12 permits · verified 2026-10-12
What permits do you need to open a retail store in Greenville County?
In short
A retail store in Greenville County, SC has 3 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 9 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. South Carolina Secretary of State, Division of Business Filings charges $110 one-time filing for the articles of organization (llc). 9 of the 12 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-12 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a retail store in Greenville County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Occupation Permit and Certificate of Use (unincorporated Greenville County)only if it applies to you | Greenville County Zoning Administration (Department of Planning and Zoning) | The home occupation fee amount is not published in CZ-2026-039 or on the Zoning Administration and Building Safety pages; contact Zoning Administration (864-467-7425, zoning@greenvillecounty.org) for the current amount. | one-time review before a Certificate of Use is issued | 2026-10-12 |
| Temporary Tent Permit (Greenville County Building Safety)only if it applies to you | Greenville County Building Safety (Permit Center) | No fee amount is published on the Temporary Tent Permit Requirements sheet. Contact Building Safety (864-467-7060). | up to 180 days; longer use must meet permanent requirements and plan review | 2026-10-12 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
Local permits that apply to every type of business in Greenville County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| County Business Registration (unincorporated Greenville County) | Greenville County Business Registration (Department of General Services) | Varies — formula on the Greenville County page | annual; renewal applications due before December 31 each year; new businesses register before beginning operation | 2026-10-12 |
| Building and Trade Permits and Commercial Plan Review (Greenville County Building Safety)only if it applies to you | Greenville County Building Safety (Permit Center) | Varies — formula on the Greenville County page | per project; extensions by the Request For Permit Extension form | 2026-10-12 |
| Change of Tenant – Feasibility Permit and Certificate of Occupancy (Greenville County Building Safety)only if it applies to you | Greenville County Building Safety (Permit Center) | Varies — formula on the Greenville County page | one-time, per tenant space; the application is abandoned 180 days after filing unless a permit has been issued | 2026-10-12 |
| Grading / Land-Disturbance Permit (Greenville County Land Development Division)only if it applies to you | Greenville County Land Development Division | Varies — formula on the Greenville County page | 1-year (Simplified), 2-year (Engineered Minimum or Full Land) or 5-year (Full Land) permit; renewable | 2026-10-12 |
| Floodplain Development Permit (Greenville County Floodplain Administration)only if it applies to you | Greenville County Floodplain Administration | Varies — formula on the Greenville County page | per development project | 2026-10-12 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
SC registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corporate Annual Report and License Feeonly if it applies to you | South Carolina Department of Revenue | Varies — formula on the SC page | annual — due on the fifteenth day of the fourth month after the tax year ends | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to you | South Carolina Secretary of State, Division of Business Filings | $110 one-time filing | perpetual — an LLC files no annual report in South Carolina | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | South Carolina Secretary of State, Division of Business Filings | $135 at filing — $110 to the Secretary of State plus the $25 initial license fee | perpetual, but an annual report and license fee are due every year | 2026-09-03 |
| Retail License | South Carolina Department of Revenue | $50 for each permanent location, and it is not refundable | no expiry while the same person trades at the same location | 2026-09-03 |
| Local Business License | South Carolina Department of Revenue | Varies — formula on the SC page | 1 May to 30 April, the same in every South Carolina jurisdiction | 2026-09-03 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
How much does it actually cost to permit a retail store in Greenville County?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 12 records listed for a retail store in Greenville County, SC, 3 apply to every business of this type and 9 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.
Of the 3 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $50.00. That is a floor, not a total. 9 of the 12 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 0 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
Home Occupation Permit and Certificate of Use (unincorporated Greenville County): The home occupation fee amount is not published in CZ-2026-039 or on the Zoning Administration and Building Safety pages; contact Zoning Administration (864-467-7425, zoning@greenvillecounty.org) for the current amount.
Temporary Tent Permit (Greenville County Building Safety): No fee amount is published on the Temporary Tent Permit Requirements sheet. Contact Building Safety (864-467-7060).
The other 7 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Greenville County permits page and the SC state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Greenville County?
Permits for a retail store in Greenville County, SC come from 7 separate offices: Greenville County Business Registration (Department of General Services), Greenville County Building Safety (Permit Center), Greenville County Zoning Administration (Department of Planning and Zoning), Greenville County Land Development Division, Greenville County Floodplain Administration, South Carolina Department of Revenue, South Carolina Secretary of State, Division of Business Filings. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- Greenville County Business Registration (Department of General Services)Issues 1 permit on this page: County Business Registration (unincorporated Greenville County)301 University Ridge, Suite S-3100, Greenville, SC 29601 · (864) 467-7656greenvillecountysc.gov/AnswerBook/BusinessRegProgram.aspx
- Greenville County Building Safety (Permit Center)Issues 3 permits on this page: Building and Trade Permits and Commercial Plan Review (Greenville County Building Safety), Change of Tenant – Feasibility Permit and Certificate of Occupancy (Greenville County Building Safety), Temporary Tent Permit (Greenville County Building Safety)301 University Ridge, Suite S-3100, Greenville, SC 29601 · (864) 467-7060greenvillecountysc.gov/BuildingSafety/Permits.aspx
- Greenville County Zoning Administration (Department of Planning and Zoning)Issues 1 permit on this page: Home Occupation Permit and Certificate of Use (unincorporated Greenville County)301 University Ridge, Suite S-3200, Greenville, SC 29601 · (864) 467-7425greenvillecountysc.gov/Zoning/Default.aspx
- Greenville County Land Development DivisionIssues 1 permit on this page: Grading / Land-Disturbance Permit (Greenville County Land Development Division)301 University Ridge, Suite S-3300, Greenville, SC 29601 · (864) 467-4610greenvillecountysc.gov/LandDevelopment/Default.aspx
- Greenville County Floodplain AdministrationIssues 1 permit on this page: Floodplain Development Permit (Greenville County Floodplain Administration)301 University Ridge, Suite S-3200, Greenville, SC 29601 · (864) 467-7523greenvillecountysc.gov/FloodplainAdministration
- South Carolina Department of RevenueIssues 3 permits on this page: Corporate Annual Report and License Fee, Retail License, Local Business LicensePO Box 125, Columbia, SC 29214 · (803) 898-3153dor.sc.gov/businesses
- South Carolina Secretary of State, Division of Business FilingsIssues 2 permits on this page: Articles of Organization (LLC), Articles of Incorporation1205 Pendleton Street, Suite 525, Columbia, SC 29201 · (803) 734-2158sos.sc.gov/online-filings/business-entities
What does a retail store need in Greenville County that other businesses do not?
Shared with other businesses in Greenville County
- Home Occupation Permit and Certificate of Use (unincorporated Greenville County) — Greenville County Zoning Administration (Department of Planning and Zoning), The home occupation fee amount is not published in CZ-2026-039 or on the Zoning Administration and Building Safety pages; contact Zoning Administration (864-467-7425, zoning@greenvillecounty.org) for the current amount., one-time review before a Certificate of Use is issued. Also required for salons and barbers and childcare centres; what it involves is set out on the salons and barbers page.
- Temporary Tent Permit (Greenville County Building Safety) — Greenville County Building Safety (Permit Center), No fee amount is published on the Temporary Tent Permit Requirements sheet. Contact Building Safety (864-467-7060)., up to 180 days; longer use must meet permanent requirements and plan review. Also required for food trucks; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
The other 5 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Greenville County, SC; what each one involves is set out on the Greenville County permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across SC and are covered on the SC state page.
How does a retail store compare with other businesses in Greenville County?
The closest match is a childcare centre, which shares 1 of these permits. A retail store also needs Temporary Tent Permit (Greenville County Building Safety). A childcare centre needs Child Care Centre License, which a retail store does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a retail store | Only a retail store needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Childcare centres | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Salons and barbers | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Food trucks | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Auto repair shops | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Coffee shops | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Contractors and trades | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Fitness studios | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Restaurants | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Veterinary clinics | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
Sources
Sources for the permits shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the salons and barbers page and food trucks page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Greenville County permits page and the SC state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.