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

County Alcoholic Beverage License (beer, wine, liquor by the drink)

Canyon County Code 05-01-09 requires a county license for each type of alcohol sale, and 05-01-11 requires the applicant's state license to accompany the county application; the Clerk's application form opens with "Each Applicant must provide a copy of their current license from Idaho State Police Alcohol Beverage Control along with this application". The county fees are set in 05-01-17: beer on-premises $75.00, beer off-premises $25.00, draught beer $100.00, wine by the drink $100.00, wine retailer $100.00, a transfer fee of $5.00 (beer or wine) or $10.00 (liquor), and for liquor by the drink 25% of the state fees listed in Idaho Code 23-904 ($300, $500 or $750 by city population), with $100.00 for the owner, operator or lessee of a golf course. The Clerk's application form (Revised 07/10/2026) prints the liquor tiers as $75.00 for a city of less than 1,000 people, $125.00 for 1,000 to 3,000 and $187.50 for over 3,000, states that the liquor fee covers the wine fee, and also lists $100.00 for a distillery lessee or owner; that distillery figure comes from the form and its Instructions. Idaho Code 23-1016(1) provides that a city may not issue a beer license to a retailer until the retailer has first obtained a county license from the board of county commissioners, so the county license applies inside city limits as well. Idaho Code 23-916 authorises a county to license the sale of liquor by the drink "within the corporate limits of such city", and County Code 05-01-27 states: "Except as provided by State law in title 23, chapter 9 of the Idaho Code, no license for the sale of liquor by the drink at retail shall be issued for locations in the unincorporated areas of the County." Under 05-01-19 every license runs from June 1 to May 31 and expires at 11:59 p.m. on May 31. The Clerk's Instructions state that Idaho Code allows a 31-day grace period to renew but that the holder should not sell, give or sample alcohol until the license is renewed, and that new and renewal applications take about a week and transfers about two weeks, depending on the Commissioners' availability. Payment is by cash, check or money order, with checks payable to "Canyon County Recorder". 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).

Shared with other businesses in Canyon County

• Home Business — Director's Decision (A, R-R, R-1 and R-2 zones) — Canyon County Development Services Department, $425 per application (Type "A" administrative level application, Resolution No. 25-011); the same schedule lists "Administrative Level Cases Notification $100", one-time land-use decision. Also required for salons and barbers, fitness studios, contractors and trades and auto repair shops; what it involves is set out on the fitness studios page.
• Sign Permit — Director's Decision (signs over the size and height thresholds) — Canyon County Development Services Department, $425 per application (Type "A" administrative level application, "Signs (when exceeding height/size requirement)", Resolution No. 25-011); a sign that also needs a building permit pays the Table 1-A building fee, one-time decision 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.