11 permits · verified 2026-09-29
What permits do you need to open a retail store in Marshall County Al?
In short
A retail store in Marshall County Al, AL has 2 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 9 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 2026-09-29 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a retail store in Marshall County Al
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| County Alcohol License — Retail Beer, Table Wine and Package Liquor (Unincorporated Area Only)only if it applies to you | Marshall County Commission (County Administrator) | Under the Commission's May 13, 2026 fee resolution, each retail license carries a $150 non-refundable filing fee plus an annual county license fee: retail beer on or off premises (type 40) $75; retail beer off premises only (type 50) $50; retail table wine on or off premises (type 60) $75; retail table wine off premises only (type 70) $75. A liquor package or lounge Class II license (type 11) carries a $2,500 annual county license fee with the same $150 filing fee. | annual; license year runs October 1 through September 30; renewals accepted from August 1; a license issued April 1 or later pays one-half of the license fee | 2026-09-29 |
| County Liquor Sales Tax (Unincorporated Area)only if it applies to you | Marshall County Commission (County Administrator) | The Commission's May 13, 2026 resolution levies a county tax of 7% of gross proceeds on liquor sold by the bottle and 8% of gross proceeds on liquor served on the premises. | paid monthly on liquor sales while the county alcohol license is held | 2026-09-29 |
| 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 | 2026-09-29 |
| Probate Mail-Renewal Fee for Business Licensesonly if it applies to you | 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 | 2026-09-29 |
| 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.
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 Marshall 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 retail store in Marshall County Al, AL, 2 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 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:
County Alcohol License — Retail Beer, Table Wine and Package Liquor (Unincorporated Area Only): Under the Commission's May 13, 2026 fee resolution, each retail license carries a $150 non-refundable filing fee plus an annual county license fee: retail beer on or off premises (type 40) $75; retail beer off premises only (type 50) $50; retail table wine on or off premises (type 60) $75; retail table wine off premises only (type 70) $75. A liquor package or lounge Class II license (type 11) carries a $2,500 annual county license fee with the same $150 filing fee.
County Liquor Sales Tax (Unincorporated Area): The Commission's May 13, 2026 resolution levies a county tax of 7% of gross proceeds on liquor sold by the bottle and 8% of gross proceeds on liquor served on the premises.
Alabama State and County Business Privilege License: 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.
Probate Mail-Renewal Fee for Business Licenses: 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.
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 2 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Marshall County Al permits page and the AL state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Marshall County Al?
Permits for a retail store in Marshall County Al, AL come from 5 separate offices: Marshall County Commission (County Administrator), Marshall County Judge of Probate, Licensing Office, 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.
- Marshall County Commission (County Administrator)Issues 2 permits on this page: County Alcohol License — Retail Beer, Table Wine and Package Liquor (Unincorporated Area Only), County Liquor Sales Tax (Unincorporated Area)424 Blount Ave., Guntersville, AL 35976 · 256-571-7701www.marshallal.gov/alcohol.html
- Marshall County Judge of Probate, Licensing OfficeIssues 2 permits on this page: Alabama State and County Business Privilege License, Probate Mail-Renewal Fee for Business Licenses425 Gunter Ave., Suite 110, Guntersville, AL 35976 · 256-571-7764www.marshallal.gov/departments/probate/probate.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 Marshall 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 Marshall County Al
- County Alcohol License — Retail Beer, Table Wine and Package Liquor (Unincorporated Area Only) — Marshall County Commission (County Administrator), Under the Commission's May 13, 2026 fee resolution, each retail license carries a $150 non-refundable filing fee plus an annual county license fee: retail beer on or off premises (type 40) $75; retail beer off premises only (type 50) $50; retail table wine on or off premises (type 60) $75; retail table wine off premises only (type 70) $75. A liquor package or lounge Class II license (type 11) carries a $2,500 annual county license fee with the same $150 filing fee., annual; license year runs October 1 through September 30; renewals accepted from August 1; a license issued April 1 or later pays one-half of the license fee. Also required for restaurants; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.
- County Liquor Sales Tax (Unincorporated Area) — Marshall County Commission (County Administrator), The Commission's May 13, 2026 resolution levies a county tax of 7% of gross proceeds on liquor sold by the bottle and 8% of gross proceeds on liquor served on the premises., paid monthly on liquor sales while the county alcohol license is held. Also required for restaurants and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.
- 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 restaurants, coffee shops, 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 restaurants, coffee shops, contractors and trades, auto repair shops and salons and barbers; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops 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 Marshall County Al?
The closest match is a auto repair shop, which shares 3 of these permits. A retail store also needs County Alcohol License — Retail Beer, Table Wine and Package Liquor (Unincorporated Area Only) and County Liquor Sales Tax (Unincorporated Area). A auto repair shop needs Garage and Repair Shop Privilege License, which a retail store does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a retail store | Only a retail store needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auto repair shops | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Restaurants | 7 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| Salons and barbers | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| Contractors and trades | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Coffee shops | 5 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Food trucks | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
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, auto repair shops page and coffee shops page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Marshall 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
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.