Each row is the verification state of one aspect for South Carolina, taken from the data we hold. A check does not mean every local amendment or county fee was individually reviewed.
These come from the FDA Food Code — a model code that nearly every state adopts and amends, with enforcement that varies by jurisdiction. Treat them as commonly required, not universal: your menu, your state’s adopted edition, and your local authority (AHJ) may impose different or additional requirements.
Labels flag how firm each item is — Common baseline core Food-Code expectation · Frequently required usual on plan review · Varies locally set by local/plumbing code · Verify with AHJ confirm the specifics locally. The finer details (drainboard count, which sanitation listings are accepted, interceptor sizing) are plan-review and plumbing-code matters that vary by jurisdiction; the notes below are FoodServiceNerd planning guidance, not a code citation.
Varies locally Also required in most kitchens: a mop/service sink, mechanical exhaust hood (Type I over grease/smoke), adequate hot water, indirect waste/air gaps on food & warewashing equipment, and a grease interceptor where local plumbing code requires it — which apply, and their sizing, are set locally.
Licensing authority: SC Dept. of AGRICULTURE (SCDA) - transferred from DHEC on 2024-07-01. Regime: STATE-ISSUED - agency changed 2024.
AGENCY CHANGE most guides have missed. Regulation 61-25 states that after 2024-07-01 all references to DHEC must be construed as references to SCDA - retail food safety and inspection moved from the Department of Health and Environmental Control to the Department of Agriculture, and three fragmented systems were merged into one. Multiple 2025 and 2026-dated guides still tell operators to contact DHEC. A Retail Food Establishment Permit from SCDA is required before selling retail direct-to-consumer, and the scope explicitly includes mobile food establishments AND their associated commissary. Application historically form DHEC 1769, submitted at least 30 days before opening, with a commissary agreement - confirm the current form number post-transfer. Changes to preparation type, equipment or structure need approval before implementation and may require a new application. Charleston adds a Charleston Water Systems grease trap requirement plus impact fees, and restricts downtown street vending to designated locations.
Mobile/food-truck reciprocity: Not established - single state permit implies statewide validity, confirm
New builds and remodels almost always require a plan review and a pre-opening inspection. Submit your equipment layout early — the sink count, hood, and hot-water sizing are the usual sticking points.
Confirm the current mobile/retail food licence class, fees, forms and inspection scheduling with the state agency before applying.
Food-permit basics, inspection grading and your local health-department contact, county by county. Fees and plan review are set locally — find yours below.