Cottage food laws in Horry County, SC
Horry County is a county in South Carolina (pop. 356,578). Under South Carolina's Good-tier cottage food law (sales cap: None), home bakers must still clear local zoning and health rules in this county. Registration path: No. Start with South Carolina Department of Agriculture (state cottage food page linked below), then confirm Horry County health and planning requirements. Local notes for Horry County: home kitchen allowed; inspection not required; home occupation permit not required. SC state law is permissive (no permit, no inspection, no sales cap). County-level zoning and home occupation rules not found in public index; SCDA guidance explicitly defers local permitting questions to SC SBDC. Horry County has no publicly searchable municode. Download the free PDF reports below for a portable summary, and always re-check official sources before you sell.
Horry County cottage food reports
Zoning, permits, health department rules, and local sources for Horry County.
Download county PDF
Full statute, all counties in South Carolina, and official source links.
Download state PDFTier: Good
South Carolina has a Good-tier cottage food law — solid baseline with moderate restrictions, typically a high sales cap (often $50K+) and standard direct-to-consumer rules. Workable for most home bakers with reasonable scale plans.
View state law →Health department
Many states delegate cottage food registration and inspection to the county health department. Contact theirs for the local process.
Home occupation rules
The county or city zoning code governs whether you can run a home-based food business — customer visits, signage, employees, floor area.
Home kitchen, inspection, and zoning rules for Horry County
State baseline: S.C. Code §44-1-143; no registration required, no sales cap, home kitchen allowed, no inspection
- Home kitchen allowed
- Yes
- Restrictions
- No domestic activities in kitchen during production; pets/animals excluded from production area; water and sewage must meet state standards; no refrigerated or TCS foods
- Separate dedicated kitchen
- No
- Pet restrictions
- All animals including pets must be excluded from production area during food production
- Water supply
- Water and sewage disposal systems must meet state standards
- Handwashing
- Handwashing required per standard food safety practices
- Food storage
- Stored in sanitary conditions separate from household items
- Inspection required
- No
- Inspection trigger
- No state inspection required; complaint-based follow-up possible
- Home occupation permit
- Varies
- Permit details
- No state food permit required. Local zoning/home occupation permit may be required at county or municipal level; SCDA recommends contacting SC Small Business Development Center for local permitting questions
- Local business license
- Varies
- On-site customer pickup
- Yes
- On-site signage
- Conditional
- Delivery / pickup
- Direct to consumer including online orders and mail delivery within SC; also to retail stores and grocery stores for resale
- Max employees in home
- Not specified at state level; sole operator typical
- Relevant code section
- Not identified; county code not publicly indexed
SC state law is permissive (no permit, no inspection, no sales cap). County-level zoning and home occupation rules not found in public index; SCDA guidance explicitly defers local permitting questions to SC SBDC. Horry County has no publicly searchable municode.
South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 44 – Health, Chapter 1 – Department of Public Health, Section 44-1-145 (Home-Based Food Production Operations)
Full South Carolina state report (with PDF download) →Verbatim excerpt(A) As used in this section: (1) "Home-based food production operation" means a person who produces food items in the kitchen of their primary domestic residence for direct sale to consumers, including online and by mail order, or to retail stores, including grocery stores. The person must not produce foods that are potentially hazardous. Foods in item (2) with a pH value greater than 5.6 and foods in item (3) with a pH value greater than 4.6 are considered potentially hazardous unless a product assessment is conducted pursuant to the 2009 Federal Drug Administration Food Code. (D) All food items packaged at the operation for sale must be properly labeled. The label must comply with federal laws and regulations and must include: (1) the name and address of the home-based food production operation. If a home-based food production operator does not want to include his address on the label, then the department shall provide an identification number to the operator, upon the operator's request, that can be used on the label instead; (2) the name of the product being sold; (3) the ingredients used to make the product in descending order of predominance by weight; and (4) a conspicuous statement printed in all capital letters and in a color that provides a clear contrast to the background that reads: "PROCESSED AND PREPARED BY A HOME-BASED FOOD PRODUCTION OPERATION THAT IS NOT SUBJECT TO SOUTH CAROLINA'S FOOD SAFETY REGULATIONS." (E) Home-based food operations only may sell, or offer to sell, food items directly to a person, including online and by mail order, or to retail stores, including grocery stores. (F) A home-based food production operation is not a retail food establishment and is not subject to regulation by the department pursuant to Regulation 61.25. (G) The provisions of this section do not apply to an operation with net earnings of less than fifteen hundred dollars annually.
Source: scstatehouse.gov/code/t44c001.php →
Horry County cottage food — FAQ
Do I need a permit to sell cottage food in Horry County, South Carolina?
Home occupation permit: Varies. No state food permit required. Local zoning/home occupation permit may be required at county or municipal level; SCDA recommends contacting SC Small Business Development Center for local permitting questions State cottage food registration may also apply — check the South Carolina guide at https://crosodo.com/states/south-carolina.
Is a health inspection required for home bakers in Horry County?
Inspection: No. Trigger: No state inspection required; complaint-based follow-up possible. Non-TCS baked goods are often exempt from kitchen inspection under state cottage food law, but local rules can differ.
What foods can I sell under South Carolina cottage food law in Horry County?
Non-potentially hazardous foods produced in the kitchen of a primary domestic residence are allowed, including baked goods, candy, jams, jellies, and other shelf-stable foods not requiring refrigeration. The 2022 amendment expanded allowed distribution to retail stores and grocery stores. County zoning does not expand the state product list — if a food is banned by South Carolina, it stays banned. Verify with the state agency before selling.
What is the sales cap for cottage food in South Carolina?
South Carolina state law lists cottage food sales at None. There is typically no separate county sales cap, but local permits or zoning can still limit operations.
Do I need a home occupation permit in Horry County?
Home occupation permit: Varies. No state food permit required. Local zoning/home occupation permit may be required at county or municipal level; SCDA recommends contacting SC Small Business Development Center for local permitting questions
Where to verify Horry County rules
Horry County vs. bordering counties
| Regulation | Horry County This county | Georgetown County | Dillon County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home kitchen allowed | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Separate dedicated kitchen | No | No | No |
| Pets allowed | All animals including pets must be excluded from production area during food production | No specific state prohibition; good manufacturing practice applies | No explicit state pet restriction; good manufacturing practices apply. |
| Inspection required | No | No | No |
| On-site customer pickup | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| On-site signage | Conditional | Yes | Conditional |
| Delivery / pickup | Direct to consumer including online orders and mail delivery within SC; also to retail stores and grocery stores for resale | Direct and indirect sales allowed; retail stores, grocery stores, online, and mail order all permitted since 2022 amendment. | Direct-to-consumer, online, mail-order, and indirect retail sales (grocery stores, retail stores) allowed under the 2022 amendment. No geog… |
| Home occupation permit | Varies | Conditional | Varies |
| Local business license | Varies | Varies | Varies |
| Restrictions | No domestic activities in kitchen during production; pets/animals excluded from production area; water and sewage must meet state standards… | No license, permit, or mandatory application required for food production from primary domestic residence. Non-PHF foods only. Voluntary re… | South Carolina allows cottage food from the kitchen of a primary domestic residence (S.C. Code §44-1-145). No registration, permit, or insp… |
| Food storage | Stored in sanitary conditions separate from household items | Non-PHF shelf-stable foods only | Non-potentially hazardous (non-TCS) foods only. Products must be stored safely. |
| Population | 356,578 | 63,594 | 30,479 |
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