12 permits · verified 2026-09-04
What permits do you need to open a restaurant in Augusta Richmond County?
In short
A restaurant in Augusta Richmond County, GA has 6 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 6 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Augusta-Richmond County Fire Department, Fire Marshal's Office charges $75 at the time of a new business license application or a location change for the commercial fire inspection fee. 3 of the 12 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-09-04 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a restaurant in Augusta Richmond County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Service Establishment Permit | Georgia Department of Public Health, Richmond County Health Department | No fee | not confirmed in the source consulted | 2026-09-04 |
| Food Service Permit | Georgia Department of Public Health, Environmental Health Section | $240–$1,050 a year, set by the county board of health — no state fee, floor or ceiling | the permit is valid until suspended or revoked, but counties bill an annual fee | 2026-09-03 |
| Certified Food Safety Manageronly if it applies to you | Georgia Department of Public Health, Environmental Health Section | No fee | set by the certifying organisation, not by Georgia | 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 Augusta Richmond County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Building Permitonly if it applies to you | Augusta-Richmond County Planning and Development Department, Inspections and Code Enforcement | Varies — formula on the Augusta Richmond County page | the permit lapses if work does not begin within 6 months of filing | 2026-09-04 |
| Occupation Tax Certificate | Augusta-Richmond County Planning and Development Department, Licensing Division | Varies — formula on the Augusta Richmond County page | annual — payable January 1, with a 10% penalty and 1.5% monthly interest for late payment | 2026-09-04 |
| Certificate of Occupancy | Augusta-Richmond County Planning and Development Department, Inspections and Code Enforcement | No fee | issued only for new, ground-up construction | 2026-09-04 |
| Commercial Fire Inspection Fee | Augusta-Richmond County Fire Department, Fire Marshal's Office | $75 at the time of a new business license application or a location change | charged at application or location change; recurrence for an already-licensed, unchanged premises is not confirmed | 2026-09-04 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
GA registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales and Use Tax Certificate of Registration | Georgia Department of Revenue, Taxpayer Services Division | No fee | no renewal — valid until cancelled, suspended or revoked | 2026-09-03 |
| General Business License — Georgia state position (local occupation tax certificate)only if it applies to you | Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division | No fee | set by the issuing city or county, usually annual | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division | $110 one-time — $100 filing fee plus a $10 service charge | no expiry, but an annual registration is due each year | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to you | Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division | $110 one-time — $100 filing fee plus a $10 service charge | no expiry, but an annual registration is due each year | 2026-09-03 |
| Annual Registrationonly if it applies to you | Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division | $60 a year — $50 plus a $10 service charge; $40 for a nonprofit | annual — filed between 1 January and 1 April | 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 Augusta Richmond 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 restaurant in Augusta Richmond County, GA, 6 apply to every business of this type and 6 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 6 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $75.00. That is a floor, not a total. 3 of the 12 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 5 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
Food Service Permit: $240–$1,050 a year, set by the county board of health — no state fee, floor or ceiling
The other 2 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Augusta Richmond County permits page and the GA state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Augusta Richmond County?
Permits for a restaurant in Augusta Richmond County, GA come from 7 separate offices: Augusta-Richmond County Planning and Development Department, Inspections and Code Enforcement, Augusta-Richmond County Planning and Development Department, Licensing Division, Augusta-Richmond County Fire Department, Fire Marshal's Office, Georgia Department of Public Health, Richmond County Health Department, Georgia Department of Revenue, Taxpayer Services Division, Georgia Department of Public Health, Environmental Health Section, Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- Augusta-Richmond County Planning and Development Department, Inspections and Code EnforcementIssues 2 permits on this page: Commercial Building Permit, Certificate of Occupancy535 Telfair Street, 3rd Floor, Augusta, GA 30901 · (706) 821-1796www.augustaga.gov
- Augusta-Richmond County Planning and Development Department, Licensing DivisionIssues 1 permit on this page: Occupation Tax Certificate535 Telfair St, Suite 300, Augusta, GA 30901 · (706) 312-5050www.augustaga.gov/207/Occupation-Tax
- Augusta-Richmond County Fire Department, Fire Marshal's OfficeIssues 1 permit on this page: Commercial Fire Inspection Fee3117 Deans Bridge Road, Augusta, GA 30906 · (706) 821-2929www.augustaga.gov
- Georgia Department of Public Health, Richmond County Health DepartmentIssues 1 permit on this page: Food Service Establishment Permit1916 North Leg Rd, Augusta, GA 30909 · (706) 667-4234dph.georgia.gov
- Georgia Department of Revenue, Taxpayer Services DivisionIssues 1 permit on this page: Sales and Use Tax Certificate of Registration1800 Century Boulevard NE, Atlanta, GA 30345-3205 · (877) 423-6711gtc.dor.ga.gov
- Georgia Department of Public Health, Environmental Health SectionIssues 2 permits on this page: Food Service Permit, Certified Food Safety Manager200 Piedmont Avenue SE, Atlanta, GA 30334 · (404) 657-2700dph.georgia.gov/environmental-health/food-service
- Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations DivisionIssues 4 permits on this page: General Business License — Georgia state position (local occupation tax certificate), Articles of Incorporation, Articles of Organization (LLC), Annual Registration2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SE, Suite 313, Floyd West Tower, Atlanta, GA 30334-1530 · (404) 656-2817ecorp.sos.ga.gov
What does a restaurant need in Augusta Richmond County that other businesses do not?
Shared with other businesses in Augusta Richmond County
- Food Service Establishment Permit — Georgia Department of Public Health, Richmond County Health Department, No fee, not confirmed in the source consulted. Also required for coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
- Food Service Permit — Georgia Department of Public Health, Environmental Health Section, $240–$1,050 a year, set by the county board of health — no state fee, floor or ceiling, the permit is valid until suspended or revoked, but counties bill an annual fee. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
- Certified Food Safety Manager — Georgia Department of Public Health, Environmental Health Section, No fee, set by the certifying organisation, not by Georgia. 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 Augusta Richmond County, GA; what each one involves is set out on the Augusta Richmond County permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across GA and are covered on the GA state page.
How does a restaurant compare with other businesses in Augusta Richmond County?
A restaurant and a coffee shop in Augusta Richmond County, GA need exactly the same 3 permits beyond the ones every business needs.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a restaurant | Only a restaurant needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee shops | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Food trucks | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Auto repair shops | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Childcare centres | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Contractors and trades | 4 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| Fitness studios | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Retail stores | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Salons and barbers | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Veterinary clinics | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
Sources
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 Augusta Richmond County permits page and the GA state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.