Jump to:
The Retail Food Safety Department inspects approximately 24,000 retail food establishments statewide and issues permits to new facilities prior to opening. Retail food establishments include operations such as restaurants, grocery stores, food trucks, schools, and other institutions. Risk-based inspections are conducted at each establishment in the state annually or quarterly, based on an establishment’s food processes and their compliance history.
SCDA also regulates food safety for milk safety and wholesale food operations. The agency provides a wide variety of information and resources to help protect the public from potential food safety hazards while eating out.
The public can find comprehensive inspection reports on the SC Food Grades web tool.
Questions? Contact Us:
Permit Forms & Applications
Permitting is required by Regulation 61-25 for an operation that prepares, processes, packages, serves, or otherwise provides food retail, direct-to-consumer.
Establishments include, but are not limited to, restaurants, delicatessens, snack bars, catering operations, ice cream parlors, school cafeterias, independent living food service operations, licensed healthcare facilities, grocery stores, retail meat markets, fish/seafood markets, retail ice merchants, shared use operations, and mobile food establishments (to include the associated commissary and mobile units). A Retail Food Establishment Permit must be obtained from SCDA prior to selling food products retail, direct-to-consumer.
Retail Food Establishments that will use a Special Process (e.g., Reduced Oxygen Packaging, Cook-Chill, Sous Vide, Fermentation, Acidification) for food production may be required to receive a Special Process Variance. Establishments that will use a Special Process will need to mark that on the application and submit supporting documentation where available.
For more information on Special Processes, contact retailfood@scda.sc.gov.
Retail Food Establishments that will prepare, process, and package food for retail sale and wholesale, contact RVCregistration@scda.sc.gov prior to completing a permit application.
Payments can be made online using Visa, Mastercard, or Discover, with a 2.75% processing fee. American Express is not accepted. For annual inspection fees, refer to the fees section. You can also mail payments to Retail Food Safety, 350 Ballard Court, West Columbia, SC 29172. Please note that cash is not accepted.
For assistance with online payments or applications, contact Retail Food Safety at retailfood@scda.sc.gov or call 803-896-0640.
Planning Resources
Retail Food Forms
- Retail Food Establishment Annual Inspection Fees
- Event Authorization Application
- Request for a Special Process
- Mobile Food Establishment Supplemental
- Change to Existing Retail Food Establishment Permit — Do not use this form for a Change of Ownership
- Request for a Construction/Equipment Variance
- Request for an Operational Variance
- Shared Use Operations Supplemental
Home-based Food Production Law
(Cottage Foods)
Information on the Home-based Food Production Law (HBFP), commonly known as the “Cottage Law,” is available by clicking the buttons below.
SCDA does not issue permits, licenses, certificates, or registrations of HBFP operators. South Carolina law allows certain non-potentially hazardous foods to be exempted from food safety oversight by SCDA, and directs SCDA to provide an ID number to home-based food production operators upon request.
To apply for a Home-based Food Production Law ID number, first read the South Carolina Home-based Food Production Law Guidance to ensure that your food item is allowed to be made under the law. If it does qualify as a food allowed under the law, click the button below to obtain an ID number. You will be issued a number after you complete the application.
Other State & Federal Food Safety Partners
SCDA Wholesale Food (Non-Meat/Poultry)
If your product is sold to other businesses for distribution, contact Wholesale Food Safety.
SC Meat & Poultry
If your product contains more than 3% raw or 2% cooked beef, pork, chicken, or lamb, call SC Meat & Poultry at 803-788-8747.
SC Department of Revenue
If your product is an alcoholic product, call the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) at 1-800-398-2282 or the SC Department of Revenue at 844-898-8542.
SC Department of Environmental Services
If your product is a molluscan shellfish product only, call the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services at 843-238-4378.
United States Food & Drug Administration
FDA/Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) Dietary Supplements
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
South Carolina Department of Public Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to common questions about Retail Food inspections, complaints, permit requirements and exceptions, enforcement, and registration.
