To open a coffee shop in South Carolina, secure three core approvals: a South Carolina Department of Revenue (SCDOR) Retail License, a DHEC Retail Food Establishment Permit, and a local business license/Certificate of Occupancy in your city or county. Apply for the $50 SCDOR Retail License on MyDORWAY, set up Sales & Use Tax (6% state plus local add-ons), and select monthly filing unless your volume justifies quarterly. Before construction, submit a DHEC plan review (Reg. 61-25) with menu, scaled floor plan, equipment specs, finish schedule, plumbing and hood details; expect 30 days for review, pay the plan-review fee, then pass pre-opening inspection. At least one Certified Food Protection Manager (ANSI-accredited) must be on duty; establish temperature control, allergen labeling for house-made syrups, and a written employee health policy. Obtain zoning approval and building/fire permits, grease interceptor approval (if required by code/menu), backflow prevention, and final CO. Register your entity with the SC Secretary of State and get an EIN. If serving beer/wine, apply for SCDOR ABL on-premises permits, post the 15-day door sign and publish required newspaper notices, and verify Sunday sales eligibility locally. Budget lead times: zoning 2–4 weeks, DHEC 3–6 weeks, ABL 6–10+ weeks. End-to-end timeline estimate.
