S.953 would require that all estate liquidators, defined as individuals who offer to conduct or conduct estate sales, be licensed by the South Carolina Auctioneers’ Commission. Contra the common wisdom, numerous studies have found licensing laws do not improve quality of service. These laws do however, restrict the level of competition in licensed industries and drive up prices. Even the president has acknowledged the overabundance of licensure laws, and their harmful effects.
There is no public benefit to government licensing of estate liquidators, only harm. Lawmakers should be seeking to repeal existing licensure laws, not expanding the number of professions that require licensure.