A person applying for or holding a license administered by the Department; liable for any tax, fee, or surcharge administered by the Department; or required to file any return or statement with the Department shall keep books, papers, memoranda, and records sufficient to establish the right to obtain or hold a license; any amount required to be shown on any return or statement; or any tax, fee or surcharge due, whether such amount due is paid with the filing of a return, electronically, or in any other manner. For purposes of this subsection, a return includes information returns or reports.
Such books or records are required to be kept at all times available for inspection by agents or auditors of the Department, and shall be retained for at least four years after the return was filed or due to be filed, whichever is later.
Only on prior written approval of the Department may microfilm reproductions of supporting records of details, such as but not limited to documents of original entry, purchase orders, invoices, checks, vouchers and payroll records, be retained in lieu of actual documents and then only when the following conditions are met:
S.C. Code Regs. § 117-200.1