South Carolina Regulation 61-25 requires every Charleston food service establishment to have a Certified Food Protection Manager on staff. SC does not mandate a separate food handler card for line cooks beyond manager certification.
SCDHEC Regulation 61-25 (the South Carolina Retail Food Establishment Regulation) adopts the FDA Food Code's requirement that each permitted establishment in Charleston employ a Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) holding ANSI-accredited certification (ServSafe, Prometric, or equivalent). Unlike states such as California or Illinois with broad food handler card mandates, South Carolina does not require individual non-manager food handlers to hold a card; managers carry the training and supervisory responsibility. CFPM certificates are valid five years and must be available on-site for DHEC inspectors.
Operating without a CFPM on staff is a critical violation under SC Reg 61-25 and may trigger reinspection, point deductions, or temporary permit suspension by DHEC.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Charleston, SC
Charleston does not regulate residential lawn ornaments such as statues, garden gnomes, flamingos, religious displays, or holiday figures on private property...
Charleston, SC
Charleston's sign provisions in the Zoning Ordinance (Title 54) prohibit commercial inflatable advertising devices, balloons, and similar wind-driven attenti...
Charleston, SC
Charleston does not impose general municipal time limits on residential holiday lights, and the Zoning Ordinance sign provisions exempt non-commercial reside...
Charleston, SC
Outdoor kitchens with permanent gas lines, water/sewer connections, electrical wiring, or roofed structures require permits in Charleston. A covered or walle...
Charleston, SC
Charcoal, wood, and pellet smokers are treated as open-flame cooking devices under the 2021 IFC adopted by South Carolina. IFC Section 308.1.4 prohibits thei...
Charleston, SC
Charleston follows the 2021 International Fire Code as adopted by the South Carolina Building Codes Council. IFC Section 308.1.4 prohibits open-flame cooking...
See how Charleston's food handler certification rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.