South Carolina has one of the most permissive home food laws in the country: no permit, no registration, no inspection, and no sales cap. You can even sell to grocery stores and restaurants, which most states prohibit. Here's how South Carolina works for farmers market vendors.
The short version: South Carolina's Home-Based Food Production (HBFP) law lets you make and sell non-perishable home foods with no permit, no registration, no inspection, and no sales cap. You can sell at farmers markets, events, roadside stands, and even grocery stores and restaurants. An optional free state ID number lets you keep your home address off labels. Vendors selling prepared food need a Retail Food Establishment Permit (about $200 a year minimum) from the state agriculture department. Everyone collects sales tax.
The goal is getting cleared to sell. Once you are, a Homegrown storefront ($10/month, 0% commission) makes taking South Carolina orders, pickups, and payments easy.
South Carolina's Home-Based Food Production (HBFP) law (state code 44-1-143) is among the most relaxed in the nation. You can make and sell non-temperature-controlled home foods with no permit, no registration, no inspection, and no sales cap (the original $15,000 cap was removed in 2022).
What really sets South Carolina apart is where you can sell. On top of farmers markets, special events, and roadside stands, the HBFP law lets you sell to grocery stores and restaurants (with proper signage), online, and by mail order. Most states prohibit selling cottage food to retail outlets, so this is a meaningful advantage. Allowed foods are non-temperature-controlled items like baked goods, candy, jams, jellies, and dried goods. For the full list and labeling rules, see our South Carolina cottage food law guide and our walkthrough on how to start a cottage food business in South Carolina.
There's no required registration, but South Carolina offers a smart optional one: a free SCDA ID number you can put on your labels in place of your home address. If you'd rather not print your address on every product, apply for the ID through the Department of Agriculture. Your label must read "PROCESSED AND PREPARED BY A HOME-BASED FOOD PRODUCTION OPERATION THAT IS NOT SUBJECT TO SOUTH CAROLINA'S FOOD SAFETY REGULATIONS."
If you sell prepared food beyond the HBFP list, you need a Retail Food Establishment Permit from the South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA). The initial fee is $100 plus an annual inspection fee scaled to your gross sales, for a minimum of about $200 a year. For farmers market seasons, vendors complete an Event Authorization Application (Form D-1717) through SCDA.
One thing to note: South Carolina consolidated food safety regulation under SCDA in recent years (it used to be handled by DHEC). If you dealt with DHEC before, you now contact SCDA.
South Carolina cottage food sales are subject to sales tax, so register with the South Carolina Department of Revenue and collect it.
No specific state sampling permit was identified. Check with SCDA for current sampling guidance.
Start at the official sources: the SCDA Retail Food Safety page and the Clemson Extension guide to the HBFP law for a plain breakdown.
For non-perishable home foods under the HBFP law, no permit, registration, or inspection is required, and there's no sales cap. Prepared-food vendors need a Retail Food Establishment Permit (about $200 a year minimum) from SCDA. Everyone collects sales tax.
Yes. South Carolina's HBFP law allows sales to grocery stores and restaurants (with proper signage), in addition to farmers markets, events, online, and mail order. Most states prohibit cottage food sales to retail outlets, so this is a real advantage.
No. The original $15,000 cap was removed in 2022, so there's no sales limit under the Home-Based Food Production law.
Apply for a free SCDA ID number and put it on your labels in place of your home address. It's optional but useful for privacy. Your label must still include the required HBFP statement.
The South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA). The state consolidated food safety regulation under SCDA in recent years, moving it from DHEC, so contact SCDA for permits and questions.
South Carolina is one of the easiest states for home food makers: no permit, no cap, and the rare ability to sell to grocery stores and restaurants. Use the free SCDA ID for label privacy, get a Retail Food Permit only if you sell prepared food, and collect sales tax. Once you're cleared to sell, a simple storefront makes pickups and payments easy. Set up a Homegrown storefront for $10/month at 0% commission, and check other states on our farmers market vendor permits by state guide.
*This guide is general information, not legal advice. Permit rules change. Verify current requirements with the South Carolina Department of Agriculture and Department of Revenue before selling. Last updated: June 2026.*
