Local permits & fees

Greenville County, SC — Commercial Kitchen Permits

South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA) - Consumer Protection Division, Retail Food Safety & Compliance · department site →

Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.

Restaurant / food-facility permit

Retail Food Establishment Permit (SC Regulation 61-25)

Annual inspection fee by gross food sales: $100 ($0-250,000); $150 ($250,001-500,000); $200 ($500,001-750,000); $250 ($750,001-1,000,000); $300 ($1,000,001-1,250,000); $350 ($1,250,001-1,500,000); $400 ($1,500,001-1,750,000); $450 ($1,750,001+)

State-administered. Retail food oversight transferred from SC DHEC to the SC Dept of Agriculture (SCDA) on July 1, 2024. Fee is based on prior calendar-year gross food/food-product sales (excludes alcohol and general merchandise). Once paid, the posted grade sticker is the permit; no paper license is issued.

Plan review — required

null - required for new/remodeled facilities (submit ~30 days before opening) but a plan-review dollar fee is not published on the SCDA page; confirm with SCDA Retail Food Safety ([email protected])

Plan-review details & forms →

Food truck / mobile permit

Mobile Retail Food Establishment permit (SCDA)

null - SCDA permits mobile units under the same Reg 61-25 gross-sales annual inspection schedule; a mobile-specific line item is not separately published, confirm with SCDA. A separate local (Greenville city/county) business license also applies

Application form DHEC 1769 (now SCDA-administered) submitted at least 30 days before opening.

How to apply

Forms & applications

Watch out for

Administration moved DHEC to SCDA effective 7/1/2024; permits now issued by SCDA.
Annual fee tiered by gross food sales (alcohol and general merchandise excluded).
Late penalties: +$50 (30-59 days past due), +$100 (60+ days).
Annual-fee exemption available under Section 8-304.11(A)(c)(iv) by written request each year.

Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction

Category	Annual fee	Notes
grocery/market with deli	Same SCDA Reg 61-25 annual inspection schedule by gross food sales: $100 ($0-250k); $150; $200; $250; $300; $350; $400; $450 ($1.75M+)	State-administered by SCDA. SC uses one unified gross-sales fee schedule for all retail food establishments (convenience stores that prepare food, markets, etc.); it does not break out separate caterer/commissary/bakery/bar/pushcart categories with their own fees. Temporary/event and mobile fees are not separately published - confirm with SCDA.

South Carolina statewide rules

Who licenses you, reciprocity, and the state regime.

What equipment you need

Build a tailored equipment checklist for your concept.

Permits & plan review, explained

The stack of approvals before you open.

Sources: agriculture.sc.gov · agriculture.sc.gov · des.sc.gov · observed 2026-08-07