12 permits · verified 2026-10-09
What permits do you need to open a retail store in Volusia County?
In short
A retail store in Volusia County, FL has 1 permit that applies to every business of this type, plus 11 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations charges $125 one-time filing for the articles of organization (llc). 6 of the 12 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-09 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a retail store in Volusia County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Itinerant Merchant License and Itinerant Merchant Host License (unincorporated Volusia County)only if it applies to you | Volusia County Planning and Development Services | Set by resolution of the county council for each itinerant merchant license and each itinerant merchant host license (County Code ss. 26-54(c), 26-55(3)); fees are non-refundable, non-transferable and not prorated. Contact Planning and Development Services, 386-736-5942, for the amount in effect for the current fiscal year. | itinerant merchant license: six months (January 1 to June 30, or July 1 to December 31) or one year (October 1 to September 30); host license: one year, October 1 to September 30 | 2026-10-09 |
| Alcoholic Beverage Hours of Sale (unincorporated Volusia County)only if it applies to you | County of Volusia (County Council, Code of Ordinances) | No fee | continuing; applies for as long as the premises holds a State alcoholic beverage license in the unincorporated area | 2026-10-09 |
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 Volusia County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volusia County Business Tax Receipt (repealed effective January 1, 2024)only if it applies to you | Volusia County Revenue Services (Treasury and Billing) | No fee | not applicable; the county receipt was repealed effective January 1, 2024 | 2026-10-09 |
| Commercial Building Permit (application, valuation, plan review and certificate of occupancy)only if it applies to you | Volusia County Building and Code Administration | Varies — formula on the Volusia County page | per project | 2026-10-09 |
| Electrical, Plumbing, Gas, Mechanical and Fire Sprinkler Permitsonly if it applies to you | Volusia County Building and Code Administration | Varies — formula on the Volusia County page | per project | 2026-10-09 |
| Burglar and Robbery Alarm Registration (unincorporated Volusia County)only if it applies to you | Volusia County Sheriff's Office | Varies — formula on the Volusia County page | before installation or use of the alarm; contact changes reported within seven days | 2026-10-09 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
FL registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to you | Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations | $125 one-time filing | no expiry, but an annual report is due every year by 1 May | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations | $70 one-time filing | no expiry, but an annual report is due every year by 1 May | 2026-09-03 |
| Annual Report (LLC)only if it applies to you | Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations | Varies — formula on the FL page | annual, due by 1 May | 2026-09-03 |
| Annual Report (Corporation)only if it applies to you | Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations | Varies — formula on the FL page | annual, due by 1 May | 2026-09-03 |
| Business Tax Application (Sales and Use Tax)only if it applies to you | Florida Department of Revenue | No fee — no fee to register | no fixed expiry | 2026-09-03 |
| Local Business Tax Receipt | Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations | No fee | annual — every receipt expires on 30 September | 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 Volusia County?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 12 records listed for a retail store in Volusia County, FL, 1 apply to every business of this type and 11 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 3 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
Itinerant Merchant License and Itinerant Merchant Host License (unincorporated Volusia County): Set by resolution of the county council for each itinerant merchant license and each itinerant merchant host license (County Code ss. 26-54(c), 26-55(3)); fees are non-refundable, non-transferable and not prorated. Contact Planning and Development Services, 386-736-5942, for the amount in effect for the current fiscal year.
The other 5 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Volusia County permits page and the FL state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Volusia County?
Permits for a retail store in Volusia County, FL come from 7 separate offices: Volusia County Planning and Development Services, County of Volusia (County Council, Code of Ordinances), Volusia County Revenue Services (Treasury and Billing), Volusia County Building and Code Administration, Volusia County Sheriff's Office, Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, Florida Department of Revenue. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- Volusia County Planning and Development ServicesIssues 1 permit on this page: Itinerant Merchant License and Itinerant Merchant Host License (unincorporated Volusia County)123 W. Indiana Ave., DeLand, FL 32720 · 386-736-5942www.volusia.org/services/growth-and-resource-management/planning-and-development
- County of Volusia (County Council, Code of Ordinances)Issues 1 permit on this page: Alcoholic Beverage Hours of Sale (unincorporated Volusia County)Thomas C. Kelly Administration Center, 123 W. Indiana Ave., DeLand, FL 32720 · 386-736-2700www.volusia.org
- Volusia County Revenue Services (Treasury and Billing)Issues 1 permit on this page: Volusia County Business Tax Receipt (repealed effective January 1, 2024)386-943-7085www.volusia.org/services/financial-and-administrative-services/revenue-services/business-help/index.stml
- Volusia County Building and Code AdministrationIssues 2 permits on this page: Commercial Building Permit (application, valuation, plan review and certificate of occupancy), Electrical, Plumbing, Gas, Mechanical and Fire Sprinkler PermitsPermit Center, 123 W. Indiana Ave., Room 203, DeLand, FL 32720 · 386-626-6591connectlivepermits.org/PublicPortal/Volusia/common/index.jsp
- Volusia County Sheriff's OfficeIssues 1 permit on this page: Burglar and Robbery Alarm Registration (unincorporated Volusia County)www.volusia.org/business/licenses-and-permits.stml
- Florida Department of State, Division of CorporationsIssues 5 permits on this page, including Articles of Organization (LLC), Articles of Incorporation, Annual Report (LLC)efile.sunbiz.org
- Florida Department of RevenueIssues 1 permit on this page: Business Tax Application (Sales and Use Tax)floridarevenue.com/taxes/eservices/Pages/registration.aspx
What does a retail store need in Volusia County that other businesses do not?
1 of the 2 permits particular to a retail store here applies to no other business type we cover in Volusia County: Itinerant Merchant License and Itinerant Merchant Host License (unincorporated Volusia County).
Itinerant Merchant License and Itinerant Merchant Host License (unincorporated Volusia County)
County Code s. 26-52 applies the itinerant merchant rules only in unincorporated Volusia County. Under s. 26-53, an itinerant merchant is anyone selling, displaying or promoting merchandise or services at a location away from its regularly licensed business on a temporary basis, which includes a business operator running outdoor activities on its own property that are not part of its normal business; the recognized events include Bike Week, Biketoberfest, Speed Weeks and other specially licensed outdoor entertainment events. Under s. 26-55, each merchant needs its own license, valid at one site at a time and posted in the sales area, for a six-month term (January to June or July to December) or a one-year term (October 1 to September 30). Under s. 26-54, the owner of the property must also hold an itinerant merchant host license, issued for one year from October 1 and only for commercially or industrially zoned property; no itinerant merchant may operate on a right-of-way. Both fees are set by county council resolution, are non-refundable and are not prorated. This record covers retail vending; a mobile food dispensing vehicle is covered by Fla. Stat. s. 509.102(2)(a) instead.
Shared with other businesses in Volusia County
- Alcoholic Beverage Hours of Sale (unincorporated Volusia County) — County of Volusia (County Council, Code of Ordinances), No fee, continuing; applies for as long as the premises holds a State alcoholic beverage license in the unincorporated area. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.
The other 4 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Volusia County, FL; what each one involves is set out on the Volusia County permits page. The 6 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across FL and are covered on the FL state page.
How does a retail store compare with other businesses in Volusia County?
The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 1 of these permits. A retail store also needs Itinerant Merchant License and Itinerant Merchant Host License (unincorporated Volusia County). A coffee shop needs Food Service and Mobile Food Vehicle Licensing — State DBPR License Applies, Food Service Employee Training and Manager Certification and Public Food Service Establishment License, 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 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Restaurants | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Auto repair shops | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Childcare centres | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Contractors and trades | 4 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Fitness studios | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Food trucks | 3 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Salons and barbers | 3 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Veterinary clinics | 1 | 0 | 2 | 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 restaurants page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Volusia County permits page and the FL state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- Code of Ordinances, County of Volusia, Florida (Supplement 108 Update 1, through Ord. 2026-07) — ss. 6-1, 22-1, 22-84 to 22-86, 22-142, 26-52 to 26-55, 46-123 to 46-127, 58-1, 58-125 to 58-127, 114-1County of Volusia (published by Municode) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-09
- Planning and Development ServicesCounty of Volusia, Planning and Development Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-09
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.