Exhibit 99.1

Certification

"I, R. Arthur Seaver, Jr., certify, based on my knowledge, that:

(i)  The compensation committee of Southern First Bancshares, Inc. has discussed, reviewed, and evaluated with senior risk officers at least every six months during any part of the most recently completed fiscal year that was a TARP period, senior executive officer (SEO) compensation plans and employee compensation plans and the risks these plans pose to Southern First Bancshares, Inc.;

(ii)  The compensation committee of Southern First Bancshares, Inc. has identified and limited during any part of the most recently completed fiscal year that was a TARP period, any features of the SEO compensation plans that could lead SEOs to take unnecessary and excessive risks that could threaten the value of Southern First Bancshares, Inc., and has identified any features of the employee compensation plans that pose risks to Southern First Bancshares, Inc. and has limited those features to ensure that Southern First Bancshares, Inc. is not unnecessarily exposed to risks;

(iii)  The compensation committee has reviewed, at least every six months during any part of the most recently completed fiscal year that was a TARP period, the terms of each employee compensation plan and identified any features of the plan that could encourage the manipulation of reported earnings of Southern First Bancshares, Inc. to enhance the compensation of an employee, and has limited any such features;

(iv)  The compensation committee of Southern First Bancshares, Inc. will certify to the reviews of the SEO compensation plans and employee compensation plans required under (i) and (iii) above;

(v)  The compensation committee of Southern First Bancshares, Inc. will provide a narrative description of how it limited during any part of the most recently completed fiscal year that included a TARP period the features in

(A) SEO compensation plans that could lead SEOs to take unnecessary and excessive risks that could threaten the value of Southern First Bancshares, Inc.;

(B) Employee compensation plans that unnecessarily expose Southern First Bancshares, Inc. to risks; and

(C) Employee compensation plans that could encourage the manipulation of reported earnings of Southern First Bancshares, Inc. to enhance the compensation of an employee;

(vi)  Southern First Bancshares, Inc. has required that bonus payments to SEOs or any of the next twenty most highly compensated employees, as defined in the regulations and guidance established under section 111 of EESA (bonus payments), be subject to a recovery or "clawback" provision during any part of the most recently completed fiscal year that was a TARP period if the bonus payments were based on materially inaccurate financial statements or any other materially inaccurate performance metric criteria;

(vii)  Southern First Bancshares, Inc. has prohibited any golden parachute payment, as defined in the regulations and guidance established under section 111 of EESA, to an SEO or any of the next five most highly compensated employees during any part of the most recently completed fiscal year that was a TARP period;

(viii)  Southern First Bancshares, Inc. has limited bonus payments to its applicable employees in accordance with section 111 of EESA and the regulations and guidance established thereunder during any part of the most recently completed fiscal year that was a TARP period, [ for recipients of exceptional assistance] and has received or is in the process of receiving approvals from the Office of the Special Master for TARP Executive Compensation for compensation payments and structures as required under the regulations and guidance established under section 111 of EESA, and has not made any payments inconsistent with those approved payments and structures;

(ix)  Southern First Bancshares, Inc. and its employees have complied with the excessive or luxury expenditures policy, as defined in the regulations and guidance established under section 111 of EESA, during any part of the most recently completed fiscal year that was a TARP period; and any expenses that, pursuant to this policy, required approval of the board of directors, a committee of the board of directors, an SEO, or an executive officer with a similar level of responsibility were properly approved;

(x)  Southern First Bancshares, Inc. will permit a non-binding shareholder resolution in compliance with any applicable Federal securities rules and regulations on the disclosures provided under the Federal securities laws related to SEO compensation paid or accrued during any part of the most recently completed fiscal year that was a TARP period;

(xi)  Southern First Bancshares, Inc. will disclose the amount, nature, and justification for the offering during any part of the most recently completed fiscal year that was a TARP period, of any perquisites, as defined in the regulations and guidance established under section 111 of EESA, whose total value exceeds $25,000 for any employee who is subject to the bonus payment limitations identified in paragraph (viii);

(xii)  Southern First Bancshares, Inc. will disclose whether Southern First Bancshares, Inc., the board of directors of Southern First Bancshares, Inc., or the compensation committee of Southern First Bancshares, Inc. has engaged during any part of the most recently completed fiscal year that was a TARP period a compensation consultant; and the services the compensation consultant or any affiliate of the compensation consultant provided during this period;

(xiii)  Southern First Bancshares, Inc. has prohibited the payment of any gross-ups, as defined in the regulations and guidance established under section 111 of EESA, to the SEOs and the next twenty most highly compensated employees during any part of the most recently completed fiscal year that was a TARP period;

(xiv)  Southern First Bancshares, Inc. has substantially complied with all other requirements related to employee compensation that are provided in the agreement between Southern First Bancshares, Inc. and Treasury, including any amendments;

(xvi)  Southern First Bancshares, Inc. has submitted to Treasury a complete and accurate list of the SEOs and the twenty next most highly compensated employees for the current fiscal year, with the non-SEOs ranked in descending order of level of annual compensation, and with the name, title, and employer of each SEO and most highly compensated employee identified; and

(xvi)  I understand that a knowing and willful false or fraudulent statement made in connection with this certification may be punished by fine, imprisonment, or both. (See, for example, 18 U.S.C. 1001.)"

	Date: March 4, 2011			By:			/s/R. Arthur Seaver, Jr. R. Arthur Seaver, Jr Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer)