Cost guides
Termite Bonds in South Carolina: What They Cover and What They Cost
Retreatment-only or repair-and-retreatment, Formosan coverage, the CL-100 and the exclusions worth reading twice.
Every house I’ve ever opened up in this part of the world had termites as a neighbor. The question is never whether they’re around. It’s what your paperwork says when they move in.
That paperwork is usually called a termite bond. In South Carolina it’s a contract with a pest control company, and the state sets some rules for what it has to tell you. (SC Code Regs. 27-1085)
The Two Kinds
The difference that matters most is whether the bond pays for damage. University of Georgia Extension lays it out plainly:
- Retreatment only: if termites come back, the company treats again. It holds “no responsibility for damage, old or new.”
- Retreatment and repair: the company “pays to repair new structural termite damage, as long as the terms of the contract are met.”
Either way, coverage holds only as long as you keep paying the renewal. (UGA Extension)
South Carolina’s rule requires your contract to say which one you have: whether coverage is “for retreatment only or includes the repair of damages.” It also has to say whether Formosan subterranean termites are covered. (SC Code Regs. 27-1085) Down here, that second line matters. Formosans are found in Beaufort and Jasper counties, and Clemson says they’re most concentrated on the coast from Charleston south to Beaufort. (Clemson HGIC)
What It Costs
There isn’t much published South Carolina pricing. The one local figure I found comes from a Charleston pest company: $500 to $2,000 to set up a bond and $150 to $400 a year to renew, with repair bonds at the higher end. (Lookout Pest Control, May 2025) Take that as a ballpark, not a quote.
National cost guides put a termite treatment at an average of $621, with a typical range of $263 to $1,033 (HomeAdvisor, June 2026), and say a bond adds $500 to $2,000 (This Old House, June 2026). Get two or three quotes, and compare what each one covers, not just the price.
What to Read Twice
- Formosan coverage. The pest company quoted above says “many providers exclude Formosan termites.” Check yours.
- Existing damage. A new repair bond won’t go back and fix damage that was already there.
- Moisture. Wet wood and standing water in the crawl space are what termites want. The state rule treats wood at 20 percent moisture or more, or standing water in the crawl space, as excessive moisture. If your crawl space is wet, ask how that affects your coverage. (SC Code Regs. 27-1085, and see crawl space encapsulation)
- Foam board below grade. The state rule lists structures with rigid foam insulation that extends below the exterior grade as an exclusion. Builders love that foam. Termites love it more.
- Transfer when you sell. Ask what it takes to transfer the bond to a buyer and whether there’s a fee or a reinspection.
Clemson’s advice is to read “the most recent version” of your bond and ask the company holding it which termites and what damage are covered. Sometimes the answer means rewriting the contract. (Clemson HGIC)
The CL-100
If you’re buying or selling, you’ll hear about the CL-100. That’s the common name for the Official South Carolina Wood Infestation Report. (HouseMaster Charleston) It has to be done by someone licensed in the termite category, it records moisture readings in the crawl space, and it has to report all damage, whether it needs repair or not. The state is clear that it “is not a warranty against future infestation.” (SC Code Regs. 27-1085) Lenders generally require one to close, according to the same inspector.
Read It Before the Swarm
Nobody reads a termite bond until there are wings on the windowsill. Read yours this week. It takes ten minutes, and the time to find out you have retreatment only is not the day the floor gets soft.