8 published records
Business licenses and permits in Boston, Massachusetts
No general business license — a Common Victualler License from the Licensing Board stands in for restaurants, priced per seat. ISD's Division of Health Inspections, not the separately-branded Boston Public Health Commission, issues the Food Service Permit.
What are you opening in Boston?
- RestaurantsFull-service restaurants carry the densest permit load of any small business: food, fire, occupancy, waste, and usually alcohol.See the full permit list
- Coffee shopsCafés are permitted as food service establishments even where no cooking happens, and the plan review step catches most operators by surprise.See the full permit list
- Retail storesRetail is the lightest common permit load, but the sales tax permit and the certificate of occupancy are non-negotiable in every jurisdiction.See the full permit list
- Salons and barbersPersonal care is licensed at state board level as well as locally, so the shop license and the practitioner licenses are separate obligations.See the full permit list
- Food trucksMobile food is the one category with no certificate of occupancy — but it gains a commissary agreement, and the unit itself is inspected rather than the premises.See the full permit list
- Fitness studiosPrepaid memberships trigger state registration and often a surety bond, which catches operators who budgeted only for the fit-out.See the full permit list
- Childcare centresThe heaviest permit load of any small business: state agency licensing, per-person background checks, and a stricter fire standard than ordinary commercial use.See the full permit list
- Contractors and tradesLicensed at state board level rather than locally, and the only common category with no premises permits at all — the bond is usually the long pole.See the full permit list
- Auto repair shopsOrdinary commercial permitting plus an environmental layer: waste oil, solvents and stormwater are each registered separately.See the full permit list
- Veterinary clinicsA state facility permit, controlled substances registration at both state and federal level, and a medical waste manifest — none of which a general business license covers.See the full permit list
Permits that apply to every type of business in Boston
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Certificate | City of Boston, Office of the City Clerk | $65 filing fee; $100 total if the filer is not a Massachusetts resident | 4 years, renewable | 2026-09-05 |
| Certificate of Occupancy Inspection Fee | Boston Fire Department, Fire Prevention Division | Non-residential: $110 for the first 5,000 sq ft, plus $110 per additional 10,000 sq ft, capped at $1,000. This is the Boston Fire Department's own inspection fee; ISD separately charges a distinct fee for the same certificate, reported as $300 plus a $50 application fee. | issued once per qualifying occupancy | 2026-09-05 |
| Commercial Building Permit | City of Boston Inspectional Services Department | Long Form Building (major alteration): $50 base plus $10 per $1,000 of estimated cost. Short Form Building (minor alteration): $20 base plus $10 per $1,000. Change of Occupancy: $50. An amendment is $20 plus $10 per $1,000. | one-time, per project | 2026-09-05 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
What do these permits involve in Boston?
Business Certificate
This is a d/b/a registration, not a general operating license — it does not itself authorize any regulated activity, which still needs its own permit (Common Victualler, Food Service, building, etc.).
Certificate of Occupancy Inspection Fee
Two separate fee components exist — this BFD inspection fee, and an ISD fee — but no single source states a combined total, and the ISD line item is not explicitly labelled a Certificate of Occupancy fee in the schedule that carries it, only inferred from its context alongside Change-of-Occupancy fees. Both figures are disclosed here rather than asserting one total that isn't directly documented.
Commercial Building Permit
Confirmed directly against the current fee schedule. Starting work without a permit, or undervaluing its cost, doubles the fee. No distinct sign-permit fee schedule exists — a new sign is filed as a Long Form Building permit under this same formula.
Sources
Every figure in the table above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.
- City of Boston — Business Certificate (d/b/a), M.G.L. chapter 110 section 5City of Boston, Office of the City Clerk · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-05
- Boston Fire Department fee schedule, effective September 22, 2016Boston Fire Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-05
- City of Boston ISD Building Division fee schedule, revised May 15, 2023City of Boston Inspectional Services Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-05
Who issues business permits in Boston?
Permitting in Boston is split across 4 agencies we hold records for, with tax registration handled at state level. No single office issues everything, which is why an opening usually means filing in several places rather than one.
Boston issuing agencies
- Boston Fire Department, Fire Prevention DivisionCertificate of Occupancy fire inspection · Recurring commercial inspections3 permits
- City of Boston Inspectional Services DepartmentFood Service Permit · Certificates of occupancy · Building permits · Auto Shop License3 permits
- City of Boston Licensing BoardCommon Victualler License1 permit
- City of Boston, Office of the City ClerkBusiness Certificate (d/b/a)1 permit
Other Massachusetts jurisdictions we cover
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.