Licenses & permits
Nothing kills momentum like a failed inspection three weeks before opening. Get these in the right order and the process becomes routine.
Quick answer
Every US restaurant needs a registered business, an EIN from the IRS, a state or county food service license, a passed health inspection, and at least one certified food protection manager. Liquor, signage and music licenses come on top.
The order that saves you months
Do these in sequence and each step feeds the next. Do them in parallel and you will redo half of them.
- 1. Form the LLC and get your EIN.
- 2. Check zoning and the certificate of occupancy before signing any lease
- 3. Submit plans to the health department.
- 4. Apply for the food service license once build-out matches the approved plan
- 5. Get your food protection manager certificate
- 6. The extras: seller's permit, sign permit, grease disposal contract, music license if you play anything
Health inspections without sweat
Inspectors check the same things everywhere: temperatures, hand sinks, storage order, pests, grease. Asian kitchens get a few extra looks: rice, raw fish, ducks in the window.
- Cooked rice held hot at 135°F+ or cooled fast in shallow pans. Rice is a named risk food
- Sushi rice needs a time log or an acidification log; pick one and keep it current
- Raw proteins stored below ready-to-eat, always. Inspectors check the walk-in first
- Roast duck and char siu hanging at room temperature need a time-control plan; ask your inspector, most have seen it before
- Wok-line grease builds fast, so keep the hood cleaning receipts taped inside a cabinet
Liquor: decide early, or decide no
A beer and wine license is cheap and quick in most states. A full bar is a different animal. In quota states a license trades on the open market for serious money. Sake and soju upgrades are a nice middle path where allowed.
- Beer & wine: usually a few hundred dollars and a background check
- Full liquor in a quota state: five to six figures, via broker, months of transfer time
- BYOB: legal in many states, zero license cost, diners love it
Your state rewrites this whole page
Everything above is the national skeleton. Who inspects you, what alcohol costs, what your tipped staff must earn: that is state law, and sometimes county law.
- Check the state comparison before you pick a location
- Pennsylvania guide: liquor quotas, the BYOB culture, Philly's own health department
Help when you'd rather cook than file
Three places worth knowing. One is free.
ServSafe
CertificationThe food manager certificate nearly every health department accepts. Online course and proctored exam, offered in several languages including Chinese and Korean.
Visit siteYour local SBDC
FreeSmall Business Development Centers walk you through state and city requirements at no cost. Criminally underused.
Visit siteCorpNet
Filing serviceResearches and files the full license stack for your exact address. Costs money, saves weeks of phone calls.
Visit siteCommon questions
Do I need a special permit to serve sushi or raw fish?
Usually not a separate permit, but you must serve parasite-destruction-frozen fish and keep either a time or pH log for sushi rice. Some counties ask for a simple HACCP plan.
Do I need a license to play music in my restaurant?
Yes, and it surprises everyone. Playing Spotify from your phone is not licensed for business use.
Rules change at the state line
Tipped wages, liquor quotas, who inspects your kitchen. Check your state before you commit.