Commercial Compliance Hub
Check requirements

15 permits · verified 2026-10-24

What permits do you need to open a retail store in Yolo County?

In short

A retail store in Yolo County, CA has 5 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). 7 of the 15 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-24 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a retail store in Yolo County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
County Business License (unincorporated Yolo County)Yolo County Department of Community Services, Planning Division — Business LicenseNew license: Business License Fee $294 per license, plus Disability Access (CASp) fee $4 per business license, plus the Technology Recovery Fee of 10% of permit cost (Master Fee Schedule). The county's Business License page states: "In general, a Business License not requiring a Fire Life Safety inspection or subject to other departments' fees is $327.40 (includes a technology fee of 10%)". Renewal: Business License Renewal Fee $82 per license (Master Fee Schedule), plus the $4 state CASp fee that Government Code §4467(a)(2)(A) applies to renewals. Where Environmental Health review applies, the schedule lists Business License Review at $251 per application; a Business Site Inspection is a $700 deposit ("use hourly rates for actual cost").1 year; every business license terminates on January 31 each year (County Code §12-1.512)2026-10-24
Retail Food Facility Health Permit (permanent food facility)Yolo County Department of Community Services, Environmental Health DivisionAnnual, by facility type, size and risk category (RC): restaurant 0-25 seats RC1 $500 / RC2 $807 / RC3 $921; 26-49 seats $557 / $864 / $999; 50-149 seats $614 / $999 / $1,189; 150+ seats $672 / $921 / $1,304. Retail food market under 2,000 sq ft RC1 $557 / RC2 $807; 2,000-4,999 sq ft $575 / $903; 5,000+ sq ft $768 / $1,036. Bakery under 2,000 sq ft RC1 $443 / RC2 $768; 2,000-4,999 sq ft $500 / $846; 5,000+ sq ft $730 / $926. Bar, no food prep $557. Minor food sales, commercially prepackaged, under 300 sq ft $310. Vending machines, 1-5 at the same location $325. Commissary $783.annual; the county's Permanent Food Facilities page says 'Permits begin on the first day of the month'2026-10-24
Food Facility Plan Checkonly if it applies to youYolo County Department of Community Services, Environmental Health DivisionPlan check with kitchen or exhaust hood $3,798; without kitchen or exhaust hood $2,711; remodel or mobile food facility $1,775; minor equipment replacement $744; menu review $325; onsite review $230 per hour; expedited service adds 50% of the permit fee.per project (one-time)2026-10-24
Temporary Food Facility Permit (community events)only if it applies to youYolo County Department of Community Services, Environmental Health DivisionSingle event: RC1 $311 / RC2 $329 / RC3 $347 per event. Annual: RC1 $371 / RC2 $421 / RC3 $480. Sampling only, annual $250. Certified agriculture / farmers' market vendor $253. Swap meet / flea market $443. Event organizer permit $688.per event, or annual for annual permits2026-10-24
Weighing and Measuring Device Registrationonly if it applies to youYolo County Agricultural Commissioner / Sealer of Weights and MeasuresBusiness location fee $120 per location (schedule label "Business Location Fee - Maximum $1,200"). Device fees: computing weighing devices interfaced with a cash register/POS $25 per device; counter devices $26 per device; all other commercial weighing or measuring devices $26 per device; Class II weighing devices 100-2,000 lbs $50 per device; prescription and jewelers scales $80 per device. Scanner inspection fee: fewer than 3 per location $140 per location; 3 or more per location $280 per location.annual registration (Business and Professions Code §12240)2026-10-24
Food Facility PermitCalifornia Department of Public Health, Food and Drug BranchNo feeset by the local enforcement agency2026-09-03
Food Handler CardCalifornia Department of Public Health, Food and Drug Branch$15 statutory maximum for at least one accredited course3 years2026-09-03

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 Yolo County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Building Permitonly if it applies to youYolo County Department of Community Services, Building DivisionVaries — formula on the Yolo County pageper project (one-time)2026-10-24

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

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Statement of Information (LLC)only if it applies to youCalifornia Secretary of State, Business Programs Division$20 per filing, biennialbiennial2026-09-03
Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to youCalifornia Secretary of State, Business Programs Division$70 one-time filingno expiry, but a Statement of Information is due biennially2026-09-03
Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to youCalifornia Secretary of State, Business Programs Division$100 one-time filingno expiry, but a Statement of Information is due annually2026-09-03
Statement of Information (Corporation)only if it applies to youCalifornia Secretary of State, Business Programs Division$25 per filing, annualannual2026-09-03
Seller's Permitonly if it applies to youCalifornia Department of Tax and Fee AdministrationNo fee — no fee to applyno expiry while actively engaged in business as a seller2026-09-03
Annual LLC Tax and Minimum Franchise Taxonly if it applies to youCalifornia Franchise Tax BoardVaries — formula on the CA pageannual, until the entity is cancelled2026-09-03
General Business License — California position (city or county, not state)California Secretary of State, Business Programs DivisionNo feeset by the issuing city or county2026-09-03

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 Yolo County?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 15 records listed for a retail store in Yolo County, CA, 5 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 5 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $15.00. That is a floor, not a total. 7 of the 15 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:

County Business License (unincorporated Yolo County): New license: Business License Fee $294 per license, plus Disability Access (CASp) fee $4 per business license, plus the Technology Recovery Fee of 10% of permit cost (Master Fee Schedule). The county's Business License page states: "In general, a Business License not requiring a Fire Life Safety inspection or subject to other departments' fees is $327.40 (includes a technology fee of 10%)". Renewal: Business License Renewal Fee $82 per license (Master Fee Schedule), plus the $4 state CASp fee that Government Code §4467(a)(2)(A) applies to renewals. Where Environmental Health review applies, the schedule lists Business License Review at $251 per application; a Business Site Inspection is a $700 deposit ("use hourly rates for actual cost").

Retail Food Facility Health Permit (permanent food facility): Annual, by facility type, size and risk category (RC): restaurant 0-25 seats RC1 $500 / RC2 $807 / RC3 $921; 26-49 seats $557 / $864 / $999; 50-149 seats $614 / $999 / $1,189; 150+ seats $672 / $921 / $1,304. Retail food market under 2,000 sq ft RC1 $557 / RC2 $807; 2,000-4,999 sq ft $575 / $903; 5,000+ sq ft $768 / $1,036. Bakery under 2,000 sq ft RC1 $443 / RC2 $768; 2,000-4,999 sq ft $500 / $846; 5,000+ sq ft $730 / $926. Bar, no food prep $557. Minor food sales, commercially prepackaged, under 300 sq ft $310. Vending machines, 1-5 at the same location $325. Commissary $783.

Food Facility Plan Check: Plan check with kitchen or exhaust hood $3,798; without kitchen or exhaust hood $2,711; remodel or mobile food facility $1,775; minor equipment replacement $744; menu review $325; onsite review $230 per hour; expedited service adds 50% of the permit fee.

Temporary Food Facility Permit (community events): Single event: RC1 $311 / RC2 $329 / RC3 $347 per event. Annual: RC1 $371 / RC2 $421 / RC3 $480. Sampling only, annual $250. Certified agriculture / farmers' market vendor $253. Swap meet / flea market $443. Event organizer permit $688.

Weighing and Measuring Device Registration: Business location fee $120 per location (schedule label "Business Location Fee - Maximum $1,200"). Device fees: computing weighing devices interfaced with a cash register/POS $25 per device; counter devices $26 per device; all other commercial weighing or measuring devices $26 per device; Class II weighing devices 100-2,000 lbs $50 per device; prescription and jewelers scales $80 per device. Scanner inspection fee: fewer than 3 per location $140 per location; 3 or more per location $280 per location.

The other 2 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Yolo County permits page and the CA state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Yolo County?

Permits for a retail store in Yolo County, CA come from 8 separate offices: Yolo County Department of Community Services, Planning Division — Business License, Yolo County Department of Community Services, Environmental Health Division, Yolo County Department of Community Services, Building Division, Yolo County Agricultural Commissioner / Sealer of Weights and Measures, 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.

What does a retail store need in Yolo County that other businesses do not?

1 of the 7 permits particular to a retail store here applies to no other business type we cover in Yolo County: Weighing and Measuring Device Registration.

Weighing and Measuring Device Registration

The county's Weights and Measures page describes 'The inspection and testing of commercial weighing and measuring devices, to assure their accuracy. Such devices include grocery store check-out stands, gas pumps, gas and electric meters and other devices used to measure, weigh or meter consumer goods, including large and small capacity scales', and verification of 'scanner pricing and correct labeling on prepackaged or bulk commodities'. A store using a checkout scale or price scanner registers its devices each year. Business and Professions Code §12240(f) says 'The business location fee and device fee shall not exceed one hundred twenty dollars ($120) per business location, plus 100 percent of the maximum applicable device fee', and §12240(t) caps the location fee plus other device fees at $1,200 per business location, which is the '$1,200' in the schedule's label. Amounts are from the Current Master Fee Schedule (print date 9/14/2026) and the Agricultural Commissioner's Fee Schedule page.

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 Yolo County

  • County Business License (unincorporated Yolo County) — Yolo County Department of Community Services, Planning Division — Business License, New license: Business License Fee $294 per license, plus Disability Access (CASp) fee $4 per business license, plus the Technology Recovery Fee of 10% of permit cost (Master Fee Schedule). The county's Business License page states: "In general, a Business License not requiring a Fire Life Safety inspection or subject to other departments' fees is $327.40 (includes a technology fee of 10%)". Renewal: Business License Renewal Fee $82 per license (Master Fee Schedule), plus the $4 state CASp fee that Government Code §4467(a)(2)(A) applies to renewals. Where Environmental Health review applies, the schedule lists Business License Review at $251 per application; a Business Site Inspection is a $700 deposit ("use hourly rates for actual cost")., 1 year; every business license terminates on January 31 each year (County Code §12-1.512). Also required for restaurants, coffee shops, auto repair shops, salons and barbers and childcare centres; what it involves is set out on the auto repair shops page.
  • Retail Food Facility Health Permit (permanent food facility) — Yolo County Department of Community Services, Environmental Health Division, Annual, by facility type, size and risk category (RC): restaurant 0-25 seats RC1 $500 / RC2 $807 / RC3 $921; 26-49 seats $557 / $864 / $999; 50-149 seats $614 / $999 / $1,189; 150+ seats $672 / $921 / $1,304. Retail food market under 2,000 sq ft RC1 $557 / RC2 $807; 2,000-4,999 sq ft $575 / $903; 5,000+ sq ft $768 / $1,036. Bakery under 2,000 sq ft RC1 $443 / RC2 $768; 2,000-4,999 sq ft $500 / $846; 5,000+ sq ft $730 / $926. Bar, no food prep $557. Minor food sales, commercially prepackaged, under 300 sq ft $310. Vending machines, 1-5 at the same location $325. Commissary $783., annual; the county's Permanent Food Facilities page says 'Permits begin on the first day of the month'. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.
  • Food Facility Plan Check — Yolo County Department of Community Services, Environmental Health Division, Plan check with kitchen or exhaust hood $3,798; without kitchen or exhaust hood $2,711; remodel or mobile food facility $1,775; minor equipment replacement $744; menu review $325; onsite review $230 per hour; expedited service adds 50% of the permit fee., per project (one-time). Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.
  • Temporary Food Facility Permit (community events) — Yolo County Department of Community Services, Environmental Health Division, Single event: RC1 $311 / RC2 $329 / RC3 $347 per event. Annual: RC1 $371 / RC2 $421 / RC3 $480. Sampling only, annual $250. Certified agriculture / farmers' market vendor $253. Swap meet / flea market $443. Event organizer permit $688., per event, or annual for annual permits. Also required for restaurants, food trucks 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 1 local permit in the tables apply to every type of business in Yolo County, CA; what each one involves is set out on the Yolo 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 Yolo County?

The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 6 of these permits. A retail store also needs Weighing and Measuring Device Registration. A coffee shop needs nothing here that a retail store does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Yolo County, CA, compared with a retail store
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a retail storeOnly a retail store needsOnly it needs
Coffee shops6610
Restaurants7611
Food trucks4341
Childcare centres2161
Auto repair shops3162
Salons and barbers3162
Contractors and trades1071
Fitness studios1071
Veterinary clinics1071

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 auto repair shops page, restaurants page, coffee shops page and food trucks page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Yolo County permits page and the CA state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. Current Master Fee Schedule (print date 9/14/2026)County of Yolo · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-24
  2. Fee Schedule (Agriculture)Yolo County Agricultural Commissioner · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-24
  3. Weights and MeasuresYolo County Agricultural Commissioner · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-24
  4. California Business and Professions Code §12240California Legislative Information · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-09
  5. 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.