12 permits · verified 2026-10-09
What permits do you need to open a retail store in Calhoun County Al?
In short
A retail store in Calhoun County Al, AL has 3 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 9 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Calhoun County Commissioner of Licenses charges $2 a year for one store, state license only under Ala. Code §40-12-315 (October 2022 ALDOR Handbook); each additional store in a chain: 2-5 stores $16, 6-10 $23.50, 11-20 $38.50, over 20 $113.50 for the store license (ala. code §40-12-315, state portion only). 7 of the 12 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 retail store in Calhoun County Al
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Spirits/Wine Special License and County Alcohol Tax | Calhoun County Judge of Probate | A Calhoun County liquor license from the Judge of Probate — the Judge of Probate's Liquor License Information page states "The annual cost for the license is $100.00" — plus a 14% county tax on spirits and fortified-wine purchases by retailers from the ABC Board under Act No. 92-465, paid to the Judge of Probate. Ala. Code §45-8-22 names the Judge of Probate, not the Commissioner of Licenses, as solely responsible for administering this section — the one licensing function that stayed with the Probate office when Calhoun otherwise consolidated business licensing under the Commissioner of Licenses. Judge of Probate: 256-241-2825. | annual, expires September 30 | 2026-09-28 |
| Store License (Ala. Code §40-12-315, state portion only)only if it applies to you | Calhoun County Commissioner of Licenses | $2 a year for one store, state license only under Ala. Code §40-12-315 (October 2022 ALDOR Handbook); each additional store in a chain: 2-5 stores $16, 6-10 $23.50, 11-20 $38.50, over 20 $113.50 | annual, October 1 to September 30; due October 1 and delinquent November 1, with a 15 percent penalty plus interest | 2026-10-09 |
| Soft Drink / Coffee Dispensing License (Ala. Code §40-12-69)only if it applies to you | 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 | 2026-10-09 |
| Store Licenseonly if it applies to you | Alabama Department of Revenue, Business and License Tax Division | $2 for a single store including the issuance fee, then $16 each for stores two to five, $23.50 for six to ten, $38.50 for eleven to twenty and $113.50 each beyond that | annual — 1 October to 30 September | 2026-09-03 |
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
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Onsite Sewage (Septic) System Permit to Install or Repaironly if it applies to you | Calhoun County Health Department (Alabama Department of Public Health, Northeastern District) | Varies — formula on the Calhoun County Al page | issued per installation or repair of an onsite sewage system | 2026-10-09 |
| Calhoun County General Business/Privilege License | Calhoun County Commissioner of Licenses | Varies — formula on the Calhoun County Al page | annual, license year October 1 to September 30, renewal window October 1-31 | 2026-09-28 |
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
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State and County Business Privilege Licenseonly if it applies to you | Alabama Department of Revenue, Business and License Tax Division | Varies — formula on the AL page | annual — 1 October to 30 September, delinquent 1 November | 2026-09-03 |
| Certificate of Formation (LLC)only if it applies to you | Alabama Secretary of State, Business Services | $200 one-time filing | perpetual — Alabama abolished the annual report in 2024 | 2026-09-03 |
| Certificate of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | Alabama Secretary of State, Business Services | $200 one-time filing | perpetual — Alabama abolished the annual report in 2024 | 2026-09-03 |
| Corporation Annual Report (abolished)only if it applies to you | Alabama Secretary of State, Business Services | No fee | not applicable — the filing no longer exists | 2026-09-03 |
| Business Privilege Taxonly if it applies to you | Alabama Department of Revenue, Sales and Use Tax Division | Varies — formula on the AL page | annual — due when the matching federal return is due | 2026-09-03 |
| Sales Tax License | Alabama Department of Revenue, Sales and Use Tax Division | No fee | annual — renew online between 1 November and 31 December | 2026-09-03 |
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 retail store in Calhoun County Al?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 12 records listed for a retail store in Calhoun County Al, AL, 3 apply to every business of this type and 9 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 12 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:
Retail Spirits/Wine Special License and County Alcohol Tax: A Calhoun County liquor license from the Judge of Probate — the Judge of Probate's Liquor License Information page states "The annual cost for the license is $100.00" — plus a 14% county tax on spirits and fortified-wine purchases by retailers from the ABC Board under Act No. 92-465, paid to the Judge of Probate. Ala. Code §45-8-22 names the Judge of Probate, not the Commissioner of Licenses, as solely responsible for administering this section — the one licensing function that stayed with the Probate office when Calhoun otherwise consolidated business licensing under the Commissioner of Licenses. Judge of Probate: 256-241-2825.
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.
Store License: $2 for a single store including the issuance fee, then $16 each for stores two to five, $23.50 for six to ten, $38.50 for eleven to twenty and $113.50 each beyond that
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 retail store 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, Calhoun County Judge of Probate, Alabama Department of Revenue, Business and License Tax Division, Alabama Secretary of State, Business Services, Alabama Department of Revenue, Sales and Use Tax Division. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- Calhoun County Health Department (Alabama Department of Public Health, Northeastern District)Issues 1 permit on this page: Onsite Sewage (Septic) System Permit to Install or Repair256-237-4324www.alabamapublichealth.gov/calhoun/environmental-services.html
- Calhoun County Commissioner of LicensesIssues 3 permits on this page: Calhoun County General Business/Privilege License, Store License (Ala. Code §40-12-315, state portion only), Soft Drink / Coffee Dispensing License (Ala. Code §40-12-69)Ken Joiner Administration Building, 1702 Noble St, Anniston, AL 36201 · 256-241-2900calhouncountyal.org
- Calhoun County Judge of ProbateIssues 1 permit on this page: Retail Spirits/Wine Special License and County Alcohol Tax1702 Noble Street, Suite 102, Anniston, AL 36201 · 256-241-2825calhouncounty.org/probate/liquorlic.html
- Alabama Department of Revenue, Business and License Tax DivisionIssues 2 permits on this page: State and County Business Privilege License, Store License2545 Taylor Road, Montgomery, AL 36117 · (334) 353-7827www.revenue.alabama.gov/business-license
- Alabama Secretary of State, Business ServicesIssues 3 permits on this page: Certificate of Formation (LLC), Certificate of Incorporation, Corporation Annual Report (abolished)770 Washington Avenue, Suite 580, Montgomery, AL 36104 · (334) 242-5324www.sos.alabama.gov/business-entities
- Alabama Department of Revenue, Sales and Use Tax DivisionIssues 2 permits on this page: Business Privilege Tax, Sales Tax LicensePO Box 327710, Montgomery, AL 36132-7710 · (334) 242-1490www.revenue.alabama.gov/sales-use/business-tax-online-registration-system
What does a retail store need in Calhoun County Al that other businesses do not?
Soft Drink / Coffee Dispensing License (Ala. Code §40-12-69)
The ALDOR Handbook of Privilege and Store Licenses (October 2022) states that the §40-12-69 license 'is required for sales of coffee' and that fountain drinks, snow cones, ice machines, taps and other dispensing devices need subsection (b), while bottles, cans and other sealed containers need subsection (a). ALDOR's Quick Reference Guide (October 2022) lists §69(b) as the primary section for a coffee shop and §69 for a restaurant, and lists §69 as an add-on for a food truck, a gym, an exercise studio and a day care centre, so it applies to those businesses when they sell drinks. In Calhoun County the license is bought from the Commissioner of Licenses (256-241-2900), which under Ala. Code §45-8-200.05 collects and issues all licenses except marriage licenses. The figures are the Handbook's combined state and county totals; for an unincorporated location the Handbook's own tier wording, 'less than 5,000 and in unincorporated places', sets the $16 amount. City licenses are separate.
Store License
The store license reaches essentially every retail and wholesale merchant, which makes it the closest thing Alabama has to a universal business license — and it is remarkably cheap for a single-location business at $2 all in. The price climbs per store as a chain grows, reaching $113.50 for each store past the twentieth. Unlike the privilege license, this one is state-only: the statute says expressly that no fee is due for the use of any county. An auto repair shop needs it only if it sells parts to the public over the counter; keeping a stock of parts to fit to customers' vehicles does not trigger it, even where the parts are itemised on the repair bill.
Shared with other businesses in Calhoun County Al
- Retail Spirits/Wine Special License and County Alcohol Tax — Calhoun County Judge of Probate, A Calhoun County liquor license from the Judge of Probate — the Judge of Probate's Liquor License Information page states "The annual cost for the license is $100.00" — plus a 14% county tax on spirits and fortified-wine purchases by retailers from the ABC Board under Act No. 92-465, paid to the Judge of Probate. Ala. Code §45-8-22 names the Judge of Probate, not the Commissioner of Licenses, as solely responsible for administering this section — the one licensing function that stayed with the Probate office when Calhoun otherwise consolidated business licensing under the Commissioner of Licenses. Judge of Probate: 256-241-2825., annual, expires September 30. Also required for restaurants; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.
- Store License (Ala. Code §40-12-315, state portion only) — Calhoun County Commissioner of Licenses, $2 a year for one store, state license only under Ala. Code §40-12-315 (October 2022 ALDOR Handbook); each additional store in a chain: 2-5 stores $16, 6-10 $23.50, 11-20 $38.50, over 20 $113.50, annual, October 1 to September 30; due October 1 and delinquent November 1, with a 15 percent penalty plus interest. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops, auto repair shops, veterinary clinics, fitness studios and salons and barbers; what it involves is set out on the auto repair shops 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 6 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across AL and are covered on the AL state page.
How does a retail store compare with other businesses in Calhoun County Al?
The closest match is a fitness studio, which shares 2 of these permits. A retail store also needs Retail Spirits/Wine Special License and County Alcohol Tax and Store License. A fitness studio needs nothing here that a retail store does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a retail store | Only a retail store needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fitness studios | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Auto repair shops | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Restaurants | 8 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| Coffee shops | 7 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| Salons and barbers | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Childcare centres | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Veterinary clinics | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Food trucks | 6 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Contractors and trades | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
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 and auto repair shops 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.
- Alabama Department of Revenue — Handbook of Privilege and Store Licenses, October 2022, with the fee schedule for each business typeAlabama Department of Revenue · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
- Alabama Department of Revenue Quick Reference Guide (Oct. 2022) — Title 40-12 classification codes by business typeAlabama Department of Revenue · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-28
- Alabama Department of Revenue — Business License page (links the 2022 Handbook, Quick Reference Guide and Census 2020 by City list)Alabama Department of Revenue · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-09
- Census 2020 by City — populations used for population-tiered Title 40-12 licencesAlabama Department of Revenue · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-09
- Code of Alabama §45-8-200.05, Commissioner of Licenses — duty to collect and issue all licences except marriage licences, including privilege, store and chain store licencesAlabama Legislature (ALISON, Code of Alabama) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-09
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.