15 permits · verified 2026-10-14
What permits do you need to open a retail store in Johnson County Ia?
In short
A retail store in Johnson County Ia, IA has 2 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 13 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability charges $250 per site plan review application, including Administrator-approved site plans, as published on the county's PDS Fee Schedule page for the site plan review (unincorporated johnson county). 7 of the 15 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-14 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a retail store in Johnson County Ia
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Establishment License (issued through Johnson County Public Health) | Johnson County Public Health | The license fee is the state amount set by Iowa Code §137F.6 by establishment type and annual gross food sales (recorded on the Iowa state page). Johnson County Public Health's food establishment application states: "There is no fee for plan review." | annual, under the state food licensing rules | 2026-10-14 |
| Home Occupation Approval, Customer Visits (Zoning Administrator, unincorporated Johnson County)only if it applies to you | Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability | $50 per application, listed as "Home Occupation (w/visit by public)" under Zoning Administrator Approval Applications on the county's PDS Fee Schedule page | per approval | 2026-10-14 |
| Retail Alcohol License: Board of Supervisors Approval (outside city limits, Johnson County)only if it applies to you | Johnson County Board of Supervisors (applications processed by the County Auditor) | No county amount is published in County Code Article 4:2 or on the Auditor's Alcohol & Tobacco Licensing page. The Board endorses its approval or disapproval and forwards the application with the necessary fee and bond to the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division (Iowa Code §123.32(2)); the license fee is the state fee set under Iowa Code chapter 123. | per license application or renewal; the license term is set by the state | 2026-10-14 |
| Cigarette, Tobacco, Nicotine and Vapor Retail Permit (outside city limits, Johnson County)only if it applies to you | Johnson County Board of Supervisors (applications processed by the County Auditor) | Statutory amount under Iowa Code §453A.13(3)(b)-(c) for a retail permit in places outside any city: $50 if granted in July, August or September; three-fourths ($37.50) if granted in October, November or December; one-half ($25.00) if granted in January, February or March; one-fourth ($12.50) if granted in April, May or June. Paid to the Iowa Department of Revenue (§453A.13(3)(a)). Iowa Code §453A.47A(7) sets the same $50 amount outside any city for a tobacco products and vapor products retail permit. | expires June 30 each year (Iowa Code §453A.13(3)(a)) | 2026-10-14 |
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 Johnson County Ia
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical, Plumbing and Mechanical Permits (Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability)only if it applies to you | Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability | Varies — formula on the Johnson County Ia page | as for building permits: work must begin within 180 days of issuance; written 180-day extensions may be granted (Building Permits FAQ) | 2026-10-14 |
| Site Plan Review (unincorporated Johnson County)only if it applies to you | Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability | $250 per site plan review application, including Administrator-approved site plans, as published on the county's PDS Fee Schedule page | per project | 2026-10-14 |
| Building Permit (Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability)only if it applies to you | Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability | Varies — formula on the Johnson County Ia page | work must begin within 180 days of issuance and may not be suspended or abandoned for more than 180 days; the building official may grant written extensions of 180 days (Building Permits FAQ) | 2026-10-14 |
| Change of Occupancy Permit (Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability)only if it applies to you | Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability | $50 per change of occupancy permit, as published on the county's Building Permit Fee Schedule page; the certificate of occupancy issued after inspection is listed there at no charge | per change of occupancy; a new certificate of occupancy is issued after the inspection is approved | 2026-10-14 |
| Conditional Use Permit (Board of Adjustment, unincorporated Johnson County)only if it applies to you | Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability | $250 per conditional use permit application to the Board of Adjustment, as published on the county's PDS Fee Schedule page ($50 more for any modification after publication that requires republication) | per application | 2026-10-14 |
| Private Sewage Disposal (Septic) Construction Permit and Commercial/Industrial Use Permitonly if it applies to you | Johnson County Public Health | Varies — formula on the Johnson County Ia page | construction permit expires 1 year from issue, with one extension of up to 1 year on request (§4.06); commercial/industrial use permit renewed annually (§4.09(A)) | 2026-10-14 |
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 Johnson County Ia?
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 Johnson County Ia, IA, 2 apply to every business of this type and 13 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.
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:
Food Establishment License (issued through Johnson County Public Health): The license fee is the state amount set by Iowa Code §137F.6 by establishment type and annual gross food sales (recorded on the Iowa state page). Johnson County Public Health's food establishment application states: "There is no fee for plan review."
Retail Alcohol License: Board of Supervisors Approval (outside city limits, Johnson County): No county amount is published in County Code Article 4:2 or on the Auditor's Alcohol & Tobacco Licensing page. The Board endorses its approval or disapproval and forwards the application with the necessary fee and bond to the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division (Iowa Code §123.32(2)); the license fee is the state fee set under Iowa Code chapter 123.
Cigarette, Tobacco, Nicotine and Vapor Retail Permit (outside city limits, Johnson County): Statutory amount under Iowa Code §453A.13(3)(b)-(c) for a retail permit in places outside any city: $50 if granted in July, August or September; three-fourths ($37.50) if granted in October, November or December; one-half ($25.00) if granted in January, February or March; one-fourth ($12.50) if granted in April, May or June. Paid to the Iowa Department of Revenue (§453A.13(3)(a)). Iowa Code §453A.47A(7) sets the same $50 amount outside any city for a tobacco products and vapor products retail permit.
The other 4 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Johnson County Ia permits page and the IA state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Johnson County Ia?
Permits for a retail store in Johnson County Ia, IA come from 6 separate offices: Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability, Johnson County Public Health, Johnson County Board of Supervisors (applications processed by the County Auditor), 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.
- Johnson County Planning, Development and SustainabilityIssues 6 permits on this page, including Electrical, Plumbing and Mechanical Permits (Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability), Site Plan Review (unincorporated Johnson County), Building Permit (Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability)913 S Dubuque St, Iowa City, IA 52240 · 319-356-6085www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/pds/building-services
- Johnson County Public HealthIssues 2 permits on this page: Food Establishment License (issued through Johnson County Public Health), Private Sewage Disposal (Septic) Construction Permit and Commercial/Industrial Use Permit855 S Dubuque St, Iowa City, IA 52240 · 319-356-6040www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/public-health/restaurant-licenses
- Johnson County Board of Supervisors (applications processed by the County Auditor)Issues 2 permits on this page: Retail Alcohol License: Board of Supervisors Approval (outside city limits, Johnson County), Cigarette, Tobacco, Nicotine and Vapor Retail Permit (outside city limits, Johnson County)www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/auditor/alcohol-tobacco-licensing
- 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 Johnson County Ia that other businesses do not?
Shared with other businesses in Johnson County Ia
- Food Establishment License (issued through Johnson County Public Health) — Johnson County Public Health, The license fee is the state amount set by Iowa Code §137F.6 by establishment type and annual gross food sales (recorded on the Iowa state page). Johnson County Public Health's food establishment application states: "There is no fee for plan review.", annual, under the state food licensing rules. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
- Home Occupation Approval, Customer Visits (Zoning Administrator, unincorporated Johnson County) — Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability, $50 per application, listed as "Home Occupation (w/visit by public)" under Zoning Administrator Approval Applications on the county's PDS Fee Schedule page, per approval. Also required for salons and barbers, fitness studios and contractors and trades; what it involves is set out on the fitness studios page.
- Retail Alcohol License: Board of Supervisors Approval (outside city limits, Johnson County) — Johnson County Board of Supervisors (applications processed by the County Auditor), No county amount is published in County Code Article 4:2 or on the Auditor's Alcohol & Tobacco Licensing page. The Board endorses its approval or disapproval and forwards the application with the necessary fee and bond to the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division (Iowa Code §123.32(2)); the license fee is the state fee set under Iowa Code chapter 123., per license application or renewal; the license term is set by the state. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.
- Cigarette, Tobacco, Nicotine and Vapor Retail Permit (outside city limits, Johnson County) — Johnson County Board of Supervisors (applications processed by the County Auditor), Statutory amount under Iowa Code §453A.13(3)(b)-(c) for a retail permit in places outside any city: $50 if granted in July, August or September; three-fourths ($37.50) if granted in October, November or December; one-half ($25.00) if granted in January, February or March; one-fourth ($12.50) if granted in April, May or June. Paid to the Iowa Department of Revenue (§453A.13(3)(a)). Iowa Code §453A.47A(7) sets the same $50 amount outside any city for a tobacco products and vapor products retail permit., expires June 30 each year (Iowa Code §453A.13(3)(a)). Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.
The other 6 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Johnson County Ia, IA; what each one involves is set out on the Johnson County Ia 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 Johnson County Ia?
The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 3 of these permits. A retail store also needs Home Occupation Approval, Customer Visits (Zoning Administrator, unincorporated Johnson County). A coffee shop needs Food Establishment License and Certified Food Protection Manager, 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 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| Restaurants | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| Food trucks | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Fitness studios | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Salons and barbers | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Contractors and trades | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Auto repair shops | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Childcare centres | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Veterinary clinics | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
Sources
Sources for the permits shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the coffee shops page, fitness studios page and restaurants page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Johnson County Ia 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.