What permits do you need to open a restaurant in Marshall County Al?

County Alcohol License — Restaurant Retail Liquor (Unincorporated Area Only)

This license applies only to a restaurant or coffee shop that serves liquor outside municipal limits, in the unincorporated area of Marshall County. Albertville, Arab, Boaz, Guntersville and Grant license alcohol themselves, so a business inside one of those cities deals with the city and not the County Commission. The Commission's regulation limits restaurant licenses to on-premises consumption at a business that earns its primary income from cooking and serving food and keeps at least 50% of sales in food; bars, lounges and night clubs are not permitted. An applicant applies to the Alabama ABC Board first, then to the County Administrator at 424 Blount Ave., Guntersville, and the Commission decides after a published public hearing on a recommendation from its Alcohol Review Committee. A health permit is required if food is served, and a Responsible Vendor certification is required for on-premises licenses. The annual amounts are from the fee resolution, not from the September 2025 regulation, which leaves annual fees to a later resolution.

County Alcohol License — Retail Beer, Table Wine and Package Liquor (Unincorporated Area Only)

This license applies only to a restaurant or retail store that sells beer, table wine or packaged liquor outside municipal limits, in the unincorporated area of Marshall County; Albertville, Arab, Boaz, Guntersville and Grant license alcohol themselves. The Commission's regulation permits retail package, convenience, grocery and general merchandise stores to sell for off-premises consumption, and requires a minimum distance of 200 feet from the entrance of any church, school or child development facility, with listed exceptions. On-premises sales are barred between 12:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m.; off-premises sales have no hourly limit. The application goes to the County Administrator at 424 Blount Ave., Guntersville after the state ABC Board application, and one application may cover several license types at the same location. The dollar amounts come from the May 13, 2026 fee resolution.

County Liquor Sales Tax (Unincorporated Area)

A business that holds a county liquor license for the unincorporated area of Marshall County owes this tax in addition to the annual license fee: 7% of gross proceeds on liquor sold in the bottle and 8% on liquor served on premises. It applies to restaurants, retail stores and food trucks whose county license authorizes liquor, and only outside municipal limits, because Albertville, Arab, Boaz, Guntersville and Grant license and tax alcohol themselves. The enrolled Act 2024-254 allows the Commission to levy a rate that does not exceed the sales and use taxes levied by any municipality in the county, with the proceeds going 50% to the Marshall County Board of Education. Contact the County Administrator's office at 256-571-7701 for reporting and remittance procedures.

Certified Food Protection Manager

No state fee, because Alabama neither examines nor registers anyone — the certificate comes from an accredited private programme at that programme's price. Two limits define who actually needs it. It applies only to priority category 3 and 4 establishments, broadly those handling raw animal foods, cooking to reduce pathogens, or cooling and reheating, plus anyone operating under a variance or a food safety plan; categories 1 and 2 and temporary establishments are exempt. And within those categories it is a hard requirement rather than one option among several, because Alabama expressly declines to adopt the two federal food code paragraphs that would otherwise let a person in charge demonstrate knowledge by other means. Since 2020 a certified or attendance-verified person in charge must be present during all hours of operation. There is no statewide food handler card — the phrase appears nowhere in the rules — though Jefferson and Mobile counties each issue one locally.

Shared with other businesses in Marshall County Al

• Alabama State and County Business Privilege License — Marshall County Judge of Probate, Licensing Office, Marshall County has no separate fee schedule; the ALDOR Handbook totals apply, state and county combined in a single amount (the county levy is 50% of the state levy). Restaurant or coffee shop with a dining area (Ala. Code §40-12-151), by seats (10 or fewer / 11-20 / 21-35 / over 35): tier 4, places of 5,000 population and under, whether incorporated or not, which includes the unincorporated area, $8.50 / $12.25 / $16.00 / $23.50; tier 3, places of 5,000 to under 15,000 (Arab, Boaz and Guntersville), $8.50 / $16.00 / $23.50 / $38.50; tier 2, places of 15,000 to 40,000 (Albertville), $12.25 / $19.75 / $38.50 / $53.50. Contractor (§40-12-84), by gross contracts accepted: $5,000-$10,000 $16; $10,000-$20,000 $23.50; $20,000-$50,000 $38.50; $50,000-$100,000 $76; $100,000-$150,000 $226; $150,000-$200,000 $301; over $200,000 $376. Auto repair garage (§40-12-54): $8.50 for the first man plus $7.50 for each additional man. Barbershop (§40-12-58): $4.75 for the first chair plus $3.75 for each additional chair. Beauty shop (§40-12-61): $16 for the shop owner plus $6 for each additional operator in places under 60,000 population. Store (§40-12-315): $2 total, and no county license fee is due for a store., annual; license year ends September 30; renew by October 31, after which a 15% penalty plus interest applies. Also required for coffee shops, retail stores, contractors and trades, auto repair shops and salons and barbers; what it involves is set out on the auto repair shops page.
• Probate Mail-Renewal Fee for Business Licenses — Marshall County Judge of Probate, Licensing Office, The Judge of Probate may charge a fee of up to $2 for each business license that is issued by mail. The fee is in addition to the combined state and county privilege license amount., annual, with each mail renewal; the Judge mails renewal notices during September. Also required for coffee shops, retail stores, contractors and trades, auto repair shops and salons and barbers; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops 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 coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.