every Facebook Marketplace sale like a marketplace-facilitated transaction

South Carolina-specific friction

South Carolina marketplace-only relief does not automatically answer the retail-license, ST-8A, local business-license, or business-personal-property branches once direct sales or separate sourcing facts appear.

  • South Carolina marketplace-only relief does not automatically answer the retail-license, ST-8A, local business-license, or business-personal-property branches once direct sales or separate sourcing facts appear.
  • If the business is in Columbia, the city business-license, zoning, home-occupation, occupancy, and renewal branches can matter before the first listing is ever live.
  • South Carolina still pushes many naming and operating-permit questions to local offices even though there is no state-level DBA filing.

Facebook Marketplace-specific friction

Facebook Marketplace is not one stable business-seller program in the public record. It still mixes consumer local sales, feature-gated shipping flows, and help pages that are partly account-specific.

  • Facebook Marketplace is not one stable business-seller program in the public record. It still mixes consumer local sales, feature-gated shipping flows, and help pages that are partly account-specific.
  • Marketplace access runs through the seller's main Facebook profile and can be restricted.
  • Public Meta help still says Marketplace is intended for consumers and says businesses that list there may be blocked or have listings removed.
  • Shipping, checkout, seller verification, payout setup, protection, and listing limits should be treated as live account and action-date questions rather than permanent certainties.

Insurance reality

Physical-product sellers should think about general liability and product liability coverage early, but no public Facebook Marketplace seller-wide liability-insurance threshold or universal insurance mandate was identified in the reviewed official public sources on April 29, 2026.

  • Physical-product sellers should think about general liability and product liability coverage early, but no public Facebook Marketplace seller-wide liability-insurance threshold or universal insurance mandate was identified in the reviewed official public sources on April 29, 2026.
  • Separate carrier, landlord, warehouse, payment, or commercial-lease requirements can still create insurance obligations even if Facebook Marketplace itself does not publish a universal threshold.
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 name.
  • Decide whether you are using Facebook Marketplace only for local direct/message-based deals or whether you are relying on shipping and checkout if it is actually available.
  • Stay in low-risk general merchandise.
  • Avoid services, regulated goods, recalled products, medical or healthcare items, animals, counterfeit-heavy goods, and high-risk categories for the first launch.
  • Make sure you can document sourcing and item condition.
  • Do not assume every Facebook Marketplace account has the same shipping, checkout, payout, or business-use options.

Do these before your first sale

  • Finish the entity or local name branch that matches the real setup.
  • Get the EIN if applicable.
  • Open a dedicated business bank account.
  • Register through MyDORWAY only if the South Carolina retail-license branch is actually live for your facts, and print ST-8A only if the licensing facts support resale treatment.
  • Check county and city business-license issues, including the Columbia branch if applicable.
  • Confirm you can access Marketplace from your main Facebook profile and that the account is in good standing.

Do these before launch goes live

  • Build the first listing accurately and keep the description, condition, meetup, delivery, or shipping method realistic.
  • Keep local direct and shipping and checkout records separate if you use both.
  • Start with one or two low-risk listings so a tax, policy, or safety mistake does not scale.
  • Re-check any live Facebook Marketplace shipping, checkout, payout, protection, or tax-info screens you actually use that day.
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

  • South Carolina Business One Stop says sole proprietors are not required to register with the South Carolina Secretary of State.
  • South Carolina does not register DBA or assumed names at the state level.
  • Business income generally runs through your personal federal return unless the facts later change.
  • You usually do not get a liability shield.

Why someone chooses it

  • Faster launch
  • Lower up-front cost
  • Fewer entity-maintenance steps

Main downside: Personal liability

single-member LLC

Best for: Best if you want a more durable setup for a real business.

What it means

  • South Carolina LLC formation uses Articles of Organization.
  • The official downloadable paper form is F0006.
  • The reviewed filing system showed a base filing fee of $110.00, and the reviewed online filing example also displayed a separate SC.GOV service fee of $15.00.
  • South Carolina DOR corporate guidance says an LLC not taxed as a corporation is not subject to the corporate annual report and license fee.

Why someone chooses it

  • Liability protection
  • Cleaner setup for banking, vendors, bookkeeping, and scaling
  • Better fit for inventory, meetups, shipping records, and later hiring

Main downside: Higher setup friction than a sole proprietorship

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

    For a first launch, stay inside the safest lane:

    Why it matters: Practical rule: If the item touches health, safety, children, regulated chemicals, dangerous goods, recalled products, or heavy counterfeit risk, slow down and do category-specific compliance research before buying stock or publishing a listing. Facebook Marketplace product rule:

    • general merchandise
    • clearly described physical goods
    • low-breakage items you can photograph and inspect yourself
    • no high-risk categories from services, animals, healthcare products, recalled products, food, supplements, cosmetics, medical claims, batteries-heavy hazmat, alcohol, children's products
    • Public Marketplace help says listings must be physical products for sale.
    • Services are not allowed on Marketplace.

  2. Step 2: Decide which Facebook Marketplace branch you are actually using

    Main guide step 2

    This is the first major platform-specific decision.

    • Branch A: local direct or other clearly direct sales: Use this branch if:
    • Branch A: local direct or other clearly direct sales: the buyer messages you on Marketplace,
    • Branch A: local direct or other clearly direct sales: you arrange pickup, door drop-off, public meetup, or another direct handoff,
    • Branch A: local direct or other clearly direct sales: and Facebook is not actually processing checkout for that sale
    • Branch A: local direct or other clearly direct sales: What the public Meta pages support:
    • Branch A: local direct or other clearly direct sales: Public help says local buyers can message the seller to arrange a sale.
    • Branch A: local direct or other clearly direct sales: Public safety guidance says local transactions are between the buyer and seller and should be handled carefully in person.
    • Branch A: local direct or other clearly direct sales: Practical South Carolina result:
    • Branch A: local direct or other clearly direct sales: Do not treat this branch like marketplace-facilitator relief.
    • Branch A: local direct or other clearly direct sales: This is the cleaner direct sale branch for South Carolina retail-license, local business-license, and recordkeeping analysis.
    • Branch B: shipping and checkout on Facebook if the feature is actually available: Use this branch only if:
    • Branch B: shipping and checkout on Facebook if the feature is actually available: the seller can actually offer shipping and checkout,
    • Branch B: shipping and checkout on Facebook if the feature is actually available: Facebook is really processing or facilitating payment for the sale,
    • Branch B: shipping and checkout on Facebook if the feature is actually available: and the item is sold through that onsite flow
    • Branch B: shipping and checkout on Facebook if the feature is actually available: What the public Meta pages support:
    • Branch B: shipping and checkout on Facebook if the feature is actually available: Public help says shipping and creating prepaid labels are not available to all users.
    • Branch B: shipping and checkout on Facebook if the feature is actually available: Public help says that when an eligible seller uses shipping and checkout, the buyer pays securely on Facebook and the seller ships directly to the buyer.
    • Branch B: shipping and checkout on Facebook if the feature is actually available: Public help for shipped selling also says identity verification and tax information may be required.
    • Branch B: shipping and checkout on Facebook if the feature is actually available: Practical South Carolina result:
    • Branch B: shipping and checkout on Facebook if the feature is actually available: This is the strongest fit for South Carolina marketplace-facilitator relief if all sales really stay inside that lane.
    • Branch B: shipping and checkout on Facebook if the feature is actually available: Keep it separate from direct local deals because payout, protection, performance, and tax-registration facts differ.

  3. Step 3: Choose your name and brand approach

    Main guide step 3

    You need to decide whether you are:

    Why it matters: Important:

    • operating under your own legal name,
    • using a trade name, assumed name, or other public-name branch,
    • reselling existing brands,
    • creating your own brand,
    • or just using Facebook Marketplace as a lead channel for local sales
    • Your listing name and profile do not replace the legal entity, tax, or bank records behind the business.
    • Marketplace selling does not replace state registration, local permits, or your recordkeeping duties.
    • If you resell branded goods, keep invoices and authenticity records from day one.
    • Public Meta help still frames Marketplace as a consumer-oriented surface and says businesses that list there may be blocked or have listings removed, so keep a backup channel plan if the business depends heavily on online resale.

  4. Step 4: Form the business

    Main guide step 4

    If you choose sole proprietor: If you sell under your legal name, South Carolina Business One Stop says you are not required to register with the Secretary of State.

    • If you choose sole proprietor: If you sell under your legal name, South Carolina Business One Stop says you are not required to register with the Secretary of State.
    • If you choose sole proprietor: If you want to use a trade name, South Carolina does not register DBAs at the state level, so start with the local municipality or county where you will operate.
    • If you choose sole proprietor: Still handle South Carolina tax registration and local licensing separately.
    • If you choose single-member LLC: Do this in order:
    • If you choose single-member LLC: Check South Carolina name availability and distinguishability before filing.
    • If you choose single-member LLC: File Articles of Organization (F0006) with the South Carolina Secretary of State.
    • If you choose single-member LLC: Keep internal operating records right away.
    • If you choose single-member LLC: If the LLC will use a different public-facing name, start with the local municipality or county and then keep the name usage consistent in tax, bank, and Facebook Marketplace records.

  5. Step 5: Get your EIN

    Main guide step 5

    Use the IRS EIN application if applicable. For most LLCs this is part of the normal setup. For many sole proprietors it is optional but still useful for banking, supplier paperwork, Facebook Marketplace tax-info screens, and privacy.

  6. Step 6: Open banking and bookkeeping

    Main guide step 6

    Do this right away:

    • Open a business checking account.
    • Keep business money separate from personal money.
    • Save every invoice, message-based sale record, meetup note, shipping receipt, refund record, and tax record.
    • Build a sourcing folder, a Facebook Marketplace folder, and a tax folder from day one.

  7. Step 7: Resolve the South Carolina retail-license, marketplace-facilitator, resale, and local business-license branch

    Main guide step 7

    This is the most important state-law split in the pack.

    Why it matters: What South Carolina clearly says: What that means for Facebook Marketplace: Practical conservative rule: If you are not staying entirely inside shipping and checkout on Facebook, do not assume you can skip the South Carolina retail-license analysis. South Carolina resale branch:

    • South Carolina Business One Stop says that if all of your sales are through a marketplace facilitator, then you are not the retailer and would not be required to obtain a retail license or collect sales tax on those sales.
    • South Carolina DOR marketplace guidance says a marketplace facilitator is the retailer responsible for collecting and remitting sales and use tax on sales made through the facilitator's marketplace.
    • The same state guidance says that if the third party seller also sells through its own website or retail store, the third party seller is required to obtain a retail license and remit tax on those direct sales.
    • South Carolina Business One Stop also says your local business license is not the same as your South Carolina retail license, and you typically need both where the local jurisdiction requires licensing.
    • If every retail sale will be completed through shipping and checkout on Facebook, and you stay inside that facilitated lane, this is the strongest public-source fit for South Carolina's marketplace-only relief.
    • If you plan local meetup, local pickup, cash, Venmo, Zelle, wire transfer, or other off-platform payment, the public Meta record checked on April 29, 2026 does not clearly prove that Facebook, not you, is the South Carolina retailer for that branch.
    • If you also sell through your own site, invoice directly, or otherwise make direct sales, South Carolina's public guidance points you into the retail-license branch.
    • South Carolina identifies ST-8A as the resale certificate for licensed retail merchants buying tangible personal property for resale, lease, or rental.
    • If your facts look like local meetup, direct sales, or mixed-channel selling instead of a clean marketplace-only shipped-checkout lane, settle the South Carolina registration branch first instead of casually using resale treatment.

  8. Step 8: Check local permits, zoning, business-license, and home-business limits

    Main guide step 8

    South Carolina does not use one single local-business form for every city or county.

    Why it matters: Do this before operating: For Columbia specifically:

    • check the state routing pages for local licensing,
    • contact the county or municipality where you will operate,
    • check local zoning or planning offices if the business will use a home address,
    • ask whether inventory storage, commercial deliveries, signage, or home pickup changes the approval path,
    • and keep the local business-license branch separate from the South Carolina retail-license answer
    • Columbia's business-licensing page says every person engaged or intending to engage in business in whole or in part within the city must obtain a business license,
    • Columbia's application materials say licenses expire yearly on April 30,
    • Columbia's home-occupation standards say the use must remain incidental and subordinate to the dwelling, avoid outdoor storage, and avoid delivery or traffic patterns greater than normal for the neighborhood,
    • and Columbia's planning and development materials say a physical commercial site can require a Certificate of Occupancy, so licensing is not the only local gate.

  9. Step 9: Create your Facebook Marketplace account and listing workflow

    Main guide step 9

    Have these ready:

    Why it matters: What the public pages say: What that means in practice:

    • government-issued ID
    • main Facebook profile in good standing
    • phone number
    • email address
    • bank account information if you are using shipped checkout and payouts
    • tax information if you are using shipped checkout and Facebook asks for it
    • Marketplace access is for adults with active Facebook accounts and uses the seller's main profile rather than an additional profile.
    • Access can be restricted for new, inactive, or policy-violating accounts.
    • Public Meta help also says Marketplace is intended for consumers and that businesses that list on Marketplace may be blocked or have listings removed.
    • Do not assume a normal South Carolina business can rely on Facebook Marketplace the same way it could rely on a conventional business-seller marketplace.
    • Treat account standing and feature availability as a live operational risk, not a one-time setup item.

  10. Step 10: Choose the right platform plan

    Main guide step 10

    Local or message-based sales: No public universal listing fee was identified for ordinary local-only listings.

    • Local or message-based sales: No public universal listing fee was identified for ordinary local-only listings.
    • Local or message-based sales: Local payment is generally arranged between buyer and seller, often through cash or person-to-person payment methods.
    • Local or message-based sales: This branch does not use the Meta payout stack described in shipping-help pages.
    • Shipped orders with checkout on Facebook: Public Meta merchant-policy pages reviewed on April 29, 2026 say Individual Sellers using onsite checkout are charged a 5% selling fee per transaction with a minimum fee of $0.40.
    • Shipped orders with checkout on Facebook: The public policy wording says the fee is calculated on the full transaction amount including item price, shipping fees, and applicable taxes.
    • Shipped orders with checkout on Facebook: Public help pages show a feature-gated payout stack and reference both PayPal and bank-account update help pages.
    • Shipped orders with checkout on Facebook: Safe practical takeaway:
    • Shipped orders with checkout on Facebook: Keep payout guidance provider-agnostic.
    • Shipped orders with checkout on Facebook: Treat local sales and shipped-checkout payouts as different branches.
    • Shipped orders with checkout on Facebook: Re-check the actual account flow on the day you use it.

  11. Step 11: Decide whether brand or authenticity records belong in the initial launch

    Main guide step 11

    Facebook Marketplace does not offer a clean public brand-registry-style program for ordinary sellers in the reviewed public record.

    • Facebook Marketplace does not offer a clean public brand-registry-style program for ordinary sellers in the reviewed public record.
    • What matters first is authenticity, ownership rights, and clean sourcing records.
    • If you are reselling branded goods, keep invoices, receipts, and condition records from day one.
    • If you are building your own brand, trademark planning can still matter, but Facebook Marketplace is usually better treated as a resale or lead-generation surface than as the primary long-term brand system.

  12. Step 12: Decide whether you will ship, meet locally, or both

    Main guide step 12

    Option 1: Local meetup, pickup, or drop-off: Best if you want the simplest first launch and do not need onsite checkout.

    • Option 1: Local meetup, pickup, or drop-off: Best if you want the simplest first launch and do not need onsite checkout.
    • Option 1: Local meetup, pickup, or drop-off: What you need:
    • Option 1: Local meetup, pickup, or drop-off: a realistic meetup or handoff plan
    • Option 1: Local meetup, pickup, or drop-off: clear listing descriptions and condition disclosures
    • Option 1: Local meetup, pickup, or drop-off: safe public meeting habits
    • Option 1: Local meetup, pickup, or drop-off: records showing what was sold, when, for how much, and how payment happened
    • Option 1: Local meetup, pickup, or drop-off: Important:
    • Option 1: Local meetup, pickup, or drop-off: Local transactions are the clearest direct sale branch.
    • Option 1: Local meetup, pickup, or drop-off: They do not get flattened into Facebook-protected or marketplace-facilitated transactions just because the listing started on Marketplace.
    • Option 2: Seller-managed shipping with checkout on Facebook if available: Best if:
    • Option 2: Seller-managed shipping with checkout on Facebook if available: the account is actually eligible,
    • Option 2: Seller-managed shipping with checkout on Facebook if available: the item qualifies,
    • Option 2: Seller-managed shipping with checkout on Facebook if available: and you want Facebook-facilitated checkout rather than a pure local deal
    • Option 2: Seller-managed shipping with checkout on Facebook if available: What the public record says:
    • Option 2: Seller-managed shipping with checkout on Facebook if available: Shipping is not available to all users.
    • Option 2: Seller-managed shipping with checkout on Facebook if available: Shipping performance includes Cancellation Rate and Missed Handling Rate.
    • Option 2: Seller-managed shipping with checkout on Facebook if available: Public help says cancellation rate should stay below 10%.
    • Option 2: Seller-managed shipping with checkout on Facebook if available: Public Meta merchant-policy pages say an individual-seller order that is not fulfilled within 3 business days from purchase may be automatically canceled by Meta.
    • Option 2: Seller-managed shipping with checkout on Facebook if available: Public help and policy pages also keep seller protection narrower than many sellers assume.
    • Option 2: Seller-managed shipping with checkout on Facebook if available: Practical beginner recommendation:
    • Option 2: Seller-managed shipping with checkout on Facebook if available: Start with one or two low-risk local or seller-managed listings and keep the operational model simple. Expand into shipped checkout only if the account actually supports it and the first live flow matches the public Meta rules you reviewed that day.

  13. Step 13: Confirm product, condition, and category eligibility before scaling

    Main guide step 13

    Before you scale, confirm four different things:

    Why it matters: Important Facebook Marketplace public rules:

    • Listings must be physical products for sale.
    • Services are not allowed.
    • Animals, medical and healthcare products, recalled products, and other noncompliant items are not allowed.
    • Buyers and sellers are also responsible for complying with applicable laws and regulations.
    • the item is lawful in South Carolina
    • the item is lawful in Columbia if local rules matter
    • the item is allowed by Facebook Marketplace, Meta Commerce Policies, and Community Standards
    • the item is described and priced in a way that will not trigger policy or scam concerns

  14. Step 14: Launch with a compliance-first operating routine

    Main guide step 14

    Once live, keep these habits:

    • separate local direct records from any shipping and checkout records
    • reconcile proceeds, refunds, fees, and tax reports
    • keep invoices and supplier records
    • keep tax reserves separate
    • avoid mixing personal and business spending
    • review listing accuracy and reported issues early

Best practical order for the LLC launch path

  1. Choose the selling lane first: local direct sale versus shipping and checkout on Facebook if eligible.
  2. Choose the product lane.
  3. Choose the entity name and public-facing brand approach.
  4. Get the EIN early.
  5. File the South Carolina LLC formation step if using an LLC.
  6. Resolve the South Carolina marketplace-facilitator, retail-license, and resale branches through MyDORWAY before you rely on any one shortcut answer.
  7. Resolve the local business-license branch against the actual operating address.
  8. Open the bank account and bookkeeping lane.
  9. Keep the business-personal-property branch visible if the business holds taxable property.
  10. Check city or county permits, zoning, occupancy, and storage rules.
  11. If the business is in Columbia, clear the city business-license, home-occupation, and certificate-of-occupancy branch.
  12. Build the Facebook Marketplace seller flow only after the legal, tax, and bank records line up, then start small inside one clean sales lane.
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 single-member LLC generally needs one.

  • A single-member LLC generally needs one.
  • A sole proprietor may not always need one federally, but it is often the cleaner operating choice for Facebook Marketplace, banking, and supplier paperwork.

2. South Carolina sales tax, seller permit, or equivalent registration

South Carolina uses the Business Tax Application on MyDORWAY for the ordinary retail-license path.

  • South Carolina uses the Business Tax Application on MyDORWAY for the ordinary retail-license path.
  • The South Carolina Retail License fee is $50 and is non-refundable.
  • South Carolina says these licenses do not expire, but you must update the license if the business location changes.
  • A Facebook Marketplace seller that truly stays inside marketplace-only shipped-checkout sales should keep that relief explicit instead of assuming every fact pattern needs or avoids a retail license.

3. Marketplace or platform tax rule

South Carolina's marketplace guidance says a marketplace facilitator is the retailer responsible for collecting and remitting sales and use tax on sales made through the facilitator's marketplace.

  • South Carolina's marketplace guidance says a marketplace facilitator is the retailer responsible for collecting and remitting sales and use tax on sales made through the facilitator's marketplace.
  • The same guidance says that if the third party sells through its own website or retail store in addition to marketplace-facilitator sales, the third party is required to obtain a retail license and remit tax on those direct sales.
  • For Facebook Marketplace, the strongest public-source fit for marketplace-only relief is the shipping and checkout on Facebook branch if the seller really stays inside it.
  • If the seller instead uses local meetup, local pickup, cash, or off-platform payment, this pack keeps that branch separate because the public Meta record checked on April 29, 2026 does not clearly prove that Facebook is the South Carolina retailer for that fact pattern.
  • A Facebook Marketplace seller that later adds direct or off-platform sales should re-check the South Carolina filing posture before relying on the marketplace-only answer.

4. Resale purchases or exempt purchasing

Practical rule:

  • South Carolina identifies ST-8A as the resale certificate for licensed retail merchants buying tangible personal property for resale, lease, or rental.
  • If a supplier asks for resale documentation, re-check the current ST-8A instructions and your licensing status before handing over a resale certificate.
  • Do not assume a marketplace-only seller's resale-document logic applies automatically to a seller who later takes on direct sales or separate state licensing.

5. Entity tax treatment

The reviewed public South Carolina sources did not identify a separate South Carolina entity income-tax return for a default single-member LLC simply because it exists.

  • The reviewed public South Carolina sources did not identify a separate South Carolina entity income-tax return for a default single-member LLC simply because it exists.
  • South Carolina DOR corporate guidance instead turns on whether the LLC is taxed as a corporation.
  • If the founder changes federal tax elections, refresh the South Carolina tax branch before filing.

6. Entity filing-fee or recurring state-maintenance rule

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

  • South Carolina DOR corporate guidance says an LLC not taxed as a corporation is not subject to the corporate annual report and license fee.
  • If the LLC is taxed as a corporation, that corporate branch becomes live.
  • Separate from that, South Carolina may still impose business personal property tax based on the business's classification and property facts.

7. If the founder changes entity type later

Treat a structure change as a fresh compliance event.

  • Treat a structure change as a fresh compliance event.
  • Re-check EIN rules, state tax registrations, banking records, supplier files, and Facebook Marketplace account details before assuming the old setup carries over cleanly.
Back to top Next: Facebook Marketplace account and operations
Platform setup Facebook Marketplace account and operations Use this section for the Facebook Marketplace-specific account, plan, eligibility, and operations work. Everyone 5 steps

  1. Step 9: Create your Facebook Marketplace account and listing workflow

    Platform step 1

    Have these ready:

    Why it matters: What the public pages say: What that means in practice:

    • government-issued ID
    • main Facebook profile in good standing
    • phone number
    • email address
    • bank account information if you are using shipped checkout and payouts
    • tax information if you are using shipped checkout and Facebook asks for it
    • Marketplace access is for adults with active Facebook accounts and uses the seller's main profile rather than an additional profile.
    • Access can be restricted for new, inactive, or policy-violating accounts.
    • Public Meta help also says Marketplace is intended for consumers and that businesses that list on Marketplace may be blocked or have listings removed.
    • Do not assume a normal South Carolina business can rely on Facebook Marketplace the same way it could rely on a conventional business-seller marketplace.
    • Treat account standing and feature availability as a live operational risk, not a one-time setup item.

  2. Step 10: Choose the right platform plan

    Platform step 2

    Local or message-based sales: No public universal listing fee was identified for ordinary local-only listings.

    • Local or message-based sales: No public universal listing fee was identified for ordinary local-only listings.
    • Local or message-based sales: Local payment is generally arranged between buyer and seller, often through cash or person-to-person payment methods.
    • Local or message-based sales: This branch does not use the Meta payout stack described in shipping-help pages.
    • Shipped orders with checkout on Facebook: Public Meta merchant-policy pages reviewed on April 29, 2026 say Individual Sellers using onsite checkout are charged a 5% selling fee per transaction with a minimum fee of $0.40.
    • Shipped orders with checkout on Facebook: The public policy wording says the fee is calculated on the full transaction amount including item price, shipping fees, and applicable taxes.
    • Shipped orders with checkout on Facebook: Public help pages show a feature-gated payout stack and reference both PayPal and bank-account update help pages.
    • Shipped orders with checkout on Facebook: Safe practical takeaway:
    • Shipped orders with checkout on Facebook: Keep payout guidance provider-agnostic.
    • Shipped orders with checkout on Facebook: Treat local sales and shipped-checkout payouts as different branches.
    • Shipped orders with checkout on Facebook: Re-check the actual account flow on the day you use it.

  3. Step 11: Decide whether brand or authenticity records belong in the initial launch

    Platform step 3

    Facebook Marketplace does not offer a clean public brand-registry-style program for ordinary sellers in the reviewed public record.

    • Facebook Marketplace does not offer a clean public brand-registry-style program for ordinary sellers in the reviewed public record.
    • What matters first is authenticity, ownership rights, and clean sourcing records.
    • If you are reselling branded goods, keep invoices, receipts, and condition records from day one.
    • If you are building your own brand, trademark planning can still matter, but Facebook Marketplace is usually better treated as a resale or lead-generation surface than as the primary long-term brand system.

  4. Step 12: Decide whether you will ship, meet locally, or both

    Platform step 4

    Option 1: Local meetup, pickup, or drop-off: Best if you want the simplest first launch and do not need onsite checkout.

    • Option 1: Local meetup, pickup, or drop-off: Best if you want the simplest first launch and do not need onsite checkout.
    • Option 1: Local meetup, pickup, or drop-off: What you need:
    • Option 1: Local meetup, pickup, or drop-off: a realistic meetup or handoff plan
    • Option 1: Local meetup, pickup, or drop-off: clear listing descriptions and condition disclosures
    • Option 1: Local meetup, pickup, or drop-off: safe public meeting habits
    • Option 1: Local meetup, pickup, or drop-off: records showing what was sold, when, for how much, and how payment happened
    • Option 1: Local meetup, pickup, or drop-off: Important:
    • Option 1: Local meetup, pickup, or drop-off: Local transactions are the clearest direct sale branch.
    • Option 1: Local meetup, pickup, or drop-off: They do not get flattened into Facebook-protected or marketplace-facilitated transactions just because the listing started on Marketplace.
    • Option 2: Seller-managed shipping with checkout on Facebook if available: Best if:
    • Option 2: Seller-managed shipping with checkout on Facebook if available: the account is actually eligible,
    • Option 2: Seller-managed shipping with checkout on Facebook if available: the item qualifies,
    • Option 2: Seller-managed shipping with checkout on Facebook if available: and you want Facebook-facilitated checkout rather than a pure local deal
    • Option 2: Seller-managed shipping with checkout on Facebook if available: What the public record says:
    • Option 2: Seller-managed shipping with checkout on Facebook if available: Shipping is not available to all users.
    • Option 2: Seller-managed shipping with checkout on Facebook if available: Shipping performance includes Cancellation Rate and Missed Handling Rate.
    • Option 2: Seller-managed shipping with checkout on Facebook if available: Public help says cancellation rate should stay below 10%.
    • Option 2: Seller-managed shipping with checkout on Facebook if available: Public Meta merchant-policy pages say an individual-seller order that is not fulfilled within 3 business days from purchase may be automatically canceled by Meta.
    • Option 2: Seller-managed shipping with checkout on Facebook if available: Public help and policy pages also keep seller protection narrower than many sellers assume.
    • Option 2: Seller-managed shipping with checkout on Facebook if available: Practical beginner recommendation:
    • Option 2: Seller-managed shipping with checkout on Facebook if available: Start with one or two low-risk local or seller-managed listings and keep the operational model simple. Expand into shipped checkout only if the account actually supports it and the first live flow matches the public Meta rules you reviewed that day.

  5. Step 13: Confirm product, condition, and category eligibility before scaling

    Platform step 5

    Before you scale, confirm four different things:

    Why it matters: Important Facebook Marketplace public rules:

    • Listings must be physical products for sale.
    • Services are not allowed.
    • Animals, medical and healthcare products, recalled products, and other noncompliant items are not allowed.
    • Buyers and sellers are also responsible for complying with applicable laws and regulations.
    • the item is lawful in South Carolina
    • the item is lawful in Columbia if local rules matter
    • the item is allowed by Facebook Marketplace, Meta Commerce Policies, and Community Standards
    • the item is described and priced in a way that will not trigger policy or scam concerns
Back to top Next: Local permits and Columbia branch
Local branch Local permits and Columbia 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 naming, permit, zoning, and occupancy questions down to counties or municipalities.

  • South Carolina pushes many real-world naming, permit, zoning, and occupancy questions down to counties or municipalities.
  • For any place where the business will operate:
  • check the city, county, or state routing pages named in the source directory,
  • contact the local clerk, zoning, building, or licensing office when the address matters,
  • ask whether home inventory, delivery activity, signage, or storage changes the approval path,
  • keep written answers with the address and date when possible
  • Typical local risk areas:
  • city or county business licensing
  • home occupation approval
  • certificate of occupancy for commercial space
  • zoning for storage
  • delivery activity from a residence

Columbia Appendix

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

  • If the business operates in Columbia, add one more review layer.
  • Columbia's business-licensing page says every person engaged or intending to engage in business in whole or in part within the city must pay an annual license tax and obtain a business license.
  • The same city licensing page says approvals can be required from zoning, building inspection, fire marshal, DHEC, or engineering before the license is finalized.
  • Columbia's home-occupation standards reviewed on April 29, 2026 say the use must remain incidental and subordinate to the dwelling, stay within the allowed floor-area cap, avoid outdoor storage, and avoid delivery or traffic volumes greater than a normal residential neighborhood.
  • Columbia's planning and development materials say a physical commercial location can require a Certificate of Occupancy, so do not treat business licensing as the only local gate for a storefront, warehouse, or other nonresidential site.
  • The city business-license application instructions say all business licenses expire yearly on April 30, so keep the local renewal cycle visible from day one.
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 5 branches

1. Employer registration

South Carolina's employer startup checklist covers I-9, E-Verify, new-hire reporting, withholding, unemployment insurance, workers' compensation, and poster duties.

  • South Carolina's employer startup checklist covers I-9, E-Verify, new-hire reporting, withholding, unemployment insurance, workers' compensation, and poster duties.
  • South Carolina says new hires and rehires must be reported within 20 days.

2. Workers' compensation

South Carolina Workers' Compensation Commission says businesses that regularly employ four or more employees generally must maintain coverage.

  • South Carolina Workers' Compensation Commission says businesses that regularly employ four or more employees generally must maintain coverage.

3. Disability, paid leave, or similar coverage

South Carolina DEW says unemployment-tax liability can be triggered by wage or weekly-employee thresholds, and liable employers must file quarterly wage reports.

  • South Carolina DEW says unemployment-tax liability can be triggered by wage or weekly-employee thresholds, and liable employers must file quarterly wage reports.
  • The reviewed official public South Carolina sources did not identify a statewide paid-family-leave or state disability-insurance payroll program for the default private Facebook Marketplace seller path as of April 29, 2026.

4. Exemption certificate if applicable

South Carolina DEW lists owner and officer unemployment-insurance exemption forms such as UCE 1060 and UCE 1050, but those are not the default path.

  • South Carolina DEW lists owner and officer unemployment-insurance exemption forms such as UCE 1060 and UCE 1050, but those are not the default path.

Insurance reality

Physical-product sellers should think about general liability and product liability coverage early, but no public Facebook Marketplace seller-wide liability-insurance threshold or universal insurance mandate was identified in the reviewed official public sources on April 29, 2026.

  • Physical-product sellers should think about general liability and product liability coverage early, but no public Facebook Marketplace seller-wide liability-insurance threshold or universal insurance mandate was identified in the reviewed official public sources on April 29, 2026.
  • Separate carrier, landlord, warehouse, payment, or commercial-lease requirements can still create insurance obligations even if Facebook Marketplace itself does not publish a universal threshold.
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 5 groups

Before first sale

  • Finish the entity or assumed-name setup.
  • Get the EIN if applicable.
  • Open the bank account.
  • Complete the controlling South Carolina registration or marketplace-tax analysis that fits your facts.
  • Check local permits.
  • Confirm your live Facebook account branch and listing flow.

Before first live launch

  • Confirm the product is allowed and accurately described.
  • Confirm whether the listing is local direct or shipping and checkout.
  • Finish meetup, shipping, returns, and recordkeeping setup.
  • Build accurate listings.

Monthly

  • Reconcile payments, fees, refunds, and chargebacks.
  • Review tax reserves and supporting records.
  • Review listing status, seller ratings, and policy notices.
  • Review whether your account access or shipping eligibility changed.

Quarterly

  • If the state assigns you a filing cadence, follow the cadence on the account.
  • Review whether your sales mix changed enough to alter the South Carolina marketplace or direct-sale answer.
  • Review whether home-based inventory, meetup, or shipping activity still fits your local rules.

Annual or periodic

  • Re-check the state annual-report or entity-maintenance branch that applies to your legal setup.
  • Re-check any local business-license, occupancy, or personal-property renewals that apply to your operating address.
  • Re-check the state employer pages if you add employees.
  • Re-check live Meta help and policy pages before relying on an older feature, fee, or protection assumption.
Back to top Next: Common mistakes
Avoid these Common mistakes These are the repeated beginner errors called out in the research pack. Everyone 7 mistakes

Common Mistakes New Operators Make

  • Assuming South Carolina marketplace-only relief also answers the retail-license and ST-8A resale questions for every fact pattern
  • Storing inventory or planning regular meetups in Columbia without clearing the city business-license and home-occupation rules first
  • Treating every Facebook Marketplace sale like a marketplace-facilitated transaction
  • Treating Facebook Marketplace like a stable business-seller platform instead of a consumer-oriented, feature-gated surface
  • Assuming a payout rail, shipping option, or protection benefit exists just because an old help page mentioned it
  • Mixing personal and business money
  • Adding local pickup, direct invoicing, or off-platform sales later without re-checking the state tax posture

Practical first-launch recommendation

If you are testing casually with minimal risk, sole proprietor can work.

If you intend to build a real resale business with repeat listings, stored inventory, or ongoing shipping activity, single-member LLC is usually the better long-term path in South Carolina.

If your account is eligible for shipping and checkout on Facebook, that is the strongest public-source fit for a South Carolina marketplace-only beginner lane. If you plan local meetup, cash, or other off-platform payment, treat that branch as direct selling and resolve the South Carolina retail-license and local business-license analysis before launch.

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 51 rows

Source group

Statewide Start

South Carolina Business One Stop

State start-here page

Form / portal Startup guidance page
Fee None for the page
Timing First planning step
Who needs it Everyone

Official startup hub that routes founders into structure, licensing, tax, and employer branches.

Open official link

South Carolina Business One Stop

State registration and compliance hub

Form / portal Registration guidance hub
Fee None for the page
Timing Before formation and tax registration
Who needs it Everyone

Official state compliance portal that routes founders to Secretary of State, tax, and EIN steps.

Open official link

South Carolina Business One Stop

State local-license warning

Form / portal Local-license guidance page
Fee None for the page
Timing Early planning step
Who needs it Everyone

South Carolina says there is no statewide business license and that local city or county licensing can still apply, including to home-based and online businesses.

Open official link

Source group

Entity Choice and Formation

South Carolina Business One Stop

Compare business types

Form / portal Guidance page
Fee None for the page
Timing First decision
Who needs it Everyone

Official startup guidance says sole proprietors and general partnerships do not register with the South Carolina Secretary of State.

Open official link

South Carolina Secretary of State

Formation hub

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

Official South Carolina business-filings system for searching names, filing entities, and retrieving documents.

Open official link

South Carolina Secretary of State

Business name search

Form / portal Name search tool
Fee None for the search
Timing Before formation
Who needs it Filing entities

Official business-name search tool for checking name availability.

Open official link

South Carolina Secretary of State

Default entity formation filing

Form / portal Articles of Organization F0006
Fee $110.00 paper filing fee
Timing At formation
Who needs it single-member LLC founders

Official downloadable form for a domestic LLC.

Open official link

South Carolina Secretary of State filing system

Reviewed online filing fee example

Form / portal Online filing receipt
Fee Articles of Organization $110.00; SC.GOV service fee $15.00
Timing At online filing
Who needs it single-member LLC founders using online filing

Reviewed online example showed the base filing fee plus a separate service fee in the live system.

Open official link

South Carolina Business One Stop / Secretary of State

Immediate post-filing requirement

Form / portal No separate ordinary public post-filing form identified in reviewed sources
Fee None identified
Timing Immediately after formation
Who needs it single-member LLC founders

Reviewed public sources did not identify a separate ordinary SOS post-formation filing for the default South Carolina LLC path.

Open official link

South Carolina Department of Revenue

Ongoing entity maintenance

Form / portal CL-1 only if the LLC is taxed as a corporation
Fee $25 only for the CL-1 corporate branch
Timing Before first anniversary and later cycles
Who needs it single-member LLC founders

South Carolina says an LLC not taxed as a corporation is not subject to the corporate annual report and license fee, while an LLC taxed as a corporation must file CL-1 and follow the corporate filing path.

Open official link

South Carolina Secretary of State

Good-standing and reinstatement backstop

Form / portal Reinstatement branch if needed
Fee Varies by reinstatement filing
Timing Only if administratively dissolved or otherwise out of compliance
Who needs it single-member LLC founders

South Carolina says Limited Liability Companies must file for reinstatement within two years of administrative dissolution.

Open official link

Source group

Sole Proprietor and Local Name Filings

South Carolina Business One Stop

Sole proprietor baseline

Form / portal Guidance page
Fee None for the page
Timing First decision
Who needs it Sole proprietors

Official guidance says sole proprietors are not required to register with the South Carolina Secretary of State.

Open official link

South Carolina Business One Stop

DBA or assumed-name warning

Form / portal FAQ page
Fee None for the page
Timing Before using a business name
Who needs it Founders using a name different from their personal or entity name

South Carolina says it does not register DBA names at the state level.

Open official link

South Carolina Business One Stop

Local business-license branch

Form / portal Local city or county business-license process
Fee Varies
Timing Before local operations
Who needs it Founders using local addresses

South Carolina says business licenses are typically issued by the county or municipality and that a business typically needs both the local business license and the South Carolina retail license where the local jurisdiction requires licensing.

Open official link

Source group

Federal and State Tax Setup

IRS

EIN overview and online application

Form / portal EIN online application
Fee Free
Timing Early in setup
Who needs it LLCs, employers, founders who want cleaner business operations

IRS says you can get an EIN directly from the IRS in minutes for free.

Open official link

IRS

EIN paper form

Form / portal Form SS-4
Fee Free
Timing If not applying online
Who needs it Founders using mail, fax, or other non-online methods

IRS reference page for the current SS-4 form and instructions.

Open official link

South Carolina Department of Revenue

State tax registration

Form / portal MyDORWAY Business Tax Application
Fee Varies by account
Timing Before tax registration
Who needs it Businesses needing South Carolina tax accounts

South Carolina says the MyDORWAY business tax application is the online application for retail licenses and other state tax accounts.

Open official link

South Carolina Department of Revenue

Retail license page

Form / portal Retail License through MyDORWAY
Fee $50 non-refundable fee
Timing Before direct taxable retail sales
Who needs it Businesses that are retailers in South Carolina

South Carolina says the retail license does not expire, must be updated if the business location changes, and is not the same as a local business license.

Open official link

South Carolina Business One Stop

Marketplace-only retail-license rule

Form / portal Retail-license guidance page
Fee $50 if the retail-license branch applies
Timing Before launch
Who needs it Marketplace sellers and direct sellers

South Carolina Business One Stop says a seller whose sales are all through a marketplace facilitator does not need a retail license for those sales, but a seller with direct sales does.

Open official link

South Carolina Department of Revenue

Marketplace or platform tax rule

Form / portal Guidance page
Fee None for the page
Timing Before and after launch
Who needs it Marketplace sellers and multichannel sellers

Official South Carolina guidance says a marketplace-only third-party seller does not need its own retail license for those marketplace sales, but a seller with direct sales still does.

Open official link

South Carolina Department of Revenue

Resale or exemption certificate

Form / portal ST-8A Resale Certificate
Fee None for the form itself
Timing After licensing if applicable
Who needs it Sellers buying inventory for resale

South Carolina identifies ST-8A for licensed retail merchants buying tangible personal property for resale, lease, or rental.

Open official link

South Carolina Department of Revenue

Sales-tax forms

Form / portal ST-3, ST-389, ST-8A, related forms
Fee None for the page
Timing Ongoing
Who needs it Licensed retailers

South Carolina's form index identifies the core sales-tax and local-tax forms, including ST-8A for resale use.

Open official link

South Carolina Department of Revenue

Business personal property tax

Form / portal MyDORWAY or PT-100
Fee Tax varies; no flat filing fee stated on reviewed page
Timing Four months after accounting closing period; county tax bill due by following January 15
Who needs it Businesses with business personal property

South Carolina says all businesses are required to file BPP returns and that the filing route depends on classification and, in some cases, county agreements.

Open official link

Source group

Entity Tax Maintenance

South Carolina Department of Revenue

Business tax account maintenance

Form / portal MyDORWAY updates and account maintenance
Fee None for the page
Timing When business details change
Who needs it Businesses with South Carolina tax accounts

South Carolina says MyDORWAY can be used to update addresses, business names, and close business tax accounts.

Open official link

South Carolina Department of Revenue

Business personal property filing

Form / portal PT-100 or MyDORWAY
Fee Tax varies
Timing Annual or periodic based on accounting closing period
Who needs it Businesses with business personal property

South Carolina says the BPP return is due four months after the accounting closing period, and the county later bills the tax due.

Open official link

South Carolina Department of Revenue

Recurring entity filing or fee

Form / portal Corporate annual-report and license-fee branch only if taxed as a corporation
Fee Minimum corporate license fee $25 in the corporate branch
Timing Annual in the corporate branch
Who needs it LLCs taxed as corporations; corporations

South Carolina says an LLC not taxed as a corporation is not subject to the corporate annual report or license fee, but an LLC taxed as a corporation enters that branch.

Open official link

Source group

Federal Reporting

FinCEN

BOI or other federal reporting status

Form / portal BOI guidance
Fee None
Timing Check before filing
Who needs it Everyone forming an entity

As of April 29, 2026, FinCEN says all entities created in the United States are exempt from BOI reporting under the March 26, 2025 interim final rule.

Open official link

Source group

Employees, Payroll, and Insurance

South Carolina Business One Stop

Employer startup checklist

Form / portal Employer compliance checklist
Fee None for the page
Timing When first becoming an employer
Who needs it Businesses hiring employees

South Carolina compiles I-9, E-Verify, new-hire, withholding, unemployment, workers' compensation, and poster requirements in one page.

Open official link

South Carolina Department of Revenue / SCBOS

State withholding

Form / portal Withholding account through MyDORWAY
Fee None stated on reviewed pages
Timing At hiring
Who needs it Employers with South Carolina wages

South Carolina says employers with employees earning wages in the state must register for withholding and upload W-2s and 1099s by January 31.

Open official link

South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce

UI liability and reports

Form / portal SUITS; UCE 151; related UI forms
Fee Premium-based
Timing Quarterly after liability
Who needs it Businesses liable for UI

South Carolina DEW says for-profit businesses are liable if they pay $1,500 in a quarter or have at least one employee during any 20 weeks, among other triggers, and says quarterly wage reports are required.

Open official link

South Carolina Workers' Compensation Commission

Workers' compensation

Form / portal Coverage through insurer or approved self-insurance path
Fee Premium-based or varies
Timing Before or at hiring
Who needs it Employers

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

Open official link

South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation

Wage and leave baseline

Form / portal FAQ page
Fee None for the page
Timing Ongoing at hiring and employment
Who needs it Employers

South Carolina says state law does not require employers to provide paid vacation or sick time, but employers that offer such benefits must follow their policies.

Open official link

Source group

Platform Setup

Facebook Help Center

Marketplace access and account eligibility

Form / portal Marketplace access rules
Fee None stated
Timing Before launch
Who needs it All operators on the platform

Public help says Marketplace is for adults with active accounts, uses the seller's main profile, and can be restricted for new, inactive, or policy-violating accounts. Public help also says Marketplace is intended for consumers and that businesses that list there may be blocked or have listings removed.

Open official link

Facebook Help Center

Listing creation

Form / portal Listing flow
Fee No public listing fee identified on the reviewed page
Timing Before first listing
Who needs it All operators

Public help describes creating an Item for sale listing with photos, item information, and publishing. Direct open may redirect to login or device-specific help.

Open official link

Facebook Help Center

Selling modes overview

Form / portal Ways to sell
Fee None for the page
Timing Before launch
Who needs it All operators

Public help says you can sell through Marketplace and may be able to offer shipping depending on where you live.

Open official link

Facebook Help Center ; Meta legal page

Shipping and checkout branch

Form / portal Shipping and checkout flow
Fee Public Individual Seller selling fee posture: 5% per transaction with $0.40 minimum for onsite checkout
Timing Only if the feature is available
Who needs it Sellers using shipping and checkout

Public help says shipping and buying or creating prepaid labels are not available to all users. Merchant policies keep the fee and protection wording tied to Individual Sellers.

Open official link

Facebook Help Center

Policy and restricted-item baseline

Form / portal Commerce-policy help
Fee None
Timing During sourcing and listing
Who needs it All operators

Public help says Marketplace listings must comply with Meta Commerce Policies and Community Standards and gives examples of prohibited items and services.

Open official link

Source group

Fulfillment, Logistics, or Store Operations

Facebook Help Center

Direct local sale flow and safety

Form / portal Local meetup workflow
Fee None
Timing Before local transactions
Who needs it Direct local sellers

Public help says suspicious activity should be reported, and local sales between an individual seller and buyer are transactions between those two parties.

Open official link

Facebook Help Center

Seller verification for shipping

Form / portal Seller verification and tax-info workflow
Fee None for the page
Timing If using shipping and checkout
Who needs it Sellers using shipped checkout

Public help says shipped selling can require identity, address, and tax-information documents. The page also says shipping is not available to all users.

Open official link

Facebook Help Center

Listing-volume limit

Form / portal Listing limits
Fee None
Timing Before scaling
Who needs it High-volume operators

Public help says there is a monthly limit of 20 total listings, with narrower limits in some categories.

Open official link

Facebook Help Center

Shipping performance

Form / portal Shipping performance tools
Fee None for the page
Timing If using shipping
Who needs it Sellers using shipped checkout

Public help says cancellation rate should stay below 10% and that missed standards may result in a temporary loss of shipping.

Open official link

Facebook Help Center

Returns and refund posture

Form / portal Returns help
Fee None for the page
Timing During setup and ongoing
Who needs it Sellers using checkout and local pickup

Public help says checkout purchases follow the seller's return policy, that individual-seller buyers contact the seller first, and that returns and refunds for local pickup purchases are not available from Facebook.

Open official link

Source group

Insurance Checkpoint

Facebook Help Center

Platform insurance threshold or requirement

Form / portal Marketplace overview
Fee None identified
Timing Re-check before scaling
Who needs it Operators with physical-product risk

No public Facebook Marketplace seller-liability-insurance threshold or universal insurance requirement was identified in the reviewed public help pages on April 29, 2026.

Open official link

Source group

Columbia Branch

City of Columbia Business Licensing

City business-license baseline

Form / portal New business license application through the self-service portal, email, or in person
Fee Annual fee based on the city license-tax schedule; no flat starter fee stated on the reviewed page
Timing Before operating in whole or in part within the city
Who needs it Columbia businesses and businesses generating income in the city

Columbia says every person engaged or intending to engage in business in whole or in part within the city must obtain a business license and that approvals from zoning, building inspection, fire marshal, DHEC, or engineering may be required before issuance.

Open official link

City of Columbia Business License Division

Business-license application instructions

Form / portal New business license application instructions
Fee Varies by license class and revenue
Timing During application and renewal setup
Who needs it Columbia businesses

The instruction sheet says the application requires the physical business address, asks whether the business is home based, and says all business licenses expire yearly on April 30.

Open official link

City of Columbia Planning and Development Services

Home occupation branch

Form / portal Home occupation standards and zoning review
Fee Not stated on the reviewed page
Timing Before operating from a home in the city
Who needs it Columbia home-based businesses

Columbia's home-occupation standards reviewed on April 29, 2026 say the use must remain incidental and subordinate to the residence, stay within the floor-area cap, avoid outdoor storage, and avoid delivery or traffic patterns greater than normal for the neighborhood.

Open official link

City of Columbia Planning and Development

Certificate-of-occupancy and inspections branch

Form / portal Inspections and Certificate of Occupancy branch
Fee Varies by permit path and project
Timing Before occupying or changing use of a physical commercial location
Who needs it Columbia businesses with nonresidential space

Columbia's inspections page says the Building Official issues a Certificate of Occupancy only after satisfactory completion of the work and final inspection, so a physical commercial site can need a separate occupancy branch beyond business licensing.

Open official link

Source group

Facebook Tax, Payments, and Performance Notes

Facebook Help Center

Ratings and reputation

Form / portal Ratings help
Fee None
Timing Ongoing
Who needs it All operators

Public help says buyer and seller ratings are available and seller ratings become public after 5 or more eligible ratings.

Open official link

Facebook Help Center

Payouts and payment paths

Form / portal Shipping payout flow
Fee No separate public payout fee identified beyond checkout selling-fee rules
Timing If using shipping and checkout
Who needs it Sellers using shipped checkout

Public help shows a feature-gated payout stack and references both PayPal and bank-account update help pages, so this packet keeps payout wording provider-agnostic.

Open official link

Facebook Help Center ; Meta legal page

Chargebacks and disputes

Form / portal Chargeback and protection help
Fee USD 20 chargeback fee if the issuer decides in the customer's favor
Timing Ongoing if using checkout
Who needs it Sellers using shipped checkout

Public help says card issuers decide chargeback outcomes and that customer-favorable decisions can deduct the transaction amount plus a USD 20 fee.

Open official link

Meta legal page

Seller protection and fulfillment window

Form / portal Seller protection, performance, and accountability policies
Fee None for the page
Timing During shipping and checkout setup
Who needs it Sellers using shipped checkout

Public merchant policies say seller protection is currently available only in the US, limited to covered onsite-checkout items priced at $2,000 or less, and that some protection branches depend on using a Meta-generated shipping label.

Open official link
Back to top