NAICS 44-45

What permits does a retail store need?

In short

We hold 3374 verified records for a retail store across 477 jurisdictions, counting statewide registrations, a median of 6 per place. The most widely required is the general business license, held in 289 of them, with a median fee of $100. The exact set depends on your city and county, so the table below shows the spread rather than a single national figure.

The permits a retail store usually carries

Each row groups the permits of one type, whatever the local name. 2293 differently named permits fall into 264 types; the 25 most widely required are shown here.

Permit types this business carries, with how many covered jurisdictions require each, the middle half of published fees, the median fee and the usual renewal term
Permit type	Jurisdictions	Typical fee (middle half)	Median fee	Usual term
General business licensealways applies in 112 of 289	289	$50 – $180	$100	not applicable
Sign permitalways applies in 68 of 213	213	$50 – $281	$100	one-time, per sign
Certificate of occupancyalways applies in 159 of 203	203	$75 – $220	$116	issued once per qualifying occupancy
Food service establishment permitalways applies in 97 of 157	157	$150 – $500	$258	1 year
Commercial alteration permitalways applies in 96 of 151	151	$60 – $160	$100	one-time, per project
Building permitalways applies in 46 of 136	136	$75 – $1,034.16	$500	per permit
Onsite sewage system permitalways applies in 1 of 90	90	$225 – $551	$385	per permit
Alcohol licensealways applies in 1 of 62	62	$25 – $302	$100	annual
Fire inspection permitalways applies in 22 of 62	62	$50 – $181	$100	annual
Zoning verification letteralways applies in 3 of 58	58	$50 – $200	$100	one-time, per request
Conditional use permitdepends on premises or set-up	57	$350 – $4,993	$750	one-time, per application
Sales and use tax permitalways applies in 44 of 57	57	$0 – $50	$25	not applicable
Temporary food establishment permitalways applies in 2 of 53	53	$52 – $150	$68	per event
New commercial construction permitalways applies in 30 of 51	51	$100 – $1,000	$276.75	not stated in the published fee schedule
Fire inspection certificatealways applies in 33 of 47	47	$50 – $150	$90	annual
Site plan review permitalways applies in 2 of 39	39	$100 – $520	$291	one-time, per application
Alcohol local approvalalways applies in 1 of 38	38	$75 – $110	$100	license year May 1 to April 30; Class C November 1 to October 31 (Neb. Rev. Stat. 53-124(10))
Fire protection system permitalways applies in 13 of 32	32	$100 – $268.56	$200	per permit
Food establishment plan reviewalways applies in 7 of 32	32	$157.50 – $425	$273	per project (one-time)
Tobacco retailer licensealways applies in 1 of 32	32	$25 – $500	$125	annual
Zoning permitalways applies in 8 of 32	32	$50 – $750	$225	per application
Floodplain development permitdepends on premises or set-up	28	$50 – $150	$150	per project
Occupational license taxalways applies in 19 of 24	24	$2	$2	annual; due October 1, delinquent November 1 (§40-12-26); 15% delinquency penalty plus 6% annual interest (§40-12-10(e))
Plan review feealways applies in 9 of 23	23	$50 – $279	$171	one-time, per project
Farmers market permitdepends on premises or set-up	22	$50 – $100	$100	1 year

239 further permit types are each held in fewer jurisdictions. They are listed, with their fees and sources, on the page for each jurisdiction below.

Do the requirements change between cities?

Substantially. 1 permit type is held in at least half of the 477 jurisdictions we cover for a retail store; the other 263 appear in fewer. The categories of permit are broadly consistent nationally, but the issuing agency, the fee, the renewal term and the filing order all change at city and county level. This is why a national checklist is a starting point rather than an answer.

General business license: 286 published fees, from $0 to $550,000. Half fall between $50 and $180, and the median is $100.

Sign permit: 81 published fees, from $5 to $2,471. Half fall between $50 and $281, and the median is $100.

Certificate of occupancy: 132 published fees, from $0 to $1,143. Half fall between $75 and $220, and the median is $116.

Retail stores by state

We publish a full permit list for a retail store in 426 jurisdictions across 50 states and DC. Each state page lists them all.

Retail stores by city

Showing the 12 jurisdictions where we publish the most. See all 426.

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