Get our free one-page cheat sheet of pizzeria cost benchmarks: food, labor, rent and delivery, with a blank for your own numbers.
A new U.S. pizzeria typically needs a registered business, a federal EIN, a state sales-tax permit, a health department food permit, a certified food protection manager, building and occupancy approval, a fire permit for the hood, a sign permit and, if you pour beer, a liquor license. Most of them cost a few hundred dollars or nothing. What costs real money is the order: build a kitchen the health department hasn’t approved, and you can end up building parts of it twice.
The rules change by state, county and city. As the SBA puts it, “The requirements and fees vary based on your business activities, location, and government rules.” Treat this as a map of what to ask for, not the answer for your address.
The free paperwork comes first
Business registration. The SBA’s launch checklist runs in order: pick a location, choose a structure and a name, register the business, get federal and state tax IDs, then apply for licenses and permits. Registration happens with your state.
EIN. The employer identification number is your business’s federal tax ID, needed for payroll and most bank accounts. The IRS says you can get one for free directly from the IRS in minutes, by applying online. The SBA warns: “Do not apply for an EIN on websites that charge a fee.”
State sales-tax permit. It lets you collect sales tax. Texas says “There is no fee for the permit, but you may be required to post a security bond.” California’s seller’s permit is also free, but the state may require a security deposit, set when you apply, against taxes owed if the business closes.
The health department should see your plans before your contractor does
Toast estimates licenses, permits and fees usually total around $1,000. Real health department schedules show why you shouldn’t plan on it.
In San Diego County, plan review for a new food facility under 2,000 square feet is $1,534, and the annual permit for a restaurant with one to 10 employees is $842. Washington County, Ore., charges $1,059 to review plans for a new restaurant of up to 50 seats, then $847 a year for a limited-service license or $1,112 to $1,245 for a small full-service one. Let it lapse and you pay the license plus $100 a month to reinstate. New York City’s food service establishment permit is $280 a year. The city inspects before it issues, though you can open 22 days after applying without that inspection.
The point is the word “plan.” The health department reviews your kitchen layout, sinks and equipment before you build. Ordering the make line first is how operators pay twice.
The food manager. The FDA Food Code is a model rulebook that states adopt as law. It says “The Person in Charge shall be a certified food protection manager” who passed an accredited exam. Scott County, Iowa, gives new places six months after licensure to comply. New York City wants a supervisor with its Food Protection Certificate on site at all times, certified before you open. Check which edition your state uses. The FDA released a 2026 Food Code on Sept. 17, but by the end of 2025 only 14 states had adopted the 2022 version, and 37 were on one of the last three editions.
Building, fire and signs belong to the city
Occupancy. New York City’s rule is blunt: “No place may be used until a Certificate of Occupancy is issued by the NYC Commissioner of Buildings.” A certificate of occupancy is the building department’s sign-off that the space is legal for its use. Confirm the space can get one as a restaurant before you sign the lease.
The hood. Duluth, Minn., requires a permit to install, repair or replace a kitchen fire suppression system, with plans approved before installation begins. Arlington County, Va., charges an annual $175 permit for kitchens with a Type I hood, the grease hood over your ovens, and requires suppression testing every six months. We cover what the hood itself costs in the pizzeria equipment list.
Signs. St. Paul requires all business signs to be installed under a permit, at $3 a square foot for wall signs with a $91 minimum, and doubles the fee if you hang one without it.
The permit costs a few hundred dollars. The kitchen the health department didn’t approve costs a second build-out.
Liquor is the slow one
In California, a beer-and-wine license for a restaurant (Type 41) carries a $1,135 application fee, plus the annual fee. A new full liquor license costs $19,840 and is available only to priority drawing winners. The clock is the bigger cost. You must post a notice at the shop for 30 days, and neighbors have 30 days to protest. A protest can mean a hearing. In some states a license costs far more, as we covered in what it costs to open a pizza shop.
The order that avoids paying twice:
- Register the business, get the EIN and the state sales-tax permit.
- Before signing a lease, confirm zoning and occupancy for a restaurant.
- File the liquor application, if any, the week you sign.
- Submit health plan review, then building and hood permits.
- Pass building, fire and health inspections; get the occupancy certificate and food permit.
- Certify your food protection manager before opening day.
- Permit the sign before it goes up.
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The limitation: there’s no national database of local restaurant permit fees, so nobody can tell you what the average pizzeria pays. The fees above come from three health departments, one county fire marshal and one city sign office, not a benchmark. Your city may also require permits this list doesn’t cover, and the person who knows which ones is the plan reviewer at your county health department. Call before you hire anyone.
Common questions
What permits do I need to open a pizza shop?
Usually a state business registration, a free EIN from the IRS, a state sales-tax permit, a health department food permit, a certified food manager, building and occupancy sign-off, a fire permit for the hood, a sign permit, and a liquor license if you sell alcohol. The details change by city and state.
How much does a restaurant health permit cost?
It depends on where you are. New York City charges $280 a year. San Diego County charges a small restaurant $842 a year, plus $1,534 to review your plans before you build. Call your county health department for its schedule.
What order should I get pizza shop permits in?
Business registration and tax numbers first. Then health department plan review before you build, then building and fire sign-off, then the health inspection and food permit. Start a liquor license early: in California, the public notice alone has to stay posted for 30 days.
Does a pizzeria need a certified food manager?
Usually, yes. The FDA Food Code, which most states adopt in some version, says the person in charge should be a certified food protection manager. New York City requires a supervisor with its food protection certificate on site whenever you're open.
