Spartanburg County, SC Food Facility Permits & Fees
Restaurants and food trucks.
South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA), Consumer Protection - Retail Food Safety. STATE-administered since July 1, 2024 (transferred from SC DHEC). Spartanburg County does not set fees. · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Spartanburg County food-facility health permits run about $100–$750 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Confirm the exact amount with South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA), Consumer Protection - Retail Food Safety. STATE-administered since July 1, 2024 (transferred from SC DHEC). Spartanburg County does not set fees. before you budget.
Confirm the authority for your exact address. Some cities run their own health division, and building, planning, fire, sewer/grease and business-license approvals are separate even when South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA), Consumer Protection - Retail Food Safety. STATE-administered since July 1, 2024 (transferred from SC DHEC). Spartanburg County does not set fees. issues the health permit.
About 594 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 356,698. (U.S. Census 2023 estimate; County Business Patterns 2022, NAICS 722)
Last verified: 2026-08-17 — we re-confirmed the serving authority, its contact, and that the fees below match the current published schedule. Fee schedules may carry an earlier effective date (shown per fee); local ordinances & amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date? Report an update →
Restaurant / food-facility permit
Retail Food Establishment Permit (SCDA)
$100 initial permit fee + annual inspection fee by prior-year gross food sales: $0-250k = $100,$250k-500k = $150,$500k-750k = $200,$750k-1M = $250,$1M-1.25M = $300,$1.25M-1.5M = $350,$1.5M-1.75M = $400,$1.75M+ = $450. Total is never less than $200
Statewide SCDA gross-sales schedule under Regulation 61-25; applies uniformly across SC counties; Inspection fee recalculated annually from gross sales
Plan review — required
SCDA reviews plans for new/remodeled retail food establishments
a separate published plan-review dollar fee was not located
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
How Spartanburg County’s permit cost compares
At about $100/year, Spartanburg County’s restaurant health permit is about the South Carolina median ($100) and below the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 45% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 42nd-lowest of 46 South Carolina counties by permit cost.
Comparison uses the lowest published annual restaurant-permit figure in each county; confirm your exact tier with the department.
Local food-service market
About 594 food & drinking establishments serve ~356,698 residents in Spartanburg County — one per ~601 residents, denser than the South Carolina average (one per ~649).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$100 annual health permit.
Plus building, fire, and business-license fees that vary locally — use the cost calculators and the checklist below to budget the full stack.
Watch out for
SC Dept of Agriculture assumed retail food inspection/permitting statewide on July 1, 2024
Single unified permit fee model (base + gross-sales inspection fee) for restaurants, groceries and mobile units
Minimum total fee $200; maximum inspection fee $450 for gross sales over $1.75M
Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction
Category
Annual fee
Notes
Grocery / market with deli
$100 base + gross-sales inspection fee ($100-$450)
SCDA permits groceries/markets as Retail Food Establishments on the same statewide $100 base + gross-sales inspection schedule (min total $200)
Pushcart / mobile vending
permitted as a Retail Food Establishment under the same $100 base + gross-sales schedule; no mobile-specific figure published; Confirm with SCDA
SCDA mobile food establishment form RFEMobileFoodEstablishment2024; base of operation required
Equipment your Spartanburg County plan review will check
Health-department plan review looks for specific, code-compliant fixtures. Compare spec-filtered options, then confirm counts and sizes with your local requirements. See the full list in what equipment a commercial kitchen requires.
$100 initial permit fee + annual inspection fee by prior-year gross food sales: $0-250k = $100, $250k-500k = $150, $500k-750k = $200, $750k-1M = $250, $1M-1.25M = $300, $1.25M-1.5M = $350, $1.5M-1.75M = $400, $1.75M+ = $450. Total is never less than $200 These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Spartanburg County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: SCDA reviews plans for new/remodeled retail food establishments; a separate published plan-review dollar fee was not located; Confirm with SCDA Retail Food Safety
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Spartanburg County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Mobile food establishments use SCDA form RFEMobileFoodEstablishment2024; base of operation/commissary required
Who issues food permits in Spartanburg County?
Food permits here are issued by South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA), Consumer Protection - Retail Food Safety. STATE-administered since July 1, 2024 (transferred from SC DHEC). Spartanburg County does not set fees.. See the department site for current details.
Are city building and fire approvals separate?
Yes — building, plumbing, mechanical and fire approvals are always separate from the health permit and are often handled by different offices.
Published by Resultex Media Group LLC · Independent & vendor-neutral · Educational only, not legal or engineering advice · Last verified September 2026