Boston
City of Boston Inspectional Services Department
In short
City of Boston Inspectional Services Department issues 3 permits we publish for Boston, last verified 2026-09-05. Each carries the fee as the agency publishes it, with a link to the schedule it was read from.
What this agency issues
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Service Permit | City of Boston Inspectional Services Department | Sit-down with takeout: $200 minimum in year one, then based on gross annual sales. Sit-down, no takeout: $200 minimum up to 100 seats, plus $1 per seat above that. Retail food under 2,500 sq ft: $100 minimum; 2,500 sq ft or more: plus $50 per additional 1,000 sq ft. Temporary: $30 for day one, plus $5 per additional day, up to 14 days. Mobile food: $100, plus $30 for milk or ice cream sales. | annual | 2026-09-05 |
| Commercial Building Permit | City of Boston Inspectional Services Department | Long Form Building (major alteration): $50 base plus $10 per $1,000 of estimated cost. Short Form Building (minor alteration): $20 base plus $10 per $1,000. Change of Occupancy: $50. An amendment is $20 plus $10 per $1,000. | one-time, per project | 2026-09-05 |
| Auto Shop License | City of Boston Inspectional Services Department | $100 for new holders, then annual renewal at the same rate | annual | 2026-09-05 |
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
Food Service Permit
Issued by ISD's Division of Health Inspections, not the separately-branded Boston Public Health Commission, which runs its own distinct permits (nail salons, body art, tanning) instead. A Food Safety Manager certificate is a required submission document, per the city's own permitting guide.
Commercial Building Permit
Confirmed directly against the current fee schedule. Starting work without a permit, or undervaluing its cost, doubles the fee. No distinct sign-permit fee schedule exists — a new sign is filed as a Long Form Building permit under this same formula.
Auto Shop License
Confirmed directly against the city's own page. An auto shop must separately obtain a BFD Flammable Storage Permit, a BFD Annual Permit for torches/spray booths, a Site Cleanliness License, a Use of Premises Permit, and (for autobody/glass specifically) Registered Shop status. Violating this license's terms draws a penalty up to $1,000 a day.
Contact
- Jurisdiction
- Boston
- Phone
- 617-635-5300
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.
- City of Boston — Food Service PermitCity of Boston Inspectional Services Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-05
- City of Boston ISD — Auto Shop LicenseCity of Boston Inspectional Services Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-05
- City of Boston ISD Building Division fee schedule, revised May 15, 2023City of Boston Inspectional Services Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-05
Other offices serving Boston
The full permit list for this jurisdiction
Industry permit lists that include this agency
Massachusetts jurisdictions
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.