12 permits · verified 2026-09-08
What permits do you need to open a restaurant in Mobile?
In short
A restaurant in Mobile, AL has 6 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 6 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. City of Mobile Building, Engineering and Environmental Services (Build Mobile) charges $100 a temporary Certificate of Occupancy, or a change of occupancy where no work is performed and no permit is issued; no separate fee where a building permit is already being issued for the same work for the certificate of occupancy. 6 of the 12 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-09-08 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a restaurant in Mobile
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Establishment Permit | Mobile County Health Department, Food and Lodging Program | $240–$1,380 a year — $410 up to 1,000 sq ft, $615 over 1,000 sq ft, $1,380 for a multiplex; a mobile unit/commissary is $240 to $550 depending on days of operation; a food processor runs $410 to $1,380 by gross receipts tier | annual | 2026-09-08 |
| 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 Mobile
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Occupancy | City of Mobile Building, Engineering and Environmental Services (Build Mobile) | $100 a temporary Certificate of Occupancy, or a change of occupancy where no work is performed and no permit is issued; no separate fee where a building permit is already being issued for the same work | one-time, per issuance | 2026-09-08 |
| Commercial Building Permit | City of Mobile Building, Engineering and Environmental Services (Build Mobile) | Varies — formula on the Mobile page | one-time, per project | 2026-09-08 |
| Municipal Business License | City of Mobile Revenue Department | Varies — formula on the Mobile page | annual — calendar year, all licenses expire December 31, delinquent after January 31 | 2026-09-08 |
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 restaurant in Mobile?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 12 records listed for a restaurant in Mobile, AL, 6 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.
Of the 6 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $100.00. That is a floor, not a total. 6 of the 12 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 Establishment Permit: $240–$1,380 a year — $410 up to 1,000 sq ft, $615 over 1,000 sq ft, $1,380 for a multiplex; a mobile unit/commissary is $240 to $550 depending on days of operation; a food processor runs $410 to $1,380 by gross receipts tier
Food Establishment Permit: $50–$650 a year, set by the county health department, not by the state
The other 4 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Mobile permits page and the AL state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Mobile?
Permits for a restaurant in Mobile, AL come from 7 separate offices: City of Mobile Building, Engineering and Environmental Services (Build Mobile), Mobile County Health Department, Food and Lodging Program, City of Mobile Revenue Department, 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.
- City of Mobile Building, Engineering and Environmental Services (Build Mobile)Issues 2 permits on this page: Certificate of Occupancy, Commercial Building Permit(251) 208-5895www.buildmobile.org
- Mobile County Health Department, Food and Lodging ProgramIssues 1 permit on this page: Food Establishment Permitmchd.org
- City of Mobile Revenue DepartmentIssues 1 permit on this page: Municipal Business License(251) 208-7462www.cityofmobile.gov/business-license-overview
- 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 restaurant need in Mobile that other businesses do not?
Food Establishment Permit
Mobile County runs its own independent health department rather than being run by the state, and this fee schedule is dated January 7, 2026 with a stated three-year CPI escalator. Plan review is billed at the same rate as the annual permit; a rush plan review is $410 extra, and submitting plans after construction has begun doubles the applicable fee.
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 Mobile
- 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.
The other 3 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Mobile, AL; what each one involves is set out on the Mobile 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 restaurant compare with other businesses in Mobile?
A restaurant and a coffee shop in Mobile, AL need exactly the same 3 permits beyond the ones every business needs.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a restaurant | Only a restaurant needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee shops | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Food trucks | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Auto repair shops | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Childcare centres | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Contractors and trades | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Fitness studios | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Retail stores | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Salons and barbers | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Veterinary clinics | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
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 food trucks page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Mobile permits page and the AL state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- Mobile County Health Department — Schedule of Fees, dated January 7, 2026Mobile County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-08
- Alabama Administrative Code chapter 420-3-22 — food establishment sanitation, permits issued by the county health officerAlabama Department of Public Health · 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.