10 permits · verified 2026-09-10
What permits do you need to open a retail store in Des Moines?
In short
A retail store in Des Moines, IA has 4 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 6 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. City of Des Moines Development Services Department, Permit and Development Center charges $51.50 flat for the certificate of occupancy. 2 of the 10 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-09-10 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a retail store in Des Moines
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sign Permit | City of Des Moines Neighborhood Services Department, Zoning Enforcement Division | No fee | one-time, per sign | 2026-09-10 |
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 Des Moines
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Business License — City of Des Moines positiononly if it applies to you | City of Des Moines, City Clerk's Office | No fee | not applicable | 2026-09-10 |
| Certificate of Occupancy | City of Des Moines Development Services Department, Permit and Development Center | $51.50 flat | one-time, no expiration | 2026-09-10 |
| Zoning Verification Letteronly if it applies to you | City of Des Moines Neighborhood Services Department, Zoning Enforcement Division | No fee | one-time, no stated expiration | 2026-09-10 |
| Building Permit (Commercial) | City of Des Moines Development Services Department, Permit and Development Center | Varies — formula on the Des Moines page | one-time, per project | 2026-09-10 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
IA registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to you | Iowa Secretary of State, Business Services Division | $50 one-time filing | perpetual, but a biennial report is due every two years | 2026-09-04 |
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | Iowa Secretary of State, Business Services Division | $50 one-time filing | perpetual, but a biennial report is due every two years | 2026-09-04 |
| Sales Tax Permit | Iowa Department of Revenue | No fee | no expiration — stays effective until cancelled or revoked | 2026-09-04 |
| General Business License — Iowa positiononly if it applies to you | Iowa Economic Development Authority, Business License Information Center | No fee | not applicable | 2026-09-04 |
| Biennial Reportonly if it applies to you | Iowa Secretary of State, Business Services Division | Varies — formula on the IA page | an LLC files between 1 January and 1 April of every odd year; a corporation files in the same window of every even year | 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.
How much does it actually cost to permit a retail store in Des Moines?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 10 records listed for a retail store in Des Moines, IA, 4 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 4 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $51.50. That is a floor, not a total. 2 of the 10 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 5 have no fee published at all.
The other 2 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Des Moines permits page and the IA state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Des Moines?
Permits for a retail store in Des Moines, IA come from 6 separate offices: City of Des Moines, City Clerk's Office, City of Des Moines Development Services Department, Permit and Development Center, City of Des Moines Neighborhood Services Department, Zoning Enforcement Division, Iowa Secretary of State, Business Services Division, Iowa Department of Revenue, Iowa Economic Development Authority, Business License Information Center. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- City of Des Moines, City Clerk's OfficeIssues 1 permit on this page: General Business License — City of Des Moines position1200 Locust Street, Des Moines, IA 50309 · (515) 283-4209www.dsm.city/departments/city_clerk/business_licenses_permits.php
- City of Des Moines Development Services Department, Permit and Development CenterIssues 2 permits on this page: Certificate of Occupancy, Building Permit (Commercial)T.M. Franklin Cownie City Administration Building, 1200 Locust Street, Des Moines, IA 50309 · (515) 283-4200www.dsm.city/departments/development_services/permit_development_center/index.php
- City of Des Moines Neighborhood Services Department, Zoning Enforcement DivisionIssues 2 permits on this page: Sign Permit, Zoning Verification Letter1200 Locust Street, Des Moines, IA 50309 · (515) 283-4207www.dsm.city/departments/neighborhood_services/zoning_enforcement.php
- Iowa Secretary of State, Business Services DivisionIssues 3 permits on this page: Certificate of Organization (LLC), Articles of Incorporation, Biennial Report321 East 12th Street, Des Moines, IA 50319 · (515) 281-5204sos.iowa.gov/business
- Iowa Department of RevenueIssues 1 permit on this page: Sales Tax Permit1305 East Walnut Street, Des Moines, IA 50319 · (515) 281-3114revenue.iowa.gov/permits-licensing/business-permit-registration
- Iowa Economic Development Authority, Business License Information CenterIssues 1 permit on this page: General Business License — Iowa position1963 Bell Avenue, Suite 200, Des Moines, IA 50315 · (515) 348-6200opportunityiowa.gov/business/small-business-entrepreneurs/small-business-resources/business-license-information-center
What does a retail store need in Des Moines that other businesses do not?
Shared with other businesses in Des Moines
- Sign Permit — City of Des Moines Neighborhood Services Department, Zoning Enforcement Division, No fee, one-time, per sign. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops, salons and barbers, fitness studios, auto repair shops and veterinary clinics; 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 Des Moines, IA; what each one involves is set out on the Des Moines permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across IA and are covered on the IA state page.
How does a retail store compare with other businesses in Des Moines?
The closest match is a fitness studio, which shares 1 of these permits. A fitness studio needs Fitness Studio Licensing — City Clerk License List (Des Moines), which a retail store does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a retail store | Only a retail store needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fitness studios | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Coffee shops | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Restaurants | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Salons and barbers | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Veterinary clinics | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Auto repair shops | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Childcare centres | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Contractors and trades | 4 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Food trucks | 4 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
Sources
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 Des Moines permits page and the IA 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.