What permits do you need to open a restaurant in Canyon County?

Alcoholic Beverage Catering Permit (events in unincorporated Canyon County)

County Code 05-01-31(2) prohibits serving or selling alcohol by the drink at a party, festival, convention or other event held within the unincorporated boundaries of Canyon County without both a valid state alcoholic beverage or winery license and a county alcoholic beverage catering permit. The application form issued by the Clerk must be returned at least ten days before the event (05-01-31(3)); no event may be permitted for more than five consecutive days, and the permit is issued only to the state licensee on record, limited to what that state license authorises (05-01-31(4)). The code sets a nonrefundable $20.00 filing fee for each day the permit is in effect, and the Clerk forwards each application to the Sheriff, who reviews it for public safety and may recommend approval, approval with conditions at the applicant's expense, or denial (05-01-31(5)). The Clerk's Catering Permit page lists the fee as "$20.00 per day", asks applicants to bring a copy of their Idaho State Police Alcohol Beverage Control license and the event details, allows 5 to 8 business days, accepts cash, check, money order or cards (card transaction fee 2.5% or $2.00 minimum), and states: "If the event is within city limits, you will need to contact that city and apply for a catering permit from them." Contact the Canyon County Clerk, Recorder's office, 111 N. 11th Ave., Suite 330, Caldwell, ID 83605, 208-454-7555, RecorderClerks@canyoncounty.id.gov (weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., as listed on the Clerk's pages).

Sign Permit — Director's Decision (signs over the size and height thresholds)

The county's Sign Permit Checklist, citing County Code 07-10-13, states: "A sign permit is required for signs in the agricultural zone that exceed 32s.f. and 10 feet in height and signs in commercial and industrial zones that exceed 64s.f. and 10 feet in height." The checklist gives the process as a Director's Decision and/or building permit: wall signs and freestanding signs over six feet tall need a building permit for building-code review, and a Director's Decision requires notice to neighbours within 600 feet of the parcel boundary. The Development Services Department fee schedule lists "Signs (when exceeding height/size requirement)" among the Type "A" administrative applications at $425; a sign needing a building permit also pays the building fee from Table 1-A of Resolution No. 25-046. The amount is from the Development Services Department fee schedule of Resolution No. 25-011, which the county's Planning & Zoning page links as its current fee schedule; that schedule's Note 1 states that fees are additive. Contact the Canyon County Development Services Department, 111 N. 11th Ave., Room 310, Caldwell, ID 83605 (Planning and Engineering 208-402-4164, ZoningInfo@canyoncounty.id.gov; Building 208-402-4163, BuildingInfo@canyoncounty.id.gov).

Temporary Food Event Permit (Southwest District Health, Canyon County)

Food sold at a fair, festival or other temporary event in Canyon County is permitted by Southwest District Health, which lists Temporary Event Permitting among the services on its online portal. Its Food Protection Program table charges by the length of the event: $35 for a one-day event, $45 for a two- to three-day event, and $80 for an event of four or more days or for multiple events. The temporary permit covers a restaurant or caterer running a food stand at an event as well as a vendor with no permanent site. The figures are from Southwest District Health's Environmental Health Services page, in the table headed "UPDATED FEES - effective July 1, 2026", which "Applies to all applications submitted on or after July 1, 2026". SWDH states on that page that its Environmental Health Services cover Canyon, Gem, Payette, Washington, Owyhee and Adams counties.

Shared with other businesses in Canyon County

• County Alcoholic Beverage License (beer, wine, liquor by the drink) — Canyon County Clerk (Recorder's office), County fee only, paid in addition to the state license fee. Beer: $25.00 off-premises (bottles and cans); $75.00 on-premises (bottles and cans); $100.00 draught beer. Wine: $100.00 wine by the drink; $100.00 wine retailer. Liquor by the drink: 25% of the Idaho Code 23-904 state fee, which the Clerk's application form prints as $75.00 (city population less than 1,000), $125.00 (1,000 to 3,000) and $187.50 (over 3,000); the liquor fee covers the wine fee. Golf course owner, operator or lessee $100.00 (County Code 05-01-17(1)); distillery lessee or owner $100.00 (as printed on the Clerk's application form, Revised 07/10/2026). Transfer: $5.00 for a beer or wine license, $10.00 for a liquor license., license year June 1 to May 31; every license expires at 11:59 p.m. on May 31 (County Code 05-01-19). Also required for retail stores; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
• Food Establishment License (Southwest District Health, Canyon County) — Southwest District Health, Annual license $200 per food establishment, or $250 for an establishment holding more than two licenses; a new establishment also pays $100 for plan review and pre-opening inspection. Late renewal: $35 from January 1 through January 15, $70 after January 16., annual license. Also required for coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
• Food Establishment License — Central District Health, $200–$250 a year, set by whichever of seven independent health districts covers the address, annual — every food license in Idaho expires 31 December, with renewal due by 1 December. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
• Food Safety Exam or Certified Food Protection Manager — Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Food Protection Program, No fee, 5 years for the state exam certificate. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.