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9 permits · verified 2026-09-28

What permits do you need to open a retail store in Houston County Al?

In short

A retail store in Houston County Al, AL has 2 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 7 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). 4 of the 9 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 retail store in Houston County Al

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Alcoholic Beverage Sales — Wet County, Spirituous/Vinous Retail Confined to Dothanonly if it applies to youAlabama Alcoholic Beverage Control BoardNo feenot applicable at the county level; the underlying license comes from the Alabama ABC Board (and, for spirituous/vinous retail outside an ABC store, also from the City of Dothan) on their own renewal cycles2026-09-28
Store Licenseonly if it applies to youAlabama 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 thatannual — 1 October to 30 September2026-09-03

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

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
General County Business Privilege LicenseHouston County Probate Office, License Department (Judge of Probate Patrick H. Davenport)Varies — formula on the Houston County Al pageannual; license year runs through September 30, renews each October, with penalties and interest applying after November 12026-09-28

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
Sales Tax LicenseAlabama Department of Revenue, Sales and Use Tax DivisionNo feeannual — renew online between 1 November and 31 December2026-09-03

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 Houston County Al?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 9 records listed for a retail store in Houston County Al, AL, 2 apply to every business of this type and 7 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.

4 of the 9 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:

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 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 retail store in Houston County Al, AL come from 5 separate offices: Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, 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. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.

What does a retail store need in Houston County Al that other businesses do not?

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 Houston County Al

  • Alcoholic Beverage Sales — Wet County, Spirituous/Vinous Retail Confined to Dothan — Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, No fee, not applicable at the county level; the underlying license comes from the Alabama ABC Board (and, for spirituous/vinous retail outside an ABC store, also from the City of Dothan) on their own renewal cycles. Also required for restaurants; 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 retail store compare with other businesses in Houston County Al?

The closest match is a auto repair shop, which shares 1 of these permits. A retail store also needs Alcoholic Beverage Sales — Wet County, Spirituous/Vinous Retail Confined to Dothan. A auto repair shop needs Garage and Repair Shop Privilege License, which a retail store does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Houston County Al, AL, compared with a retail store
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a retail storeOnly a retail store needsOnly it needs
Auto repair shops2111
Restaurants4113
Childcare centres2022
Coffee shops3023
Contractors and trades3023
Fitness studios0020
Food trucks3023
Salons and barbers1021
Veterinary clinics2022

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. 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.

  1. 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

Related

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