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Cottage food laws

South Carolina Cottage Food Law

Can you sell homemade food from your home kitchen in South Carolina? Here are the sales cap, allowed foods, where you can sell, and the point where you must move into a licensed commercial kitchen.
Educational summary, not legal advice — cottage food rules change; confirm with the state before you sell.
Program
Home-Based Food Production Operation
Annual sales cap
No cap
Where you can sell
Direct/in-personFarmers marketsHome pickupOnlineWholesale to in-state retail stores
Registration / to start
No permit/license/registration required; optional voluntary SCDA ID number for label privacy; <$500 net/yr fully exempt
Allowed foods
Non-TCS foods: baked goods, candy, high-acid standard jams/jellies, dried goods/herbs; pH/water-activity testing allowed for TCS determinations
Not allowed
TCS/refrigerated foods, meat, low-acid canned goods
When you need a commercial / commissary kitchen
Selling TCS foods beyond alternative determinations requires a licensed kitchen
Administered by
South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA) · S.C. Home-Based Food Production Law

Source: South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA). Cottage food laws change often — confirm current rules before selling.

Good to know

No cap; no registration; allows both direct AND wholesale to retail stores. Optional SCDA ID number for privacy. Now permits alternative pH/water-activity TCS determinations.

Outgrowing cottage food? When you need a licensed kitchen, see South Carolina food-business requirements, estimate the build with the cost-to-open calculator, and check whether you need a hood.

Frequently asked

Can I sell homemade food in South Carolina?
Yes. South Carolina has a cottage food framework (Home-Based Food Production Operation) that lets individuals make and sell certain non-hazardous foods from a home kitchen. There is no sales cap. You still must follow the state's rules on allowed foods, labeling, and where you can sell. Administered by South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA).
What foods can I sell under South Carolina's cottage food law?
Non-TCS foods: baked goods, candy, high-acid standard jams/jellies, dried goods/herbs; pH/water-activity testing allowed for TCS determinations Not allowed: TCS/refrigerated foods, meat, low-acid canned goods
When do I need a commercial or commissary kitchen in South Carolina?
Selling TCS foods beyond alternative determinations requires a licensed kitchen At that point, see the requirements and permit fees for your area.
Do I need a license or registration for cottage food in South Carolina?
No permit/license/registration required; optional voluntary SCDA ID number for label privacy; <$500 net/yr fully exempt
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