Commercial Compliance Hub
Check requirements

11 permits · verified 2026-10-09

What permits do you need to open a childcare centre in Calhoun County Al?

In short

A childcare centre in Calhoun County Al, AL has 3 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 8 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Alabama Secretary of State, Business Services charges $200 one-time filing for the certificate of formation (llc). 7 of the 11 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-09 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a childcare centre in Calhoun County Al

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Grease Trap Requirement and Permit (Onsite Sewage Sites)only if it applies to youCalhoun County Health Department (Alabama Department of Public Health, Northeastern District)The Calhoun County Health Department's Environmental Services page lists grease trap permits but prints no fee, and ADPH Rule 420-3-1-.12(3) states that 'ADPH or the LHD may assess a fee where fee authorization exists'. Call the Calhoun County Environmental Department at (256) 237-4324 for the amount due.issued per grease trap installation with the onsite sewage permit2026-10-09
Food Service Establishment Health PermitCalhoun County Health Department (Alabama Department of Public Health, Northeastern District)The Calhoun County Health Department, an Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) Northeastern District field office, requires an annual food service permit for every restaurant, coffee shop, food truck and food-serving childcare facility, but no dollar fee for that permit has ever been published on the department's own site or archived anywhere online. A fee-schedule page exists for the neighboring Etowah County Health Department, within the same ADPH district, but each county department in the district sets and publishes its own schedule rather than sharing a district-wide figure, so Etowah's amounts do not apply to Calhoun. Call the Calhoun County Health Department, Environmental Services, at (256) 237-4324 to get the current fee before applying.annual, permits expire September 302026-09-28
Soft Drink / Coffee Dispensing License (Ala. Code §40-12-69)only if it applies to youCalhoun County Commissioner of LicensesCombined state and county total under Ala. Code §40-12-69(b) for soft drinks or coffee sold from taps or other dispensing devices, by city population (October 2022 ALDOR Handbook): 25,000 or more $38.50; 15,000 to under 25,000 $31, which covers Anniston (21,564) and Oxford (17,553 in Calhoun County plus 4,516 in Talladega County on ALDOR's Census 2020 by City list); 5,000 to under 15,000 $23.50, which covers Jacksonville (14,385); 'less than 5,000 and in unincorporated places' $16, which covers Piedmont, Weaver, Ohatchee, Hobson City and every unincorporated location. Selling soft drinks only in bottles, cans or other sealed containers falls under §40-12-69(a) at $4.75; the (b) license also covers sealed-container sales.annual, October 1 to September 30; due October 1 and delinquent November 1, with a 15 percent penalty plus interest; a new business starting after April 1 pays half the year's amount2026-10-09
Day Care Centre or Day Care Home LicenseAlabama Department of Human Resources, Child Care Services DivisionNo fee2 years, for centres and homes alike2026-09-03

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

Local permits that apply to every type of business in Calhoun County Al

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Onsite Sewage (Septic) System Permit to Install or Repaironly if it applies to youCalhoun County Health Department (Alabama Department of Public Health, Northeastern District)Varies — formula on the Calhoun County Al pageissued per installation or repair of an onsite sewage system2026-10-09
Calhoun County General Business/Privilege LicenseCalhoun County Commissioner of LicensesVaries — formula on the Calhoun County Al pageannual, license year October 1 to September 30, renewal window October 1-312026-09-28

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

AL registrations that apply to every type of business

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
State and County Business Privilege Licenseonly if it applies to youAlabama Department of Revenue, Business and License Tax DivisionVaries — formula on the AL pageannual — 1 October to 30 September, delinquent 1 November2026-09-03
Certificate of Formation (LLC)only if it applies to youAlabama Secretary of State, Business Services$200 one-time filingperpetual — Alabama abolished the annual report in 20242026-09-03
Certificate of Incorporationonly if it applies to youAlabama Secretary of State, Business Services$200 one-time filingperpetual — Alabama abolished the annual report in 20242026-09-03
Corporation Annual Report (abolished)only if it applies to youAlabama Secretary of State, Business ServicesNo feenot applicable — the filing no longer exists2026-09-03
Business Privilege Taxonly if it applies to youAlabama Department of Revenue, Sales and Use Tax DivisionVaries — formula on the AL pageannual — due when the matching federal return is due2026-09-03

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

How much does it actually cost to permit a childcare centre in Calhoun County Al?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 11 records listed for a childcare centre in Calhoun County Al, AL, 3 apply to every business of this type and 8 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.

7 of the 11 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 2 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:

Grease Trap Requirement and Permit (Onsite Sewage Sites): The Calhoun County Health Department's Environmental Services page lists grease trap permits but prints no fee, and ADPH Rule 420-3-1-.12(3) states that 'ADPH or the LHD may assess a fee where fee authorization exists'. Call the Calhoun County Environmental Department at (256) 237-4324 for the amount due.

Food Service Establishment Health Permit: The Calhoun County Health Department, an Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) Northeastern District field office, requires an annual food service permit for every restaurant, coffee shop, food truck and food-serving childcare facility, but no dollar fee for that permit has ever been published on the department's own site or archived anywhere online. A fee-schedule page exists for the neighboring Etowah County Health Department, within the same ADPH district, but each county department in the district sets and publishes its own schedule rather than sharing a district-wide figure, so Etowah's amounts do not apply to Calhoun. Call the Calhoun County Health Department, Environmental Services, at (256) 237-4324 to get the current fee before applying.

Soft Drink / Coffee Dispensing License (Ala. Code §40-12-69): Combined state and county total under Ala. Code §40-12-69(b) for soft drinks or coffee sold from taps or other dispensing devices, by city population (October 2022 ALDOR Handbook): 25,000 or more $38.50; 15,000 to under 25,000 $31, which covers Anniston (21,564) and Oxford (17,553 in Calhoun County plus 4,516 in Talladega County on ALDOR's Census 2020 by City list); 5,000 to under 15,000 $23.50, which covers Jacksonville (14,385); 'less than 5,000 and in unincorporated places' $16, which covers Piedmont, Weaver, Ohatchee, Hobson City and every unincorporated location. Selling soft drinks only in bottles, cans or other sealed containers falls under §40-12-69(a) at $4.75; the (b) license also covers sealed-container sales.

The other 4 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Calhoun County Al permits page and the AL state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Calhoun County Al?

Permits for a childcare centre in Calhoun County Al, AL come from 6 separate offices: Calhoun County Health Department (Alabama Department of Public Health, Northeastern District), Calhoun County Commissioner of Licenses, Alabama Department of Revenue, Business and License Tax Division, Alabama Secretary of State, Business Services, Alabama Department of Revenue, Sales and Use Tax Division, Alabama Department of Human Resources, Child Care Services Division. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.

What does a childcare centre need in Calhoun County Al that other businesses do not?

1 of the 4 permits particular to a childcare centre here applies to no other business type we cover in Calhoun County Al: Day Care Centre or Day Care Home License.

Day Care Centre or Day Care Home License

No fee, and this is a genuine zero rather than a gap: the two licensing chapters contain no dollar figure at all except the criminal penalties for operating without a license, and the application form names no fee beyond the criminal history check. The license runs two years for every category — a day care centre, a nighttime centre, a day care home taking up to six children, or a group day care home taking seven to twelve with at least two adults supervising. A six-month permit is available where standards are not yet fully met. One large exemption to know about: a preschool that is an integral part of a local church ministry or a religious nonprofit elementary school need not be licensed, but must notify the department thirty days before opening, submit to inspection, carry a million dollars of liability cover per occurrence, and post publicly that it is not regulated or licensed by the department.

Shared with other businesses in Calhoun County Al

  • Grease Trap Requirement and Permit (Onsite Sewage Sites) — Calhoun County Health Department (Alabama Department of Public Health, Northeastern District), The Calhoun County Health Department's Environmental Services page lists grease trap permits but prints no fee, and ADPH Rule 420-3-1-.12(3) states that 'ADPH or the LHD may assess a fee where fee authorization exists'. Call the Calhoun County Environmental Department at (256) 237-4324 for the amount due., issued per grease trap installation with the onsite sewage permit. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.
  • Food Service Establishment Health Permit — Calhoun County Health Department (Alabama Department of Public Health, Northeastern District), The Calhoun County Health Department, an Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) Northeastern District field office, requires an annual food service permit for every restaurant, coffee shop, food truck and food-serving childcare facility, but no dollar fee for that permit has ever been published on the department's own site or archived anywhere online. A fee-schedule page exists for the neighboring Etowah County Health Department, within the same ADPH district, but each county department in the district sets and publishes its own schedule rather than sharing a district-wide figure, so Etowah's amounts do not apply to Calhoun. Call the Calhoun County Health Department, Environmental Services, at (256) 237-4324 to get the current fee before applying., annual, permits expire September 30. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
  • Soft Drink / Coffee Dispensing License (Ala. Code §40-12-69) — Calhoun County Commissioner of Licenses, Combined state and county total under Ala. Code §40-12-69(b) for soft drinks or coffee sold from taps or other dispensing devices, by city population (October 2022 ALDOR Handbook): 25,000 or more $38.50; 15,000 to under 25,000 $31, which covers Anniston (21,564) and Oxford (17,553 in Calhoun County plus 4,516 in Talladega County on ALDOR's Census 2020 by City list); 5,000 to under 15,000 $23.50, which covers Jacksonville (14,385); 'less than 5,000 and in unincorporated places' $16, which covers Piedmont, Weaver, Ohatchee, Hobson City and every unincorporated location. Selling soft drinks only in bottles, cans or other sealed containers falls under §40-12-69(a) at $4.75; the (b) license also covers sealed-container sales., annual, October 1 to September 30; due October 1 and delinquent November 1, with a 15 percent penalty plus interest; a new business starting after April 1 pays half the year's amount. Also required for coffee shops, restaurants, food trucks, retail stores and fitness studios; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.

The other 2 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Calhoun County Al, AL; what each one involves is set out on the Calhoun County Al permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across AL and are covered on the AL state page.

How does a childcare centre compare with other businesses in Calhoun County Al?

The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 3 of these permits. A childcare centre also needs Day Care Centre or Day Care Home License. A coffee shop needs Sandwich Shop / Stand License (Ala. Code §40-12-153), Store License (Ala. Code §40-12-315, state portion only), Food Establishment Permit and Certified Food Protection Manager, which a childcare centre does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Calhoun County Al, AL, compared with a childcare centre
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a childcare centreOnly a childcare centre needsOnly it needs
Coffee shops7314
Restaurants8315
Food trucks6224
Fitness studios2131
Retail stores4133
Auto repair shops4044
Contractors and trades4044
Salons and barbers3043
Veterinary clinics4044

Sources

Every figure for the permits explained on this page was read from one of these government pages on the date shown. Sources for the permits shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the restaurants page, food trucks page and retail stores page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Calhoun County Al permits page and the AL state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. Alabama Administrative Code chapter 660-5-26 — day care centre and nighttime centre licensing, with the two-year termAlabama Department of Human Resources · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  2. Alabama Administrative Code chapter 660-5-27 — day care home and group day care home licensingAlabama Department of Human Resources · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03

Related

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