Richland County South Carolina

This guide has been created to aid you in your move to our area. If you don’t find the answer to your particular question in this guide, please direct your question to:

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Richland County Ombudsman
One-Call Response Center
(803) 929-6000
24 Hours a day/7 Days a week
ombudsman@rcgov.us

Hospitals
Juror
Licenses
Schools
Transportation
Utility Companies
Voting in South Carolina
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Hospitals

Palmetto Health Baptist
Taylor and Marion Streets
Columbia, SC 29220
(803) 296-5010
www.palmettohealth.org/body.cfm?id=187

Palmetto Health Richland
5 Richland Medical Park Drive
Columbia, SC 29203
(803) 434-7000
www.palmettohealth.org/body.cfm?id=189

Providence Hospital
2435 Forest Drive
Columbia, SC 29204
(803) 256-5300
www.provhosp.com

Providence Hospital Northeast
120 Gateway Corporate Blvd.
Columbia, SC 29203
(803) 865-4500
www.provhosp.com/northeast

Wm. Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Medical Center
6439 Garners Ferry Road
Columbia, SC 29209
(803) 776-4000
www1.va.gov/directory/guide/facility.asp?id=33

Juror Information

Jurors are selected from a list containing the names of registered voters, persons holding valid driver's licenses, and persons with state identification cards provided to Richland County by the State Election Commission. The County uses a computerized jury selection program that contains a randomization routine to ensure that jurors are selected entirely at random. Th juror selection for the Magistrate's Courts only selects jurors who live in the area served by a particular Magistrate's Court, while the Civil and Criminal Courts select jurors from throughout the entire county. Once selected, summonses or notices are created and mailed out to the persons selected for service.

You have a choice to serve or not to serve if you are over sixty-five years old, or if you were inadvertently summoned after having served within the past three calendar years as a juror. Additionally, you may be disqualified from jury service (not allowed to serve)if:

You have been convicted in a state or federal court of a crime punishable by more than one year of imprisonment and your civil rights have not been restored.
You are unable to read, write, speak or understand the English language to a degree sufficient to allow you to act as a juror.
If you have less than a 6th grade (or equivalent) education
If you are unable to render efficient jury service due to severe mental or physical infirmity.

Licenses

Automobile Registration:
If you move to South Carolina from another state, you have 45 days to transfer your vehicle title and registration. You may apply for the title and registration by mail. The Form 400, Application for Certificate of Title/Registration, which must be completed contains the proper mailing address for the department.

You must have the following to transfer your-out-of-state vehicle title and registration:

Your out of state vehicle title and registration. If there is a lien on your vehicle, you must bring the name and address of the company that holds the lien.
Liability Insurance information. You must provide the name of your automobile liability insurance company, not the name of the agent.
Completed Form 400, Application for Certificate of Title/Registration. To complete this form, you must have you vehicle odometer mileage reading and any current lien information.
Paid Property Tax Receipt. Before you can register your vehicle in South Carolina, you must first pay the property taxes with the Richland County Treasurer's Office. In order to have a tax bill created, please contact the Auditor's Office at (803) 576-2600.
Title and Registration Fees.

Additional information is available at www.scdmvonline.com/VehTR.aspx

Business Licenses:
Anyone doing business in the unincorporated areas of Richland County (i.e., not in a city limits) needs a County business license. This includes home-based businesses and businesses located within a city limits or outside Richland County who conduct business within the unincorporated areas of Richland County. Every business’ owner, agent, or legal representative must apply for a business license prior to starting work. Business licenses must be renewed annually, with all business licenses expiring on December 31. The deadline to renew a business license without penalty is March 15. A business license represents the County’s “seal of approval” to do business in the County, and therefore a business must meet all applicable County requirements and obtain all necessary approvals prior to being issued a business license.

To complete the Application for a Business License and the Clearance Form, a business should have, among other information requested, the following information:

The primary contact or agent name and address,
The owner's name and contact information,
The Federal Employer ID# (FEIN) or Social Security Number,
The State Retail#, if the business reports sales taxes,
Business name exactly as it appears on the state income tax return,
Gross income for the previous year (or the estimated first year gross income for businesses just opening), and
The type of business, including the NAICS code number (found at www.census.gov/epcd/www/naics.html)

Please visit the Business Service Center website (www.rcgov.us/bsc) for more information about business licenses or other County requirements to operate a business in Richland County.

Driver's license:
If moving from within South Carolina, residents have 10 days to report a change of address.
SC Department of Motor Vehicles
(803) 737-1767

Office Locations:
1630 Shop Road
Columbia, SC 29202
(803) 737-8350

800 Dutch Square Blvd.
Dutch Square Plaza Bldg. A
Suite 100
Columbia, SC 29210
(803) 896-6238

2500 Decker Blvd.
Decker Mall
Columbia, SC 29206
(803) 865-9478

1016 Broadstone Road
Irmo, SC 29063

Additional information is available from the SC Dept. of Motor Vehicles at:
www.scdmvonline.com/DLgeneral.aspx

Hunting & Fishing Licenses:
SC Department of Natural Resources
1000 Assembly Street
Columbia, SC 29204
(803) 734-3833

More information, including the ability to purchase licenses on-line, is available at:
www.dnr.sc.gov/licensing.html

Pet Licenses:
Pet owners in Richland County are expected to provide their dogs or cats over the age of six months with a current rabies vaccination from a licensed veterinarian and a current pet tag issued by Richland County Animal Care. In Richland County, the penalty for an unlicensed pet is $500.00.

The pet owner is required to show proof of rabies vaccination from a licensed veterinarian and proof of spay/neuter if applicable. Pet owners are also required to renew their license every year. Each pet license is good for one year and you will be notified by mail one month before your renewal date.

More information regarding costs or to download the license application, visit the Richland County Animal Care at: animalcare.richlandonline.com/License.asp

Professional Licenses:
The State of South Carolina licenses many different professions. For a complete list, including access to contact information, go to the SC. Dept. of Labor, Licensing, and Registration at:
South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation

Schools

New students to the area will need: birth certificate; immunization records; previous report cards; medical form from the local Health Department or a personal physician.

Richland County School District One
1616 Richland Street
Columbia, SC 29201
(803) 231-7000
www.richlandone.org

Richland County School District Two
6831 Brookfield Road
Columbia, SC 29206
(803) 787-1910
www.richland2.org

Lexington & Richland County School District Five
1020 Dutch Fork Road
Ballentine, SC 29002
(803) 732-8000
www.lex5.k12.sc.us

General information about the SC school system is also available from the SC Dept. of Education at ed.sc.gov/visitors/parents

Transportation

Air Service:
Columbia Metropolitan Airport
3000 Aviation Way
West Columbia, SC 29170
(800) 822-5000
www.columbiaairport.com

Columbia Owens Downtown Airport
1400 Jim Hamilton Drive
Columbia, SC 29205
(803) 256-9425
www.columbiasouthcarolina.com/owens.html

Bus Service:
Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority (CMRTA)
(803) 255-7083
www.gocmrta.com

Greyhound Bus Lines
(800) 231-2222

Rail Service:
AMTRAK
850 Pulaski Street
Columbia, SC 29201
(800) 254-9684
www.amtrak.com

Other Resources:
Additional information about local transportation is provided by our Convention and Visitors Bureau at:
www.columbiacvb.com//listings/?catID=8

Utility Companies

Cable
Time Warner Cable
293 Greystone Blvd.
Columbia, SC 29210
(803) 252-2253
www.timewarnercable.com/SouthCarolina

Electricity
South Carolina Electric & Gas Company
(803) 799-9000
www.sceg.com

Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative
(803) 359-5551
www.mcecoop.com

Central Electric Power Cooperative
(803) 779-4975
www.cepci.org

Natural Gas
South Carolina Electric & Gas Company
(803) 799-9000
www.sceg.com

Telephone
BellSouth
(803) 780-2355
www.bellsouth.com

Trash & Recycling
When moving into a brand new home, a rollcart and a recycle bin must be purchased from Richland County for a fee of $48.00. (These units are not sold separately) Once these fees have been collected, garbage pickup service will be established. These fees can be paid at:

Richland County Finance Department
2020 Hampton Street, Suite 4036
Columbia, SC 29204
(803) 576-2100

Water & Sewer
Columbia Water Department
(803) 545-3300
City of Columbia Water Customer Service

Please review the attached water/sewer service area list to determine the provider(s) in your area.

Alpine Utilities, Inc.
(803) 799-9663

Bush River Utility
(803) 359-4803

Carolina Water Service, Inc.
(803) 796-9545

Chapin Sewer System
(803) 345-2444

Development Service
(803) 359-4803

East Richland County Public Service District
(803) 788-1570

Midlands Utility, Inc.
(803) 359-4803

Piney Grove Utilities Company
(803) 606-9224

Richland County
(803) 401-0050 (Service)
(803) 576-2094 (Billing)

Palmetto Utilities
(803) 699-2422

Woodland Utilities, Inc.
(803) 799-9663

For septic tanks, contact the Richland County Health Department at (803) 576-2910

Voter Registration

To vote in South Caroline, you must:

be a citizen of the United States and South Carolina
be a resident in the County and voting precinct you are to vote in
be at least 18 years of age as of the next election
not be under any court order declaring you mentally incompetent
not serving a term of imprisonment resulting from conviction of a crime
not have been convicted of a felony or offense against election laws.

To find out where to vote, please contact the Voter Registration department at the address or telephone number listed below.

Richland County Board of Voter Registration
2020 Hampton Street
Columbia, SC 29204
(803) 576-2240

More information is available from the following resources:
Richland County Voter Registration

State of South Carolina
www.state.sc.us/scsec/vr.html

More...

A free relocation package is available at:
eRelocation Professionals

United Way's Community Guide to Services:
(803) 733-5400
www.uway.org

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