S.C. Code Ann. § 38-92-20: Public adjusters; licensure and application; misrepresentation; exemptions; fees.

(A) A person may not act or hold himself out as a public adjuster, solicit, or negotiate a contract for public adjusting services in this State unless the person is licensed as a public adjuster in accordance with this chapter.

(B) The license must contain the licensee's name, city and state of business, address, personal identification number, the date of issuance, the expiration date, and any other information the director deems necessary.

(C) A person licensed as a public adjuster must not misrepresent to a claimant that he is an adjuster representing an insurer in any capacity, including acting as an employee of the insurer or acting as an independent adjuster unless so appointed by an insurer in writing to act on the insurer's behalf for that specific claim or purpose. A licensed public adjuster is prohibited from charging that specific claimant a fee when simultaneously appointed by any insurer.

(D) A person applying for a public adjuster license must make application to the director. The applicant must declare under penalty of perjury and under penalty of refusal, suspension, or revocation of the license that the statements made in the application are true, correct, and complete to the best of the applicant's knowledge and belief.

(E) Notwithstanding subsections (A)-(D), a license as a public adjuster is not required of the following persons:

(1) an attorney at law admitted to practice in this State, when acting in his professional capacity as an attorney;

(2) a person who negotiates or settles claims arising under a life or health insurance policy or an annuity contract; and

(3) a person employed only for the purpose of obtaining facts surrounding a loss or furnishing technical assistance to a licensed public adjuster, including photographers, estimators, private investigators, engineers, and handwriting experts.

(F) The fee for an individual public adjuster license is one hundred dollars. These fees are payable in advance and fully earned when received, not refundable, transferable, nor proratable. All fees collected by the director must be paid into the state general fund in the same manner as other funds collected by him.