14 permits · verified 2026-10-13
What permits do you need to open a retail store in Placer County?
In short
A retail store in Placer 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. California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division charges $20 per filing, biennial for the statement of information (llc). 6 of the 14 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-13 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a retail store in Placer County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Facility Plan Checkonly if it applies to you | Placer County Department of Health and Human Services, Environmental Health Division | New facility with hood $3,697; new facility without hood $2,522; new facility, prepackaged only $1,196; equipment only $737; remodel with hood $2,274; remodel without hood $1,455. | per project (one-time) | 2026-10-13 |
| Retail Food Facility Health Permit | Placer County Department of Health and Human Services, Environmental Health Division | Annual: restaurant 0-49 seats $1,230; 50-99 seats $1,541; 100 or more seats $1,773. Market, no food prep: under 500 sq ft $646; over 500-5,000 sq ft $777; 5,000 sq ft or more $1,165. Market with food prep: under 5,000 sq ft $1,424; 5,000 sq ft or more $1,812. Market, pre-packaged with sampling / limited non-PHF prep $1,165. Bar or lounge, no food prep $517. Satellite food facility $440. Commissary $673. Seasonal (operates less than 6 months per year): restaurant 0-49 seats $619, 50-99 seats $752, 100 or more seats $853; market no prep under 500 sq ft $344, 500-5,000 sq ft $398, over 5,000 sq ft $548; market with prep under 5,000 sq ft $660, over 5,000 sq ft $839; bar or lounge $277. | annual | 2026-10-13 |
| 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 Placer County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Business License (unincorporated area)only if it applies to you | Placer County Treasurer-Tax Collector, Business License Division | Varies — formula on the Placer County page | 1 year (County Code §5.08.040(A)) | 2026-10-13 |
| Building Permit (unincorporated area)only if it applies to you | Placer County Community Development Resource Agency, Building Services | Varies — formula on the Placer County page | per project (one-time) | 2026-10-13 |
| Conditional Use Permit and Sign Permit (unincorporated area)only if it applies to you | Placer County Community Development Resource Agency, Planning Services | Varies — formula on the Placer County page | per application (one-time) | 2026-10-13 |
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 Placer 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 Placer 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. 6 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:
Food Facility Plan Check: New facility with hood $3,697; new facility without hood $2,522; new facility, prepackaged only $1,196; equipment only $737; remodel with hood $2,274; remodel without hood $1,455.
Retail Food Facility Health Permit: Annual: restaurant 0-49 seats $1,230; 50-99 seats $1,541; 100 or more seats $1,773. Market, no food prep: under 500 sq ft $646; over 500-5,000 sq ft $777; 5,000 sq ft or more $1,165. Market with food prep: under 5,000 sq ft $1,424; 5,000 sq ft or more $1,812. Market, pre-packaged with sampling / limited non-PHF prep $1,165. Bar or lounge, no food prep $517. Satellite food facility $440. Commissary $673. Seasonal (operates less than 6 months per year): restaurant 0-49 seats $619, 50-99 seats $752, 100 or more seats $853; market no prep under 500 sq ft $344, 500-5,000 sq ft $398, over 5,000 sq ft $548; market with prep under 5,000 sq ft $660, over 5,000 sq ft $839; bar or lounge $277.
The other 4 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Placer County permits page and the CA state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Placer County?
Permits for a retail store in Placer County, CA come from 8 separate offices: Placer County Treasurer-Tax Collector, Business License Division, Placer County Department of Health and Human Services, Environmental Health Division, Placer County Community Development Resource Agency, Building Services, Placer County Community Development Resource Agency, Planning Services, 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.
- Placer County Treasurer-Tax Collector, Business License DivisionIssues 1 permit on this page: General Business License (unincorporated area)2976 Richardson Drive, Auburn, CA 95603 · (530) 889-4120www.placer.ca.gov/1389/Business-Licenses
- Placer County Department of Health and Human Services, Environmental Health DivisionIssues 2 permits on this page: Food Facility Plan Check, Retail Food Facility Health Permit11434 B Ave, Suite 400, Auburn, CA 95603 · (530) 745-2300www.placer.ca.gov/3105/Environmental-Health
- Placer County Community Development Resource Agency, Building ServicesIssues 1 permit on this page: Building Permit (unincorporated area)3091 County Center Drive, Auburn, CA 95603 · (530) 745-3000www.placer.ca.gov/2175/Building-Permit-Processing-Fees-Reports
- Placer County Community Development Resource Agency, Planning ServicesIssues 1 permit on this page: Conditional Use Permit and Sign Permit (unincorporated area)3091 County Center Drive, Auburn, CA 95603 · (530) 745-3000www.placer.ca.gov/2870/Application-Fees-Forms
- 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 Placer County that other businesses do not?
Retail Food Facility Health Permit
Placer County's Food Protection Program page says 'Our specialists issue permits and inspect all retail food facilities in the county, such as restaurants, bars, markets, school cafeterias, bakeries, mini-marts and convenience stores, retail stores that sell pre-packaged food, mobile food vendors, and special/temporary event booths', so a restaurant, coffee shop or food-selling store needs this county permit whether it is in a city or the unincorporated area. County Code §5.12.030(B) also says 'A food permit is required by the health and human services department for all businesses that will handle food or food products.' Amounts are from the Environmental Health Division's Fee Schedule - Effective July 1, 2026 (FY 26-27, revised 5/14/26); the Board of Supervisors staff report for April 7, 2026 (item 18A) requested a public hearing to adopt a resolution adjusting Environmental Health fees by 3.21 percent for CPI, effective July 1, 2026. Under the same schedule, new permits and ownership changes may be pro-rated on a half-year basis, operating before obtaining a permit carries a penalty of double the permit fee, and fees unpaid 30 days after the due date incur an additional 25 percent.
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 Placer County
- Food Facility Plan Check — Placer County Department of Health and Human Services, Environmental Health Division, New facility with hood $3,697; new facility without hood $2,522; new facility, prepackaged only $1,196; equipment only $737; remodel with hood $2,274; remodel without hood $1,455., per project (one-time). 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 3 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Placer County, CA; what each one involves is set out on the Placer 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 Placer County?
The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 4 of these permits. A coffee shop needs Temporary Food Facility Permit (community events), 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 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| Restaurants | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| Food trucks | 5 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Auto repair shops | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Childcare centres | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Contractors and trades | 3 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| Fitness studios | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Salons and barbers | 3 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| Veterinary clinics | 3 | 0 | 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 coffee shops page and food trucks page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Placer County permits page and the CA state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- Environmental Health Fee Schedule - Effective July 1, 2026 (FY 26-27, revised 5/14/26)Placer County Health and Human Services, Environmental Health Division · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- Food Protection ProgramPlacer County Environmental Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- Board of Supervisors item 18A, April 7, 2026 — FY 2026-27 Health and Human Services Fee AdjustmentsPlacer County Board of Supervisors · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- Placer County Code, Article 2.116 — FeesCounty of Placer / eCode360 · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- Placer County Code, Chapter 5 — Business Licenses, Regulations and PermitsCounty of Placer / eCode360 · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- 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.