14 permits · verified 2026-10-02
What permits do you need to open a retail store in Kern County?
In short
A retail store in Kern County, CA has 4 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 10 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Kern County Planning and Natural Resources Department charges $1,352 one-time per application (code PIM-003), per the Land Development Services Fee Schedule effective 1/1/2025 for the zone variance. 5 of the 14 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-02 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a retail store in Kern County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tobacco Retailer's Permitonly if it applies to you | Kern County Public Health Services Department, Environmental Health Services Division | Low risk $155.00 + $290.00 = $445.00; Moderate $155.00 + $595.00 = $750.00; High $155.00 + $870.00 = $1,025.00 (codes TB01/TB11/TB12). | annual | 2026-10-02 |
| Liquor License — Determination of Public Convenience or Necessityonly if it applies to you | Kern County Planning and Natural Resources Department | $1,123.00 for a full Determination of Public Convenience or Necessity (code PIM-018); a $281.00 preliminary review option is also available, per the Land Development Services Fee Schedule effective 1/1/2025. This county fee is separate from the state alcohol license itself: the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control's own fee schedule, effective January 1, 2026, lists a $1,135.00 application fee for a Type 41 (on-sale beer/wine, bona fide eating place) or Type 20 (off-sale beer/wine) license, and a $7,515.00 application fee for a Type 47 (on-sale general, bona fide eating place) license. | one-time per qualifying ABC application | 2026-10-02 |
| Retail Food Facility Health Permit | Kern County Public Health Services Department, Environmental Health Services Division | Food Facility (restaurant): Low risk $155.00 application + $295.00 permit = $450.00; Moderate $155.00 + $625.00 = $780.00; High $155.00 + $920.00 = $1,075.00 (codes RE09/10/11). Food Facility - Market (grocery/bakery): Low $155.00 + $265.00 = $420.00; Moderate $155.00 + $520.00 = $675.00; High $155.00 + $795.00 = $950.00 (codes FM09/10/11). Limited prepackaged non-potentially-hazardous food display: $155.00 + $155.00 = $310.00 (code FL01). Plan Review (one-time): $865.00 for 1,000 sq ft or less, $1,300.00 for 1,001-10,000 sq ft, $1,670.00 for over 10,000 sq ft (codes FP09/10/11). Vending machine: $155.00 + $170.00 = $325.00 (code VE03). | annual, July 1 - June 30 | 2026-10-02 |
| Food Facility Permit | California Department of Public Health, Food and Drug Branch | No fee | set by the local enforcement agency | 2026-09-03 |
| Food Handler Card | California Department of Public Health, Food and Drug Branch | $15 statutory maximum for at least one accredited course | 3 years | 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 Kern County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone Changeonly if it applies to you | Kern County Planning and Natural Resources Department | Varies — formula on the Kern County page | one-time per application | 2026-10-02 |
| Zone Varianceonly if it applies to you | Kern County Planning and Natural Resources Department | $1,352 one-time per application (code PIM-003), per the Land Development Services Fee Schedule effective 1/1/2025 | one-time per application | 2026-10-02 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
CA registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statement of Information (LLC)only if it applies to you | California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division | $20 per filing, biennial | biennial | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to you | California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division | $70 one-time filing | no expiry, but a Statement of Information is due biennially | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division | $100 one-time filing | no expiry, but a Statement of Information is due annually | 2026-09-03 |
| Statement of Information (Corporation)only if it applies to you | California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division | $25 per filing, annual | annual | 2026-09-03 |
| Seller's Permitonly if it applies to you | California Department of Tax and Fee Administration | No fee — no fee to apply | no expiry while actively engaged in business as a seller | 2026-09-03 |
| Annual LLC Tax and Minimum Franchise Taxonly if it applies to you | California Franchise Tax Board | Varies — formula on the CA page | annual, until the entity is cancelled | 2026-09-03 |
| General Business License — California position (city or county, not state) | California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division | No fee | set by the issuing city or county | 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 Kern 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 retail store in Kern County, CA, 4 apply to every business of this type and 10 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 4 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $15.00. That is a floor, not a total. 5 of the 14 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:
Tobacco Retailer's Permit: Low risk $155.00 + $290.00 = $445.00; Moderate $155.00 + $595.00 = $750.00; High $155.00 + $870.00 = $1,025.00 (codes TB01/TB11/TB12).
Liquor License — Determination of Public Convenience or Necessity: $1,123.00 for a full Determination of Public Convenience or Necessity (code PIM-018); a $281.00 preliminary review option is also available, per the Land Development Services Fee Schedule effective 1/1/2025. This county fee is separate from the state alcohol license itself: the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control's own fee schedule, effective January 1, 2026, lists a $1,135.00 application fee for a Type 41 (on-sale beer/wine, bona fide eating place) or Type 20 (off-sale beer/wine) license, and a $7,515.00 application fee for a Type 47 (on-sale general, bona fide eating place) license.
Retail Food Facility Health Permit: Food Facility (restaurant): Low risk $155.00 application + $295.00 permit = $450.00; Moderate $155.00 + $625.00 = $780.00; High $155.00 + $920.00 = $1,075.00 (codes RE09/10/11). Food Facility - Market (grocery/bakery): Low $155.00 + $265.00 = $420.00; Moderate $155.00 + $520.00 = $675.00; High $155.00 + $795.00 = $950.00 (codes FM09/10/11). Limited prepackaged non-potentially-hazardous food display: $155.00 + $155.00 = $310.00 (code FL01). Plan Review (one-time): $865.00 for 1,000 sq ft or less, $1,300.00 for 1,001-10,000 sq ft, $1,670.00 for over 10,000 sq ft (codes FP09/10/11). Vending machine: $155.00 + $170.00 = $325.00 (code VE03).
The other 2 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Kern County permits page and the CA state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Kern County?
Permits for a retail store in Kern County, CA come from 6 separate offices: Kern County Planning and Natural Resources Department, Kern County Public Health Services Department, Environmental Health Services Division, California Department of Public Health, Food and Drug Branch, California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division, California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, California Franchise Tax Board. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- Kern County Planning and Natural Resources DepartmentIssues 3 permits on this page: Zone Change, Zone Variance, Liquor License — Determination of Public Convenience or Necessitykernpublicworks.com/home/showpublisheddocument/10722/638501517416500000
- Kern County Public Health Services Department, Environmental Health Services DivisionIssues 2 permits on this page: Tobacco Retailer's Permit, Retail Food Facility Health Permitwww.kernpublichealth.com/environmental-health/environmental-health-fees
- California Department of Public Health, Food and Drug BranchIssues 2 permits on this page: Food Facility Permit, Food Handler Cardwww.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CEH/DFDCS/Pages/FDBPrograms/FoodSafetyProgram/RetailFood.aspx
- California Secretary of State, Business Programs DivisionIssues 5 permits on this page, including Statement of Information (LLC), Articles of Organization (LLC), Articles of Incorporation(916) 657-5448bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov
- California Department of Tax and Fee AdministrationIssues 1 permit on this page: Seller's Permitonlineservices.cdtfa.ca.gov
- California Franchise Tax BoardIssues 1 permit on this page: Annual LLC Tax and Minimum Franchise Taxwww.ftb.ca.gov
What does a retail store need in Kern County that other businesses do not?
Food Facility Permit
California writes one statewide standard and delegates the permit. No food facility may open without one, but section 114381(d) puts the price in local hands: any fee "shall be determined by the local governing body" and may only cover the actual cost of enforcement. So there is a statewide RULE and no statewide FEE — no amount is recorded here because the state sets none. The figure that applies to you is your county environmental health department's, and it varies widely between counties. The permit is non-transferable, tied to the specific person, location and activity, and must be displayed. Cottage food operations, child day care facilities and community care facilities sit outside the definition of a food facility.
Shared with other businesses in Kern County
- Tobacco Retailer's Permit — Kern County Public Health Services Department, Environmental Health Services Division, Low risk $155.00 + $290.00 = $445.00; Moderate $155.00 + $595.00 = $750.00; High $155.00 + $870.00 = $1,025.00 (codes TB01/TB11/TB12)., annual. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.
- Liquor License — Determination of Public Convenience or Necessity — Kern County Planning and Natural Resources Department, $1,123.00 for a full Determination of Public Convenience or Necessity (code PIM-018); a $281.00 preliminary review option is also available, per the Land Development Services Fee Schedule effective 1/1/2025. This county fee is separate from the state alcohol license itself: the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control's own fee schedule, effective January 1, 2026, lists a $1,135.00 application fee for a Type 41 (on-sale beer/wine, bona fide eating place) or Type 20 (off-sale beer/wine) license, and a $7,515.00 application fee for a Type 47 (on-sale general, bona fide eating place) license., one-time per qualifying ABC application. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
- Retail Food Facility Health Permit — Kern County Public Health Services Department, Environmental Health Services Division, Food Facility (restaurant): Low risk $155.00 application + $295.00 permit = $450.00; Moderate $155.00 + $625.00 = $780.00; High $155.00 + $920.00 = $1,075.00 (codes RE09/10/11). Food Facility - Market (grocery/bakery): Low $155.00 + $265.00 = $420.00; Moderate $155.00 + $520.00 = $675.00; High $155.00 + $795.00 = $950.00 (codes FM09/10/11). Limited prepackaged non-potentially-hazardous food display: $155.00 + $155.00 = $310.00 (code FL01). Plan Review (one-time): $865.00 for 1,000 sq ft or less, $1,300.00 for 1,001-10,000 sq ft, $1,670.00 for over 10,000 sq ft (codes FP09/10/11). Vending machine: $155.00 + $170.00 = $325.00 (code VE03)., annual, July 1 - June 30. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
- Food Handler Card — California Department of Public Health, Food and Drug Branch, $15 statutory maximum for at least one accredited course, 3 years. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
The other 2 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Kern County, CA; what each one involves is set out on the Kern County permits page. The 7 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across CA and are covered on the CA state page.
How does a retail store compare with other businesses in Kern County?
The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 5 of these permits. A coffee shop needs Temporary Food Facility / Community Event Sponsor Permit, which a retail store does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a retail store | Only a retail store needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee shops | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| Restaurants | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| Food trucks | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Auto repair shops | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Childcare centres | 2 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| Contractors and trades | 2 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| Fitness studios | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Salons and barbers | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| Veterinary clinics | 2 | 0 | 5 | 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 restaurants page, coffee shops page and food trucks page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Kern County permits page and the CA state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- California Health and Safety Code section 114381 — food facility permit required, fee determined by the local governing bodyCalifornia Legislative Information · 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.