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South Carolina Can you legally sell food from home in South Carolina?

Cottage Food Law

South Carolina first created a cottage food law in 2012, which was amended in 2018 and 2022.

Producers can sell both directly to consumers, and indirectly to retail stores. Producers can sell their products online, and can ship them as well.

There is no sales limit, and the producer doesn’t need to take a food safety training course or get a health department permit.

Also, producers can sell almost any type of nonperishable food.

Overall, it is now one of the best cottage food laws in the country.

Selling Where can you sell homemade food products?

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Allowed Foods What food products can you sell from home?

Any food that is non-potentially hazardous is allowed.

You can sell up to 400 gallons of honey directly to the consumer by applying for an exemption. You cannot sell honey in retail stores without registering with the ag department.

Limitations How will your home food business be restricted?

Limitations
There is no sales limit

If you sell less than $1,500 per year of non-perishable homemade products, you don’t need to label your products or follow most other requirements specified in the law.

Business What do you need to do to sell food from home?

Private Water Source

If you have a private water source (like a well), you must get it approved by the health department.

Private Sewer

If you have a private sewer system (like a septic tank), you must get it approved by the health department.

If you sell less than $1,500 per year of non-perishable homemade products, you don’t need to label your products or follow most other requirements specified in the law.

Labeling How do you label cottage food products?

Sample Label

Chocolate Chip Cookies

"PROCESSED AND PREPARED BY A HOME-BASED FOOD PRODUCTION OPERATION THAT IS NOT SUBJECT TO SOUTH CAROLINA'S FOOD SAFETY REGULATIONS"


Forrager Cookie Company

123 Chewy Way, Cookietown, SC 73531


Ingredients: enriched flour (wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), butter (cream, salt), semi-sweet chocolate (sugar, chocolate, cocoa butter, milkfat, soy lecithin, natural flavors), brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract (vanilla bean extract, alcohol, sugar), baking soda, salt (salt, calcium silicate)


Contains: milk, eggs, wheat, soy


If you don’t want to include your home address on your labels, you can get an identification number from the health department to use instead.

Workplace Are there any home kitchen requirements?

Ensure the home is clean and sanitary to reduce the risk of cross contamination during food processing and packaging.

Ingredients for your business must be kept separate from those for personal use.

You must have properly working refrigeration and adequate facilities for cleaning and sanitizing all utensils and equipment, including a sink with an adequate quantity of hot water, enough sanitary storage for utensils and equipment, hand washing facilities separate from the facilities used for cleaning utensils and equipment, a sanitary and working toilet, and a department-approved sewage disposal.

There must be no signs of rodent or pest activity.

Resources Where can you find more information about this law?

Department
Health and Environmental Control
Contacts

Food Protection Division

Department
Department of Health and Environmental Control
Law Dates
June 2012
H 4689
May 2018
H 5063
May 2022
S 506

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Starting a cottage food business?

TAKE THE FREE MINI COURSE

How To Start A Cottage Food Business

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