Commercial Compliance Hub

Johnson County

Johnson County Board of Supervisors (applications processed by the County Auditor)

In short

Johnson County Board of Supervisors (applications processed by the County Auditor) issues 2 permits we publish for Johnson County, last verified 2026-10-14. Each carries the fee as the agency publishes it, with a link to the schedule it was read from.

What this agency issues

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Retail Alcohol License: Board of Supervisors Approval (outside city limits, Johnson County)only if it applies to youJohnson County Board of Supervisors (applications processed by the County Auditor)No county amount is published in County Code Article 4:2 or on the Auditor's Alcohol & Tobacco Licensing page. The Board endorses its approval or disapproval and forwards the application with the necessary fee and bond to the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division (Iowa Code §123.32(2)); the license fee is the state fee set under Iowa Code chapter 123.per license application or renewal; the license term is set by the state2026-10-14
Cigarette, Tobacco, Nicotine and Vapor Retail Permit (outside city limits, Johnson County)only if it applies to youJohnson County Board of Supervisors (applications processed by the County Auditor)Statutory amount under Iowa Code §453A.13(3)(b)-(c) for a retail permit in places outside any city: $50 if granted in July, August or September; three-fourths ($37.50) if granted in October, November or December; one-half ($25.00) if granted in January, February or March; one-fourth ($12.50) if granted in April, May or June. Paid to the Iowa Department of Revenue (§453A.13(3)(a)). Iowa Code §453A.47A(7) sets the same $50 amount outside any city for a tobacco products and vapor products retail permit.expires June 30 each year (Iowa Code §453A.13(3)(a))2026-10-14

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

About each permit

Retail Alcohol License: Board of Supervisors Approval (outside city limits, Johnson County)

Under Iowa Code §123.32(1)(a), an application for a retail alcohol license (other than a class "D" license) is filed "with the board of supervisors if the premises for which the license is sought are located outside the corporate limits of a city"; under §123.32(2) the local authority approves or disapproves it and forwards it to the state. Johnson County Code Article 4:2 adds a local review: the application goes first to the County Sheriff and then to the County Attorney, who each investigate whether the applicant is of good moral character and recommend approval or disapproval in writing before it reaches the Board of Supervisors, with a memorandum of explanation for any disapproval; if no written recommendation is made within five working days, the application is deemed approved. As a further condition of Board approval, the applicant must consent in writing on the application that the fire, sheriff and health departments, the County Attorney and the Zoning Administrator may enter the premises without a warrant to inspect for violations. The Auditor's Alcohol & Tobacco Licensing page states that the Auditor processes these applications, in conjunction with the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division, for premises outside any city limits, and that the license must be posted at the premises in full public view. A business inside a city applies to that city council.

Cigarette, Tobacco, Nicotine and Vapor Retail Permit (outside city limits, Johnson County)

A shop, convenience store, restaurant or coffee shop outside city limits in Johnson County that sells cigarettes, tobacco, alternative nicotine or vapor products needs a retail permit approved by the Johnson County Board of Supervisors. Iowa Code §453A.13(2)(a) states that county boards of supervisors may approve retail permit applications for places of business in their counties outside the corporate limits of cities, and that on approval "the department shall issue the permit to the applicant on behalf of the city or county"; the department is the Iowa Department of Revenue, and §453A.47A(6) applies the same approval to tobacco products and vapor products retail permits. The Auditor's Alcohol & Tobacco Licensing page states that the Auditor processes these permit applications for establishments outside city limits. The fee is the statutory amount, not a county fee: $50 outside any city when granted in July, August or September, and three-fourths, one-half or one-fourth of that if granted in the following quarters (§453A.13(3)(c)); fees are paid to the department, and §453A.13(5) states that applications and associated fees shall be submitted to the department electronically. Every permit expires on June 30. A business inside a city applies to that city.

Contact

Jurisdiction
Johnson County
Phone
Not verified — use the website

Contact details are taken from the agency’s own site or its published fee schedule. Where we have not verified a phone number we leave it blank rather than guess.

Sources

Every fee and term above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.

  1. Alcohol & Tobacco Licensing pageJohnson County, Iowa, Auditor · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14
  2. Iowa Code §123.32, Action by local authoritiesIowa Legislature · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14
  3. Iowa Code §453A.13, Permits; fees; expirationIowa Legislature · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14
  4. Iowa Code §453A.47A, Retailers — permits — fees — penalties (Iowa Code 2026)Iowa Legislature · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14
  5. Johnson County Code of Ordinances 2024, Volume One (adopted September 19, 2024; effective October 3, 2024), Article 4:2Johnson County, Iowa · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14

Other offices serving Johnson County

The full permit list for this jurisdiction

Industry permit lists that include this agency

Iowa jurisdictions

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