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15 permits · verified 2026-10-19

What permits do you need to open a restaurant in Lexington County?

In short

A restaurant in Lexington County, SC has 4 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 11 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Lexington County Public Works Stormwater Division (PW/SWD) charges $440 per permit for the small commercial land disturbance permit (lexington county public works stormwater division). 10 of the 15 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-19 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a restaurant in Lexington County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Retail Food Establishment PermitSouth Carolina Department of Agriculture, Retail Food Safety and Compliance$100 to open plus an annual inspection fee of $100 to $450 banded by gross food sales — $100 up to $250,000, rising in $50 steps to $450 above $1.75 millionannual — the inspection fee is invoiced and due thirty days from the billing date2026-09-03
Certified Food Protection Manageronly if it applies to youSouth Carolina Department of Agriculture, Retail Food Safety and ComplianceNo feeset by the certifying programme — South Carolina's rules specify none2026-09-03

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

Local permits that apply to every type of business in Lexington County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Zoning Permit for a Nonresidential Land Use Activity (unincorporated Lexington County)Lexington County Community Development Department, ZoningVaries — formula on the Lexington County pageeffective two years from approval, with five one-year extensions while the permit's obligations are met (Zoning Ordinance §171.10); a new owner or transfer of ownership needs a new permit2026-10-19
Sign Permit (Zoning, unincorporated Lexington County)only if it applies to youLexington County Community Development Department, ZoningVaries — formula on the Lexington County pageper sign; a term is not stated in the Zoning Ordinance or the fee schedule2026-10-19
Building Permit and Commercial Plan Review (Lexington County Building Inspection)only if it applies to youLexington County Community Development Department, Building InspectionVaries — formula on the Lexington County pageper project; a permit becomes invalid if work is not commenced within 180 days of issuance or is suspended or abandoned for 90 days, with written extensions of up to 90 days each (County Code §14-265)2026-10-19
Certificate of Occupancy (Lexington County Building Inspection)only if it applies to youLexington County Community Development Department, Building InspectionVaries — formula on the Lexington County pageone-time, issued on completion of the permitted work; a new certificate is needed for a change in occupancy classification2026-10-19
Landscape Permit for Nonresidential Development (unincorporated Lexington County)only if it applies to youLexington County Community Development Department, ZoningVaries — formula on the Lexington County pageeffective two years from approval, with five one-year extensions while the permit's obligations are met (Landscape and Open Space Ordinance §1.3.1)2026-10-19
Commercial Land Development Plan Review and County Land Disturbance Permit (Lexington County Land Development Division)only if it applies to youLexington County Community Development Department, Land Development DivisionVaries — formula on the Lexington County pageper project; a term is not stated on the Commercial Plan Review page or the fee schedule2026-10-19
Small Commercial Land Disturbance Permit (Lexington County Public Works Stormwater Division)only if it applies to youLexington County Public Works Stormwater Division (PW/SWD)$440 per permitper project; the permit outlines the activities allowed on site2026-10-19
Floodplain Permit for Development in the Special Flood Hazard Area (unincorporated Lexington County)only if it applies to youLexington County Community Development Department, Floodplain ManagementVaries — formula on the Lexington County pageper development2026-10-19

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

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Corporate Annual Report and License Feeonly if it applies to youSouth Carolina Department of RevenueVaries — formula on the SC pageannual — due on the fifteenth day of the fourth month after the tax year ends2026-09-03
Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to youSouth Carolina Secretary of State, Division of Business Filings$110 one-time filingperpetual — an LLC files no annual report in South Carolina2026-09-03
Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to youSouth Carolina Secretary of State, Division of Business Filings$135 at filing — $110 to the Secretary of State plus the $25 initial license feeperpetual, but an annual report and license fee are due every year2026-09-03
Retail LicenseSouth Carolina Department of Revenue$50 for each permanent location, and it is not refundableno expiry while the same person trades at the same location2026-09-03
Local Business LicenseSouth Carolina Department of RevenueVaries — formula on the SC page1 May to 30 April, the same in every South Carolina jurisdiction2026-09-03

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 restaurant in Lexington County?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 15 records listed for a restaurant in Lexington County, SC, 4 apply to every business of this type and 11 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 4 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $50.00. That is a floor, not a total. 10 of the 15 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 1 has no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:

Retail Food Establishment Permit: $100 to open plus an annual inspection fee of $100 to $450 banded by gross food sales — $100 up to $250,000, rising in $50 steps to $450 above $1.75 million

The other 9 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Lexington County permits page and the SC state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Lexington County?

Permits for a restaurant in Lexington County, SC come from 8 separate offices: Lexington County Community Development Department, Zoning, Lexington County Community Development Department, Building Inspection, Lexington County Community Development Department, Land Development Division, Lexington County Public Works Stormwater Division (PW/SWD), Lexington County Community Development Department, Floodplain Management, South Carolina Department of Agriculture, Retail Food Safety and Compliance, 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.

What does a restaurant need in Lexington County that other businesses do not?

Shared with other businesses in Lexington County

  • Retail Food Establishment Permit — South Carolina Department of Agriculture, Retail Food Safety and Compliance, $100 to open plus an annual inspection fee of $100 to $450 banded by gross food sales — $100 up to $250,000, rising in $50 steps to $450 above $1.75 million, annual — the inspection fee is invoiced and due thirty days from the billing date. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
  • Certified Food Protection Manager — South Carolina Department of Agriculture, Retail Food Safety and Compliance, No fee, set by the certifying programme — South Carolina's rules specify none. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.

The other 8 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Lexington County, SC; what each one involves is set out on the Lexington 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 restaurant compare with other businesses in Lexington County?

A restaurant and a coffee shop in Lexington County, SC need exactly the same 2 permits beyond the ones every business needs.

Permits particular to each business type in Lexington County, SC, compared with a restaurant
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a restaurantOnly a restaurant needsOnly it needs
Coffee shops2200
Food trucks2200
Auto repair shops1021
Childcare centres2022
Contractors and trades3023
Fitness studios1021
Retail stores1021
Salons and barbers3023
Veterinary clinics1021

Sources

Sources for the permits shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the coffee shops page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Lexington 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.