Last verified 2026-09-15. Regulator: South Carolina Department of Public Health (formerly DHEC) and the South Carolina Department of Agriculture. This page is not legal advice.
What must a cottage food label show in South Carolina?
A South Carolina cottage food label must show these 5 items:
- The name and address of the home-based food production operation, or a department-issued identification number in place of the address
- The name of the product being sold
- The ingredients used to make the product in descending order of predominance by weight
- A conspicuous statement in all capital letters, in a color that contrasts clearly with the background: "PROCESSED AND PREPARED BY A HOME-BASED FOOD PRODUCTION OPERATION THAT IS NOT SUBJECT TO SOUTH CAROLINA'S FOOD SAFETY REGULATIONS."
- Anything else required by federal labeling laws and regulations
What disclaimer must a South Carolina cottage food label have?
Yes. A South Carolina cottage food label must carry this statement, word for word:
PROCESSED AND PREPARED BY A HOME-BASED FOOD PRODUCTION OPERATION THAT IS NOT SUBJECT TO SOUTH CAROLINA'S FOOD SAFETY REGULATIONS.
Does South Carolina require a Nutrition Facts panel on cottage food?
Only in some cases. South Carolina requires a Nutrition Facts panel when the label makes a nutrient or health claim, such as "low sugar" or "high protein". If you want to add one, the Nutrition Label Maker prints it in the FDA layout for free.
What foods can you sell under the South Carolina cottage food law?
Nonpotentially hazardous foods. The statute lists potentially hazardous foods that are not allowed, including raw or heat-treated animal foods, heat-treated plant foods, raw seed sprouts, cut melons, cut leafy greens, cut tomatoes, and garlic-in-oil mixtures, plus foods that need a product assessment because of their pH and water activity. Aluminum canned goods and charcuterie boards are excluded.
Where can you sell cottage food in South Carolina?
Directly to an individual consumer, including online and by mail order, or to retail stores, including grocery stores. A store that sells home-based food products must post a clearly visible sign that says the products are not subject to commercial food regulations.
Do you need a permit to sell cottage food in South Carolina?
No state license, permit, or inspection. The operation is not a retail food establishment and is not regulated under Regulation 61-25. The operator may request an identification number from the department to use on the label instead of a home address. Local ordinances can override the section.
Is there a sales limit for cottage food in South Carolina?
No cap. The section does not apply to an operation with net earnings under $1,500 a year.
What else should you know about the South Carolina rules?
The 2022 amendment (Act 208) opened sales to online, mail order, and retail stores, and widened the allowed foods from candy and baked goods to all nonpotentially hazardous foods. It also removed the words “NOT FOR RESALE” from the required statement, so check that old labels do not still carry them. The statement must be in all capital letters and a contrasting color. The statute says the label must comply with federal labeling law, so allergen labeling applies, and nutrition facts apply only when federal rules require them, such as when the label makes a nutrient claim. The section applies only where no local ordinance says otherwise, so check with your city or county. The statute also sets kitchen rules: no pets or domestic activities during production, a separate ingredient storage place, a working refrigerator, and an approved water supply.
How accurate is this page?
The label items, the disclaimer, the allowed foods, the sales channels, the $1,500 net earnings threshold, and the 2022 amendment history were read from S.C. Code section 44-1-143 on the South Carolina Legislature site on 2026-09-15. The South Carolina Department of Agriculture home-based food page and the Clemson HGIC fact sheet could not be read; the agency site blocked the request or returned 404. Whether the Department of Agriculture offers a voluntary registration for home-based food operations is not confirmed. The nutrition panel answer rests on the statute’s reference to federal law, not on a state-specific statement.