10 permits · verified 2026-09-28
What permits do you need to open a coffee shop in Houston County Al?
In short
A coffee shop in Houston County Al, AL has 4 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 6 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). 5 of the 10 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-09-28 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a coffee shop in Houston County Al
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Service Establishment Health Permit | Houston County Board of Health / Houston County Health Department, Environmental Health Division | Ala. Code §45-35-170 (Act 88-286) authorizes the Houston County Board of Health to designate which health-department services carry a fee and to set the dollar amount of each one, following a public hearing; no person may be denied a service for inability to pay, and a sliding fee scale based on ability to pay is expressly authorized. The Board's own published Environmental Health and food-service-sanitation materials describe the 100-point inspection scoring system and the categories of establishment covered — restaurants, mobile food units, bakeries, bars and daycare kitchens — but do not print the resulting dollar fee for a food-service establishment permit. | annual, consistent with the Environmental Health Division's ongoing permitting and inspection program | 2026-09-28 |
| Food Establishment Permit | Alabama Department of Public Health, Division of Food, Milk and Lodging | $50–$650 a year, set by the county health department, not by the state | annual — expiring when the privilege licenses expire, or on a date the health officer sets | 2026-09-03 |
| Certified Food Protection Manageronly if it applies to you | Alabama Department of Public Health, Division of Food, Milk and Lodging | No fee | 5 years for a certification; 12 months for attendance without certification | 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 Houston County Al
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General County Business Privilege License | Houston County Probate Office, License Department (Judge of Probate Patrick H. Davenport) | Varies — formula on the Houston County Al page | annual; license year runs through September 30, renews each October, with penalties and interest applying after November 1 | 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 coffee shop in Houston County Al?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 10 records listed for a coffee shop in Houston County Al, AL, 4 apply to every business of this type and 6 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.
5 of the 10 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 3 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
Food Service Establishment Health Permit: Ala. Code §45-35-170 (Act 88-286) authorizes the Houston County Board of Health to designate which health-department services carry a fee and to set the dollar amount of each one, following a public hearing; no person may be denied a service for inability to pay, and a sliding fee scale based on ability to pay is expressly authorized. The Board's own published Environmental Health and food-service-sanitation materials describe the 100-point inspection scoring system and the categories of establishment covered — restaurants, mobile food units, bakeries, bars and daycare kitchens — but do not print the resulting dollar fee for a food-service establishment permit.
Food Establishment Permit: $50–$650 a year, set by the county health department, not by the state
The other 3 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Houston County Al permits page and the AL state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Houston County Al?
Permits for a coffee shop in Houston County Al, AL come from 6 separate offices: Houston County Board of Health / Houston County Health Department, Environmental Health Division, Houston County Probate Office, License Department (Judge of Probate Patrick H. Davenport), 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 Public Health, Division of Food, Milk and Lodging. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- Houston County Board of Health / Houston County Health Department, Environmental Health DivisionIssues 1 permit on this page: Food Service Establishment Health Permit1781 E. Cottonwood Rd., Dothan, AL 36301 · 334-678-2815www.alabamapublichealth.gov/houston/food-service-sanitation.html
- Houston County Probate Office, License Department (Judge of Probate Patrick H. Davenport)Issues 1 permit on this page: General County Business Privilege License462 N. Oates St., Dothan, AL 36303 · 334-677-4722houstoncountyal.gov/probate/business_license
- Alabama Department of Revenue, Business and License Tax DivisionIssues 1 permit on this page: State and County Business Privilege 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
- Alabama Department of Public Health, Division of Food, Milk and LodgingIssues 2 permits on this page: Food Establishment Permit, Certified Food Protection Manager201 Monroe Street, Suite 1250, Montgomery, AL 36104 · (334) 206-5373www.alabamapublichealth.gov/foodsafety/food-and-lodging.html
What does a coffee shop need in Houston County Al that other businesses do not?
Shared with other businesses in Houston County Al
- Food Service Establishment Health Permit — Houston County Board of Health / Houston County Health Department, Environmental Health Division, Ala. Code §45-35-170 (Act 88-286) authorizes the Houston County Board of Health to designate which health-department services carry a fee and to set the dollar amount of each one, following a public hearing; no person may be denied a service for inability to pay, and a sliding fee scale based on ability to pay is expressly authorized. The Board's own published Environmental Health and food-service-sanitation materials describe the 100-point inspection scoring system and the categories of establishment covered — restaurants, mobile food units, bakeries, bars and daycare kitchens — but do not print the resulting dollar fee for a food-service establishment permit., annual, consistent with the Environmental Health Division's ongoing permitting and inspection program. Also required for restaurants, food trucks and childcare centres; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
- Food Establishment Permit — Alabama Department of Public Health, Division of Food, Milk and Lodging, $50–$650 a year, set by the county health department, not by the state, annual — expiring when the privilege licenses expire, or on a date the health officer sets. Also required for restaurants and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
- Certified Food Protection Manager — Alabama Department of Public Health, Division of Food, Milk and Lodging, No fee, 5 years for a certification; 12 months for attendance without certification. Also required for restaurants and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.
The other 1 local permit in the tables apply to every type of business in Houston County Al, AL; what each one involves is set out on the Houston 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 coffee shop compare with other businesses in Houston County Al?
A coffee shop and a food truck in Houston County Al, AL need exactly the same 3 permits beyond the ones every business needs.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a coffee shop | Only a coffee shop needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food trucks | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Restaurants | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Childcare centres | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Auto repair shops | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Contractors and trades | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Fitness studios | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Retail stores | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Salons and barbers | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Veterinary clinics | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
Sources
Sources for the permits shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the food trucks page and restaurants page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Houston County Al permits page and the AL state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.