South Carolina cottage food laws
Rules change, so always confirm with the official South Carolina source.
The law: South Carolina Home-Based Food Production Law (SC Code 44-1-143)
What you can sell
Shelf-stable cakes, cookies, cupcakes, high-acid fruit pies/fillings, roasted nuts, dried herbs and spices. The May 2026 agency sheet lists sourdough made with commercial starter.
What you can't sell
Temperature-controlled foods, cheesecake, meat/seafood, bottled beverages, hot sauce and BBQ sauce require a different permitted pathway.
Do you need a license or permit?
No SCDA retail-food permit is required for qualifying home-based production. An optional SCDA home-based food ID can replace name/address on labels; its fee was not confirmed.
Sales limits
No sales-dollar ceiling was identified in the reviewed current guidance.
Where you can sell
Sell directly to consumers or retail stores within South Carolina; stores must retain original packaging and post the required disclosure. Online, shipping and interstate details were not expressly confirmed in the reviewed fact sheet.
Label requirements
Include producer name/address or SCDA ID, product name and ingredients in descending weight order. In contrasting all-capital letters state: “PROCESSED AND PREPARED BY A HOME-BASED FOOD PRODUCTION OPERATION THAT IS NOT SUBJECT TO SOUTH CAROLINA’S FOOD SAFETY REGULATIONS.”
Good to know
No health claims may accompany home-based foods. Retailers need a separate consumer disclosure sign. Some details on this page could not be fully confirmed from official sources, so check with the state agency before you sell.
Pricing your products
Knowing your real cost per item matters as much as following the law.
Try Oven Elf free →Source: https://agriculture.sc.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Home-basedFoodProduction2026.pdf
General summary, not legal advice.
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