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14 permits · verified 2026-10-14

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

In short

A restaurant in Twin Falls County, ID has 2 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 12 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Twin Falls County Clerk (for the Board of County Commissioners) charges $100 per license per year, county fee only ("Wine license: Both retail and by the drink $100.00" on the County Clerk's liquor page); wine license transfer $20.00 for the county retail wine license (retail and by the drink). 6 of the 14 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 restaurant in Twin Falls County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
County Retail Wine License (retail and by the drink)only if it applies to youTwin Falls County Clerk (for the Board of County Commissioners)$100 per license per year, county fee only ("Wine license: Both retail and by the drink $100.00" on the County Clerk's liquor page); wine license transfer $20.00yearly; apply before July 1 each year2026-10-14
County Liquor-by-the-Drink Licenseonly if it applies to youTwin Falls County Clerk (for the Board of County Commissioners)As labelled on the County Clerk's liquor page: Liquor license-Twin Falls $187.50; -Buhl $187.50; -Kimberly $187.50; -Murtaugh $75.00; -Hansen $75.00; -Castleford $75.00; -Hollister $75.00; -Golf Courses $100.00; -Airport $100.00.yearly; apply before July 1 each year2026-10-14
Alcohol Beverage Catering Permit (events outside city limits)only if it applies to youTwin Falls County Clerk (for the Board of County Commissioners)$20 per day the permit is effective, non-refundable (Idaho Code 23-934A; the county's Catering Permits page lists "$20.00 for each day")per event: a festival or convention up to five consecutive days (one extension possible), a party up to two consecutive days (Idaho Code 23-934A)2026-10-14
County Retail Beer Licenseonly if it applies to youTwin Falls County Clerk (for the Board of County Commissioners)County fee only, separate from the state and city fees: draught, bottled and canned beer consumed on premises $100.00; bottled and canned beer consumed on premises $75.00; retail beer not consumed on premises $25.00; beer license transfer $5.00.yearly; apply before July 1 each year2026-10-14
Food Establishment LicenseCentral District Health$200–$250 a year, set by whichever of seven independent health districts covers the addressannual — every food license in Idaho expires 31 December, with renewal due by 1 December2026-09-04
Food Safety Exam or Certified Food Protection Manageronly if it applies to youIdaho Department of Health and Welfare, Food Protection ProgramNo fee5 years for the state exam certificate2026-09-04

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

Local permits that apply to every type of business in Twin Falls County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Building and Occupancy Permit (unincorporated Twin Falls County)only if it applies to youTwin Falls County Building Department (Community Development Services)Varies — formula on the Twin Falls County pageper project; permits expire 180 days after issuance or after the date of the last inspection (Commercial Building Permit Information, Revised 07-2026)2026-10-14
Zoning Approvals: Home Occupation, Conditional Use and Temporary Use (unincorporated Twin Falls County)only if it applies to youTwin Falls County Planning & Zoning (Community Development Services)Varies — formula on the Twin Falls County pageper application (one-time land-use approval)2026-10-14
Septic (Subsurface Sewage) Permit or Comment Letter (South Central Public Health District)only if it applies to youSouth Central Public Health DistrictVaries — formula on the Twin Falls County pageper proposed construction2026-10-14

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

ID registrations that apply to every type of business

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Certificate of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to youIdaho Secretary of State, Business Services Division$100 filed online; $120 in person or by mailperpetual, but an annual report is due every year2026-09-04
Seller's PermitIdaho State Tax CommissionNo feeno fixed expiration — may be revoked after twelve straight months of reported zero sales2026-09-04
Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to youIdaho Secretary of State, Business Services Division$100 filed online; $120 in person or by mailperpetual, but an annual report is due every year2026-09-04
General Business License — Idaho state positiononly if it applies to youIdaho Secretary of State, Business Services DivisionNo feenot applicable2026-09-04
Annual Reportonly if it applies to youIdaho Secretary of State, Business Services Division$20 only if filed on paper in person — filing online is freeannual — due by the close of the entity's own anniversary month2026-09-04

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 restaurant in Twin Falls County?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 14 records listed for a restaurant in Twin Falls County, ID, 2 apply to every business of this type and 12 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.

6 of the 14 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 3 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:

County Liquor-by-the-Drink License: As labelled on the County Clerk's liquor page: Liquor license-Twin Falls $187.50; -Buhl $187.50; -Kimberly $187.50; -Murtaugh $75.00; -Hansen $75.00; -Castleford $75.00; -Hollister $75.00; -Golf Courses $100.00; -Airport $100.00.

County Retail Beer License: County fee only, separate from the state and city fees: draught, bottled and canned beer consumed on premises $100.00; bottled and canned beer consumed on premises $75.00; retail beer not consumed on premises $25.00; beer license transfer $5.00.

Food Establishment License: $200–$250 a year, set by whichever of seven independent health districts covers the address

The other 3 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Twin Falls County permits page and the ID state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Twin Falls County?

Permits for a restaurant in Twin Falls County, ID come from 8 separate offices: Twin Falls County Clerk (for the Board of County Commissioners), Twin Falls County Building Department (Community Development Services), Twin Falls County Planning & Zoning (Community Development Services), South Central Public Health District, Idaho Secretary of State, Business Services Division, Idaho State Tax Commission, Central District Health, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Food Protection Program. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.

What does a restaurant need in Twin Falls County that other businesses do not?

2 of the 6 permits particular to a restaurant here apply to no other business type we cover in Twin Falls County: County Liquor-by-the-Drink License and Alcohol Beverage Catering Permit (events outside city limits).

County Liquor-by-the-Drink License

Idaho Code 23-916 empowers each county and incorporated city to license the sale of liquor by the drink at retail within the corporate limits of a city, with the county's share "not to exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of the amount of the license fee collected by the director", and allows the board of county commissioners to fix the fee for licensed premises "not situate within the incorporated limits of any city". The County Clerk's liquor page lists the county liquor license fee in rows labelled by place: $187.50 for Twin Falls, Buhl and Kimberly; $75.00 for Murtaugh, Hansen, Castleford and Hollister; $100.00 for Golf Courses; and $100.00 for the Airport. Those are the only rows the page prints; for premises in any other location, ask the Clerk's office for the applicable figure. The county fee is separate from the state liquor license and from any city license. The Clerk's liquor page states: "Before July 1st of each year any establishment needing a license to sell alcoholic beverages must apply for a yearly license. You will need to bring in a copy of you new state license and the required fee." Twin Falls County offices are at 630 Addison Ave W, Twin Falls, ID 83301; the county's main line is 208-736-4000.

Alcohol Beverage Catering Permit (events outside city limits)

Under Idaho Code 23-934A, a holder of a state retail alcohol license who serves liquor, beer or wine at an event away from the licensed premises applies for an alcohol beverage catering permit "to the city within which the liquor, beer or wine is to be served, or if not within a city then to the county". The statute sets a filing fee of $20.00 for each day the permit is effective, which "shall not be refunded in any event", limits a festival or convention to five consecutive days with one possible extension and a party to two consecutive days, and provides that a catering permit may not be used on a licensed premise. County Code 3-1-4 (Ord. 289, 5-2-2025) states that the requirements for catering permits are contained in the Idaho Liquor Act at Title 23 of the Idaho Code. The county's Catering Permits page lists the fee as $20.00 for each day, states that the permit "must be applied for 14 days before the event is to be held", and states that the application is approved or disapproved upon the recommendation of the Board of County Commissioners. Twin Falls County offices are at 630 Addison Ave W, Twin Falls, ID 83301; the county's main line is 208-736-4000.

Shared with other businesses in Twin Falls County

  • County Retail Wine License (retail and by the drink) — Twin Falls County Clerk (for the Board of County Commissioners), $100 per license per year, county fee only ("Wine license: Both retail and by the drink $100.00" on the County Clerk's liquor page); wine license transfer $20.00, yearly; apply before July 1 each year. Also required for coffee shops and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
  • County Retail Beer License — Twin Falls County Clerk (for the Board of County Commissioners), County fee only, separate from the state and city fees: draught, bottled and canned beer consumed on premises $100.00; bottled and canned beer consumed on premises $75.00; retail beer not consumed on premises $25.00; beer license transfer $5.00., yearly; apply before July 1 each year. Also required for coffee shops and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the retail stores 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.

The other 3 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Twin Falls County, ID; what each one involves is set out on the Twin Falls County permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across ID and are covered on the ID state page.

How does a restaurant compare with other businesses in Twin Falls County?

The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 4 of these permits. A restaurant also needs County Liquor-by-the-Drink License and Alcohol Beverage Catering Permit (events outside city limits). A coffee shop needs nothing here that a restaurant does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Twin Falls County, ID, compared with a restaurant
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a restaurantOnly a restaurant needsOnly it needs
Coffee shops4420
Food trucks3241
Retail stores3241
Auto repair shops1061
Childcare centres1061
Contractors and trades4064
Fitness studios0060
Salons and barbers1061
Veterinary clinics1061

Sources

Every figure for the permits explained on this page was read from one of these government pages on the date shown. Sources for the permits shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the retail stores page and food trucks page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Twin Falls County permits page and the ID state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. Liquor LicensesTwin Falls County Clerk · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14
  2. Idaho Code 23-916, County and city licensesIdaho Legislature · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14
  3. Idaho Code 23-934A, Alcohol beverage catering permit; applicationIdaho Legislature · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14
  4. Catering PermitsTwin Falls County Clerk · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14
  5. Twin Falls County Code 3-1-4, Liquor Control (Ord. 289)Twin Falls County, Idaho (Code of Ordinances, American Legal Publishing) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14

Related

Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.