14 permits · verified 2026-10-05
What permits do you need to open a restaurant in Pima County?
In short
A restaurant in Pima County, AZ has 6 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 8 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Arizona Corporation Commission, Corporations Division charges $45 a year for a corporation; $10 for a nonprofit — an LLC files none for the annual report. 2 of the 14 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-05 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a restaurant in Pima County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Establishment Permit (Fixed) | Pima County Health Department, Consumer Health and Food Safety Division | No fee | not stated in the cited sources | 2026-10-05 |
| Liquor License Application: County Recommendation (Premises Outside Incorporated Cities)only if it applies to you | Pima County Board of Supervisors (clerk of the board) | No fee | not stated in the cited source; the county step is a recommendation and carries no license term | 2026-10-05 |
| Temporary and Seasonal Food Permitonly if it applies to you | Pima County Health Department, Consumer Health and Food Safety Division | No fee | 1 to 120 days, for a single event or one athletic league season, as stated on pima.gov/2275 | 2026-10-05 |
| Food Establishment Permit | Arizona Department of Health Services | $144–$1,015 a year, set by the county board of health — there is no state fee | 1 year from issue | 2026-09-03 |
| Food Handler Cardonly if it applies to you | Arizona Department of Health Services | No fee | 3 years in the counties that require one | 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 Pima County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Tucson Business License | City of Tucson License Section | No fee | not stated in the cited source | 2026-10-05 |
| Town of Marana Standard Business License | Town of Marana Finance Department, Business Licenses | No fee | annual; the Town's page states that business licenses expire annually | 2026-10-05 |
| Onsite Wastewater Treatment Facility Construction Authorization and Discharge Authorizationonly if it applies to you | Pima County Department of Environmental Quality (PDEQ) | No fee | not stated in the cited sources | 2026-10-05 |
| Zoning Use Approval (Building Permit or Zoning Use Permit) | Pima County Development Services Department | No fee | not stated in the cited sources | 2026-10-05 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
AZ registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Reportonly if it applies to you | Arizona Corporation Commission, Corporations Division | $45 a year for a corporation; $10 for a nonprofit — an LLC files none | annual, in the corporation's anniversary month on a date the Commission sets | 2026-09-03 |
| Publication of the Formation Noticeonly if it applies to you | Arizona Corporation Commission, Corporations Division | No fee | within 60 days of approval, in three consecutive publications | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to you | Arizona Corporation Commission, Corporations Division | $50 one-time filing; $85 expedited | perpetual — Arizona LLCs file no annual report | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | Arizona Corporation Commission, Corporations Division | $60 one-time filing; $95 expedited | perpetual, but an annual report is due each anniversary month | 2026-09-03 |
| Transaction Privilege Tax License | Arizona Department of Revenue | Varies — formula on the AZ page | calendar year — renewal is due 1 January and delinquent after January | 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 Pima County?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 14 records listed for a restaurant in Pima County, AZ, 6 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.
2 of the 14 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 9 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
Food Establishment Permit: $144–$1,015 a year, set by the county board of health — there is no state fee
The other 1 variable fee belongs to permits that apply to every type of business here; its formula is set out on the Pima County permits page and the AZ state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Pima County?
Permits for a restaurant in Pima County, AZ come from 9 separate offices: Pima County Health Department, Consumer Health and Food Safety Division, Pima County Board of Supervisors (clerk of the board), City of Tucson License Section, Town of Marana Finance Department, Business Licenses, Pima County Department of Environmental Quality (PDEQ), Pima County Development Services Department, Arizona Department of Health Services, Arizona Corporation Commission, Corporations Division, Arizona Department of Revenue. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- Pima County Health Department, Consumer Health and Food Safety DivisionIssues 2 permits on this page: Food Establishment Permit (Fixed), Temporary and Seasonal Food Permit3950 S. Country Club Road, Suite 2301, Tucson, AZ 85714 · (520) 724-7908www.pima.gov/2266
- Pima County Board of Supervisors (clerk of the board)Issues 1 permit on this page: Liquor License Application: County Recommendation (Premises Outside Incorporated Cities)www.pima.gov
- City of Tucson License SectionIssues 1 permit on this page: City of Tucson Business LicensePO Box 27210, Tucson, AZ 85726-7210www.tucsonaz.gov/Departments/Business-Services-Department/Apply-for-a-Business-License
- Town of Marana Finance Department, Business LicensesIssues 1 permit on this page: Town of Marana Standard Business Licensewww.maranaaz.gov/Departments/Finance/Business-Licenses/Standard-Business-License
- Pima County Department of Environmental Quality (PDEQ)Issues 1 permit on this page: Onsite Wastewater Treatment Facility Construction Authorization and Discharge Authorizationwww.pima.gov/509/Fees-Payments-Instructions
- Pima County Development Services DepartmentIssues 1 permit on this page: Zoning Use Approval (Building Permit or Zoning Use Permit)www.pima.gov/1056/Requirements-for-Business-Startup-Operat
- Arizona Department of Health ServicesIssues 2 permits on this page: Food Establishment Permit, Food Handler Card150 North 18th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85007 · (602) 542-1025www.azdhs.gov/licensing/childcare-facilities/index.php
- Arizona Corporation Commission, Corporations DivisionIssues 4 permits on this page: Annual Report, Publication of the Formation Notice, Articles of Organization (LLC), Articles of Incorporation1300 West Washington Street, Phoenix, AZ 85007 · (602) 542-3026ArizonaBusinessCenter.azcc.gov
- Arizona Department of RevenueIssues 1 permit on this page: Transaction Privilege Tax License1600 West Monroe Street, Phoenix, AZ 85007 · (602) 255-3381azdor.gov/transaction-privilege-tax/tpt-license
What does a restaurant need in Pima County that other businesses do not?
Food Establishment Permit (Fixed)
Businesses that serve food need a food establishment permit from the Pima County Health Department's Consumer Health and Food Safety division. The county's business-startup page at pima.gov/1056 states that businesses serving food require a permit from the Pima County Health Department. The division's application flowchart lists fixed food establishments among its permit types and gives the office at 3950 S. Country Club Road, Suite 2301, Tucson, with the telephone number (520) 724-7908. A current amount is not published in a dated, adopted schedule, and the fee table linked from pima.gov/2266 is undated, so this record carries no dollar figure.
Shared with other businesses in Pima County
- Liquor License Application: County Recommendation (Premises Outside Incorporated Cities) — Pima County Board of Supervisors (clerk of the board), No fee, not stated in the cited source; the county step is a recommendation and carries no license term. Also required for retail stores; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
- Temporary and Seasonal Food Permit — Pima County Health Department, Consumer Health and Food Safety Division, No fee, 1 to 120 days, for a single event or one athletic league season, as stated on pima.gov/2275. Also required for food trucks and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
- Food Establishment Permit — Arizona Department of Health Services, $144–$1,015 a year, set by the county board of health — there is no state fee, 1 year from issue. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
- Food Handler Card — Arizona Department of Health Services, No fee, 3 years in the counties that require one. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
The other 4 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Pima County, AZ; what each one involves is set out on the Pima County permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across AZ and are covered on the AZ state page.
How does a restaurant compare with other businesses in Pima County?
The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 4 of these permits. A restaurant also needs Liquor License Application: County Recommendation (Premises Outside Incorporated Cities). A coffee shop needs nothing here that a restaurant does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a restaurant | Only a restaurant needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee shops | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Food trucks | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Retail stores | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| Childcare centres | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| Auto repair shops | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Contractors and trades | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Fitness studios | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Salons and barbers | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Veterinary clinics | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
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 retail stores page and food trucks page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Pima County permits page and the AZ state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- Permitting and Inspections, Consumer Health and Food SafetyPima County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-05
- Requirements for Business Startup and OperationPima County · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-05
- How to Apply for a Food Service Permit (Consumer Health and Food Safety flowchart)Pima County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-05
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.