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13 permits · verified 2026-10-19

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

In short

A restaurant in Richland County Sc, SC has 6 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 7 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Richland County Planning & Development Services – Zoning Division charges $26.33 per Clearance Form, one form per business activity (Clearance Form, Revised 10.1.2024) for the business clearance form and zoning review fee (unincorporated richland county). 8 of the 13 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 Richland County Sc

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Richland County Local Hospitality Tax — Registration and Remittance (unincorporated area, 2%)Richland County Business Service Center2% of the gross proceeds of sales of prepared meals and beverages sold in establishments in the unincorporated areas of the county (Code §23-66). Remitted monthly when the average tax is more than $50.00 a month, quarterly at $25.00 to $50.00 a month, and annually under $25.00 a month (§23-67(b)), due on the 20th of the month or the next business day (§23-67(c)). The county's Hospitality Taxes page states a 5% per month late fee.ongoing; payments due on the 20th of the month after the reporting period, or the next business day (Code §23-67(c)); per the county's Hospitality Tax Information page, new businesses are enrolled to pay monthly for the first year2026-10-19
Fats, Oils and Grease Registration and Food Service Establishment Permit (Richland County sewer customers)only if it applies to youRichland County UtilitiesA registration or permit fee is not published on Richland County Utilities' Food Service Establishments page or in the Control of Fats, Oils and Grease ordinance; contact Richland County Utilities (803-401-0050) for any amount due.registration before operation; grease interceptor design and sizing approved before building permit plans are submitted for a new facility2026-10-19
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 Richland County Sc

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Richland County Business License (unincorporated Richland County)Richland County Business Service CenterVaries — formula on the Richland County Sc pagelicense year May 1 to April 30, paid on or before May 1 (Code §16-3(2), §16-4(1)); a contractor's license for a specific construction project may, at the licensee's request, expire at the completion of the project (§16-3(3))2026-10-19
Business Clearance Form and Zoning Review Fee (unincorporated Richland County)Richland County Planning & Development Services – Zoning Division$26.33 per Clearance Form, one form per business activity (Clearance Form, Revised 10.1.2024)one form per business activity, completed before the business license is issued; a new form is filed for a new business, a change of location, a change in or addition of business activity, a change in ownership, or an out-of-county contractor2026-10-19
Building Permit, Commercial Plan Review and Certificate of Occupancyonly if it applies to youRichland County Building Permitting and InspectionsVaries — formula on the Richland County Sc pageper project; a certificate of occupancy is issued before a new building is occupied or a building's occupancy is changed2026-10-19
Fire Marshal Inspection and Approval of Commercial Locations (unincorporated Richland County)only if it applies to youRichland County Fire MarshalVaries — formula on the Richland County Sc pagebefore the business license is issued for a commercial location, and before a new building is occupied2026-10-19

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 Richland County Sc?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 13 records listed for a restaurant in Richland County Sc, SC, 6 apply to every business of this type and 7 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 6 that always apply, 2 carry a flat fee, coming to $76.33. That is a floor, not a total. 8 of the 13 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:

Richland County Local Hospitality Tax — Registration and Remittance (unincorporated area, 2%): 2% of the gross proceeds of sales of prepared meals and beverages sold in establishments in the unincorporated areas of the county (Code §23-66). Remitted monthly when the average tax is more than $50.00 a month, quarterly at $25.00 to $50.00 a month, and annually under $25.00 a month (§23-67(b)), due on the 20th of the month or the next business day (§23-67(c)). The county's Hospitality Taxes page states a 5% per month late fee.

Fats, Oils and Grease Registration and Food Service Establishment Permit (Richland County sewer customers): A registration or permit fee is not published on Richland County Utilities' Food Service Establishments page or in the Control of Fats, Oils and Grease ordinance; contact Richland County Utilities (803-401-0050) for any amount due.

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 5 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Richland County Sc permits page and the SC state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Richland County Sc?

Permits for a restaurant in Richland County Sc, SC come from 8 separate offices: Richland County Business Service Center, Richland County Planning & Development Services – Zoning Division, Richland County Building Permitting and Inspections, Richland County Utilities, Richland County Fire Marshal, 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 Richland County Sc that other businesses do not?

Fats, Oils and Grease Registration and Food Service Establishment Permit (Richland County sewer customers)

This applies only to establishments connected to Richland County Utilities sanitary sewer: the Food Service Establishments page states "Requirements apply to Richland County Sewer Customers only" and asks owners to check the sewer service map. Section 8.4 of the Control of Fats, Oils and Grease ordinance (Richland County Council, approved March 1, 2011) provides that all food service and other establishments with the potential to discharge wastewater containing fats, oils and grease to the Richland County Utilities sanitary sewer collection systems "are to be permitted by the County", must install, operate and maintain an approved, adequately sized grease interceptor, and, for new facilities, must obtain prior approval from Richland County Utilities for grease interceptor design and sizing "prior to submitting plans for a building permit". The Food Service Establishments page describes the registration form as "the final step for new restaurants or any establishment serving food and connected to Richland County sanitary sewer service", and the form asks for a digital menu, seating capacity and hours, the make, model, location and capacity of indoor grease traps, the material of outdoor traps, the trap cleaning contractor and any additives used. A fee is not published on that page or in the ordinance; contact Richland County Utilities (803-401-0050) for any amount due.

Shared with other businesses in Richland County Sc

  • Richland County Local Hospitality Tax — Registration and Remittance (unincorporated area, 2%) — Richland County Business Service Center, 2% of the gross proceeds of sales of prepared meals and beverages sold in establishments in the unincorporated areas of the county (Code §23-66). Remitted monthly when the average tax is more than $50.00 a month, quarterly at $25.00 to $50.00 a month, and annually under $25.00 a month (§23-67(b)), due on the 20th of the month or the next business day (§23-67(c)). The county's Hospitality Taxes page states a 5% per month late fee., ongoing; payments due on the 20th of the month after the reporting period, or the next business day (Code §23-67(c)); per the county's Hospitality Tax Information page, new businesses are enrolled to pay monthly for the first year. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
  • 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 4 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Richland County Sc, SC; what each one involves is set out on the Richland County Sc 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 Richland County Sc?

A restaurant and a coffee shop in Richland County Sc, SC need exactly the same 4 permits beyond the ones every business needs.

Permits particular to each business type in Richland County Sc, SC, compared with a restaurant
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a restaurantOnly a restaurant needsOnly it needs
Coffee shops4400
Food trucks3310
Auto repair shops1041
Childcare centres1041
Contractors and trades3043
Fitness studios0040
Retail stores0040
Salons and barbers2042
Veterinary clinics1041

Sources

Every figure for the permits explained on this page was read from one of these government pages on the date shown. 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 Richland County Sc permits page and the SC state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. Food Service Establishments (Fats, Oils and Grease Registration)Richland County Utilities · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-19
  2. Control of Fats, Oils and Grease (Richland County Council – Approved March 1st, 2011)Richland County Council / Richland County Utilities · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-19

Related

Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.