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16 permits · verified 2026-10-02

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

In short

A restaurant in Anne Arundel County, MD has 6 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 10 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Anne Arundel County Board of License Commissioners (Liquor Board) charges $480 a year for the alcohol license — class b beer and light wine (hotel/restaurant). 9 of the 16 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-02 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a restaurant in Anne Arundel County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Food Service Facility LicenseAnne Arundel County Department of Health, Food Protection ServicesPermanent license: High Priority $590, Moderate Priority $395, Low Priority $195 a year. An operation open less than 4 months a year pays $395 at High or Moderate Priority; an operation open less than 6 months a year pays $195 at Moderate Priority. A new Mobile Food Unit permanent license is $395. Structural Plan Review is $750 for High or Moderate Priority and $500 for Low Priority; a HACCP Plan Review is $750. A nonprofit organization pays no fee on proof of its IRS tax-exempt status.annual; the license expires the last day of February each year2026-10-02
Alcohol License — Class B Beer and Light Wine (Hotel/Restaurant)only if it applies to youAnne Arundel County Board of License Commissioners (Liquor Board)$480 a yearannual2026-10-02
Trader's LicenseClerk of the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County$15–$800 a year, by 21 statutory tiers keyed to the value of the applicant's stock-in-trade (Md. Code, Business Regulation Article §17-1807(c)(2)): $15 at the lowest tier (stock-in-trade value up to $1,000), rising through $18, $20, $25, $30, $40, $50, $65, $80, $100, $125, $150, $200, $250, $300, $350, $400 and $500 at intermediate tiers, up to $800 at the highest tier (stock-in-trade value over $750,000)annual (Md. Code, Bus. Reg. §§ 17-1806 and 17-1807, the provisions cited here, state no renewal date)2026-10-02
Alcohol License — Class B Beer, Wine and Liquor (Restaurant)only if it applies to youAnne Arundel County Board of License Commissioners (Liquor Board)$1,080 a yearannual2026-10-02
Alcohol License — Other Retail Classes (Class A, Class D, Class H)only if it applies to youAnne Arundel County Board of License Commissioners (Liquor Board)Class A light wine license $60 a year (§11-701(d)); Class A beer and light wine license $240 a year (§11-801(c)); Class A beer, wine and liquor license (drugstore-restricted eligibility) $720 a year (§11-901(d)); Class D beer, wine and liquor license $1,200 a year, or a limited (on-premises only) Class D license $1,080 a year (§11-904(c)); Class H beer, wine and liquor license $960 a year (§11-905(e)).annual2026-10-02
Temporary Food Service Facility LicenseAnne Arundel County Department of Health, Food Protection Services$35–$114 per event: $114.00 for a High or Moderate Priority facility, $35.00 for a Low Priority facility; a late penalty of $22.80 (High/Moderate) or $7.00 (Low) applies if the application is received less than two weeks before the eventper event2026-10-02
Food Service Facility LicenseMaryland Department of Health, Office of Food Protection$100–$525 a year, set by the county health department — there is no state fee1 year from issue unless local law says otherwise2026-09-03
Certified Food Service Manageronly if it applies to youMaryland Department of Health, Office of Food ProtectionNo feeno state period; three to five years where a county requires a card2026-09-03

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 Anne Arundel County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Building / Electrical / Gas / Grading / Mechanical / Plumbing Permitsonly if it applies to youAnne Arundel County Department of Inspections and PermitsVaries — formula on the Anne Arundel County pageper permit2026-10-02
Sewage Disposal System (Septic) Permitsonly if it applies to youAnne Arundel County Department of Inspections and PermitsVaries — formula on the Anne Arundel County pageper permit2026-10-02
City of Annapolis Business Licensing (Stacks on County Requirements)only if it applies to youCity of Annapolis, Licenses & Permits DivisionVaries — formula on the Anne Arundel County pageset by the City of Annapolis; not stated in the county-level sources cited here2026-10-02

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

MD 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
Trader's LicenseComptroller of Maryland, State License BureauVaries — formula on the MD page1 May to 30 April, whenever it is bought2026-09-03
Sales and Use Tax LicenseComptroller of Maryland, Revenue Administration DivisionNo feeno expiry — effective until surrendered or revoked2026-09-03
Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to youMaryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation, Corporate Charter Division$100 one-time filingperpetual, but a $300 annual report is due every 15 April2026-09-03
Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to youMaryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation, Corporate Charter Division$120 one-time minimum — $100 filing plus a $20 organization and capitalization feeperpetual, but a $300 annual report is due every 15 April2026-09-03
Annual Reportonly if it applies to youMaryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation, Corporate Charter Division$300 a yearannual — due 15 April, extendable to 15 June2026-09-03

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 Anne Arundel County?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 16 records listed for a restaurant in Anne Arundel County, MD, 6 apply to every business of this type and 10 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.

9 of the 16 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 Service Facility License: Permanent license: High Priority $590, Moderate Priority $395, Low Priority $195 a year. An operation open less than 4 months a year pays $395 at High or Moderate Priority; an operation open less than 6 months a year pays $195 at Moderate Priority. A new Mobile Food Unit permanent license is $395. Structural Plan Review is $750 for High or Moderate Priority and $500 for Low Priority; a HACCP Plan Review is $750. A nonprofit organization pays no fee on proof of its IRS tax-exempt status.

Trader's License: $15–$800 a year, by 21 statutory tiers keyed to the value of the applicant's stock-in-trade (Md. Code, Business Regulation Article §17-1807(c)(2)): $15 at the lowest tier (stock-in-trade value up to $1,000), rising through $18, $20, $25, $30, $40, $50, $65, $80, $100, $125, $150, $200, $250, $300, $350, $400 and $500 at intermediate tiers, up to $800 at the highest tier (stock-in-trade value over $750,000)

Alcohol License — Other Retail Classes (Class A, Class D, Class H): Class A light wine license $60 a year (§11-701(d)); Class A beer and light wine license $240 a year (§11-801(c)); Class A beer, wine and liquor license (drugstore-restricted eligibility) $720 a year (§11-901(d)); Class D beer, wine and liquor license $1,200 a year, or a limited (on-premises only) Class D license $1,080 a year (§11-904(c)); Class H beer, wine and liquor license $960 a year (§11-905(e)).

Temporary Food Service Facility License: $35–$114 per event: $114.00 for a High or Moderate Priority facility, $35.00 for a Low Priority facility; a late penalty of $22.80 (High/Moderate) or $7.00 (Low) applies if the application is received less than two weeks before the event

Food Service Facility License: $100–$525 a year, set by the county health department — there is no state fee

The other 4 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Anne Arundel County permits page and the MD state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Anne Arundel County?

Permits for a restaurant in Anne Arundel County, MD come from 9 separate offices: Anne Arundel County Department of Health, Food Protection Services, Anne Arundel County Board of License Commissioners (Liquor Board), Anne Arundel County Department of Inspections and Permits, Clerk of the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County, City of Annapolis, Licenses & Permits Division, Comptroller of Maryland, State License Bureau, Comptroller of Maryland, Revenue Administration Division, Maryland Department of Health, Office of Food Protection, Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation, Corporate Charter Division. 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 Anne Arundel County that other businesses do not?

Food Service Facility License

The state health department writes the regulations and licenses only processing, warehousing and dairy; retail food service belongs to the twenty-four local health departments, and the statute says the county governing body sets the fee schedule and the money is paid to the county. Both examples band by risk rather than size. Montgomery charges $200 for a low-priority facility, $375 for moderate and $525 for high, with a $100 non-profit rate and a $100 late fee, and its licenses expire on 31 January. Howard charges $415, $325 and $100 on the same three tiers, adds a ten per cent technology surcharge to everything, and prices plan review separately at up to $485. Statutory caps exist only in odd corners — a mobile reciprocity license cannot exceed $300, and seasonal on-farm processing $70 outside four jurisdictions.

Shared with other businesses in Anne Arundel County

  • Food Service Facility License — Anne Arundel County Department of Health, Food Protection Services, Permanent license: High Priority $590, Moderate Priority $395, Low Priority $195 a year. An operation open less than 4 months a year pays $395 at High or Moderate Priority; an operation open less than 6 months a year pays $195 at Moderate Priority. A new Mobile Food Unit permanent license is $395. Structural Plan Review is $750 for High or Moderate Priority and $500 for Low Priority; a HACCP Plan Review is $750. A nonprofit organization pays no fee on proof of its IRS tax-exempt status., annual; the license expires the last day of February each year. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
  • Alcohol License — Class B Beer and Light Wine (Hotel/Restaurant) — Anne Arundel County Board of License Commissioners (Liquor Board), $480 a year, annual. Also required for coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
  • Trader's License — Clerk of the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County, $15–$800 a year, by 21 statutory tiers keyed to the value of the applicant's stock-in-trade (Md. Code, Business Regulation Article §17-1807(c)(2)): $15 at the lowest tier (stock-in-trade value up to $1,000), rising through $18, $20, $25, $30, $40, $50, $65, $80, $100, $125, $150, $200, $250, $300, $350, $400 and $500 at intermediate tiers, up to $800 at the highest tier (stock-in-trade value over $750,000), annual (Md. Code, Bus. Reg. §§ 17-1806 and 17-1807, the provisions cited here, state no renewal date). Also required for retail stores, coffee shops, salons and barbers, auto repair shops, fitness studios and veterinary clinics; what it involves is set out on the auto repair shops page.
  • Alcohol License — Class B Beer, Wine and Liquor (Restaurant) — Anne Arundel County Board of License Commissioners (Liquor Board), $1,080 a year, annual. Also required for coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
  • Alcohol License — Other Retail Classes (Class A, Class D, Class H) — Anne Arundel County Board of License Commissioners (Liquor Board), Class A light wine license $60 a year (§11-701(d)); Class A beer and light wine license $240 a year (§11-801(c)); Class A beer, wine and liquor license (drugstore-restricted eligibility) $720 a year (§11-901(d)); Class D beer, wine and liquor license $1,200 a year, or a limited (on-premises only) Class D license $1,080 a year (§11-904(c)); Class H beer, wine and liquor license $960 a year (§11-905(e))., annual. Also required for coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
  • Temporary Food Service Facility License — Anne Arundel County Department of Health, Food Protection Services, $35–$114 per event: $114.00 for a High or Moderate Priority facility, $35.00 for a Low Priority facility; a late penalty of $22.80 (High/Moderate) or $7.00 (Low) applies if the application is received less than two weeks before the event, per event. Also required for food trucks and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
  • Certified Food Service Manager — Maryland Department of Health, Office of Food Protection, No fee, no state period; three to five years where a county requires a card. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.

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

How does a restaurant compare with other businesses in Anne Arundel County?

A restaurant and a coffee shop in Anne Arundel County, MD need exactly the same 8 permits beyond the ones every business needs.

Permits particular to each business type in Anne Arundel County, MD, compared with a restaurant
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a restaurantOnly a restaurant needsOnly it needs
Coffee shops8800
Food trucks5441
Fitness studios1170
Auto repair shops2171
Retail stores2171
Veterinary clinics3172
Salons and barbers5174
Childcare centres2082
Contractors and trades2082

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 coffee shops page and auto repair shops page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Anne Arundel County permits page and the MD state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. Maryland Health-General section 21-308 — county governing bodies set the food establishment license fee scheduleMaryland General Assembly · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  2. COMAR 10.15.03.28 — a food service facility license must be obtained from the approving authorityMaryland Department of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  3. Montgomery County Licensure and Regulatory Services — fee scheduleMontgomery County, Maryland · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  4. Howard County Health Department — environmental health fee scheduleHoward County, Maryland · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03

Related

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