Commercial Compliance Hub
Check requirements

12 permits · verified 2026-09-28

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

In short

A restaurant in Montgomery County Al, AL has 4 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 8 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). 6 of the 12 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 restaurant in Montgomery County Al

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
MCHD Food Service Establishment PermitMontgomery County Health Department / Montgomery County Board of Health, Environmental Health Division$85–$265 a year, by seating capacity — 0 to 25 seats $85 (code 668), 26 to 75 seats $175 (code 670), more than 75 seats $265 (code 672); MCHD Environmental Health Division Fee Scheduleannual2026-09-28
General County Privilege License — Restaurant / Food-Service ClassificationMontgomery County Probate Court, Licenses DivisionThe specific Title 40-12 classification and combined state+county fee depend on the business's exact menu and seating: Delicatessen (§40-12-91), Restaurant (§40-12-151), or Sandwich Shop (§40-12-153) are the classifications the ALDOR Handbook cross-references for prepared-food sales; the Probate Court, Licenses Division determines the applicable classification for a specific businessannual; due October 1, delinquent November 1 (§40-12-26); 15% delinquency penalty plus 6% annual interest (§40-12-10(e))2026-09-28
Alcoholic Beverage License (state ABC Board; Montgomery County is Wet)only if it applies to youMontgomery County Commission (county governing body)No feenot applicable at the county level2026-09-28
Food Establishment PermitAlabama Department of Public Health, Division of Food, Milk and Lodging$50–$650 a year, set by the county health department, not by the stateannual — expiring when the privilege licenses expire, or on a date the health officer sets2026-09-03
Certified Food Protection Manageronly if it applies to youAlabama Department of Public Health, Division of Food, Milk and LodgingNo fee5 years for a certification; 12 months for attendance without certification2026-09-03

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 Montgomery County Al

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Building Permit — Unincorporated Montgomery Countyonly if it applies to youMontgomery County Engineering DepartmentVaries — formula on the Montgomery County Al pageone-time, per permit2026-09-28

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 restaurant in Montgomery County Al?

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 Montgomery County Al, AL, 4 apply to every business of this type and 8 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.

6 of the 12 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 4 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:

MCHD Food Service Establishment Permit: $85–$265 a year, by seating capacity — 0 to 25 seats $85 (code 668), 26 to 75 seats $175 (code 670), more than 75 seats $265 (code 672); MCHD Environmental Health Division Fee Schedule

General County Privilege License — Restaurant / Food-Service Classification: The specific Title 40-12 classification and combined state+county fee depend on the business's exact menu and seating: Delicatessen (§40-12-91), Restaurant (§40-12-151), or Sandwich Shop (§40-12-153) are the classifications the ALDOR Handbook cross-references for prepared-food sales; the Probate Court, Licenses Division determines the applicable classification for a specific business

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 Montgomery County Al permits page and the AL state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Montgomery County Al?

Permits for a restaurant in Montgomery County Al, AL come from 8 separate offices: Montgomery County Health Department / Montgomery County Board of Health, Environmental Health Division, Montgomery County Engineering Department, Montgomery County Probate Court, Licenses Division, Montgomery County Commission (county governing body), 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.

What does a restaurant need in Montgomery County Al that other businesses do not?

General County Privilege License — Restaurant / Food-Service Classification

A restaurant or a coffee shop that also serves prepared food in Montgomery County owes a Title 40-12 food-service classification license through the Probate Court, alongside the general privilege-license mechanism confirmed for this county via the 'Reserved' status of its own local-acts Article 20. The ALDOR Handbook of Privilege and Store Licenses names three specific classifications that can apply depending on the business's exact menu and seating configuration — Delicatessen (§40-12-91), Restaurant (§40-12-151), or Sandwich Shop (§40-12-153) — and cross-references these against the separate Coffee Shop classification (§40-12-69, recorded as a separate requirement) when a business does both. Contact the Probate Court, Licenses Division, 334-832-1248, or consult the current ALDOR Handbook directly, to confirm the specific classification code and dollar figure that applies to a particular restaurant's menu and seating before budgeting for this license. A Montgomery Health Department food-establishment permit, recorded as a separate requirement, is required in addition to this county privilege license.

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 Montgomery County Al

  • MCHD Food Service Establishment Permit — Montgomery County Health Department / Montgomery County Board of Health, Environmental Health Division, $85–$265 a year, by seating capacity — 0 to 25 seats $85 (code 668), 26 to 75 seats $175 (code 670), more than 75 seats $265 (code 672); MCHD Environmental Health Division Fee Schedule, annual. Also required for coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
  • Alcoholic Beverage License (state ABC Board; Montgomery County is Wet) — Montgomery County Commission (county governing body), No fee, not applicable at the county level. Also required for coffee shops and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the retail stores 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.

The other 1 local permit in the tables apply to every type of business in Montgomery County Al, AL; what each one involves is set out on the Montgomery 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 restaurant compare with other businesses in Montgomery County Al?

The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 5 of these permits. A coffee shop needs General County Privilege License — Coffee Shops / Soft-Drink Dispensers, which a restaurant does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Montgomery County Al, AL, compared with a restaurant
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a restaurantOnly a restaurant needsOnly it needs
Coffee shops6501
Food trucks3231
Retail stores4143
Auto repair shops4054
Childcare centres2052
Contractors and trades3053
Fitness studios2052
Salons and barbers3053
Veterinary clinics3053

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 coffee shops page, retail stores page and food trucks page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Montgomery 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
  2. Montgomery County Probate Court — Business Licenses pageMontgomery County Probate Court · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-28
  3. 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.