How do you obtain minority owned business certification?

In order to be qualified for South Carolina state certification as a Minority (including woman) owned Business the following general guidelines must be met:

• A minimum 51% of the company’s ownership must be held by a minority (and/or woman). This ownership must be real and substantial not just "paper" ownership and should be demonstrated in the exercise of control over the key elements of the companies operation and finances, including the final decision on hiring and firing or, where manager have been employed to carry out certain responsibilities, the minority (or woman) owner must clearly have the authority to hire/fire the managers, etc. In the case of a husband and wife team, the wife must have real expertise in essential elements of the business and be a primary decision maker in the operation of the company. Again, it is important to point out that the company must be clearly seen as minority (or woman) owned such that it could or might be at a disadvantage because of its ownership.
• Recent changes in corporate structure or ownership will likely be closely reviewed to determine if such changes reflect substantive changes in ownership and operation or are merely "paper" changes.
• The company should have been in business for a minimum of two years. There has to have been some time for the company to establish that it has experienced disadvantages because of it minority (woman) ownership.