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14 permits · verified 2026-10-02

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

In short

A restaurant in Howard County Md, MD has 5 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 9 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Howard County Department of Planning and Zoning charges $100 per letter for the permitted use letter. 7 of the 14 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 Howard County Md

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Alcoholic Beverage License (Board of License Commissioners)only if it applies to youHoward County Board of License Commissioners (County Council, ex officio)Current fees under Liquor Board Rules, Chapter VIII, Rule 8.02 (revision effective July 1, 2026): Class A Beer $150, Class A Beer & Light Wine $175, Class A-1 (7-day) Beer/Wine/Liquor $900, Class A-2 (6-day) $700, Class A Winery (Light Wine) $50 — range $50-$900. Class B (restaurant): Beer $150, Beer & Light Wine $175, Beer/Wine/Liquor $1,000, Luxury Restaurant (BLX) $2,000 — range $150-$2,000. Class C (clubs/conference centers): Veterans Clubs (Beer only) $25, Clubs Beer & Light Wine $150, Continuing Care Retirement Community $250, 7-day Beer/Wine/Liquor $250, Beer/Wine/Liquor (§23-1007) $250, Affiliate of Int'l Org. of Police Officers $500, Conference Center Beer/Wine/Liquor $700, Country Clubs Beer/Wine/Liquor $1,500 — range $25-$1,500. Class D (tavern): Beer $150, Beer & Light Wine $175, Beer/Wine/Liquor $600-$1,000 by days/premises. Class GC Golf Course $350-$1,500. Marketplace License $6,000 (plus $500 for live entertainment, plus $200 for outdoor table service). Shopping Mall Plaza License $4,000. Application/hearing fee $270 (Rule 2.04). License transfer $20, administrative change $5 (Rules 8.05-8.06, Alcoholic Beverages Article §4-305).annual (varies by license class); application/hearing, transfer and administrative-change fees are one-time2026-10-02
Temporary Food Service Facility Licenseonly if it applies to youHoward County Health Department, Bureau of Environmental Health$65 per event or season under Council Resolution No. 89-2026, effective July 1, 2026, plus a 10% technology surcharge added on top of that figure rather than included within it.per event or season2026-10-02
Commercial Expedited Plan Reviewonly if it applies to youHoward County Department of Inspections, Licenses & Permits (DILP)$750 for a project up to 2,500 square feet; $1,500 for 2,501 to 5,000 square feet; plus $750 for each additional 2,500 square feet above that, under the FY2027 Building Permit Fee Schedule (Resolution #83-2026, effective July 1, 2026), plus the standard 10% DILP technology fee.one-time, per review2026-10-02
Food Service Facility LicenseHoward County Health Department, Bureau of Environmental HealthHigh priority $415, Medium priority $325, Low priority $100, under Council Resolution No. 89-2026, effective July 1, 2026, plus a 10% technology surcharge that the resolution's text describes as collected on all uncapped established fees, in addition to (not included within) the listed figures.annual2026-10-02
Building Permit, New Construction or Addition (Non-Residential)Howard County Department of Inspections, Licenses & Permits (DILP)$0.30 per new gross square foot, plus a $200 non-refundable commercial filing fee, under the FY2027 Building Permit Fee Schedule (Resolution #83-2026, effective July 1, 2026), plus the 10% technology fee Howard County Code §3.101(b) applies to all DILP permits.one-time, per permit2026-10-02
Tenant Improvement Permit, First Occupancy of Shell Spaceonly if it applies to youHoward County Department of Inspections, Licenses & Permits (DILP)$250 per permit, plus the standard 10% DILP technology feeone-time, per permit2026-10-02
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 Howard County Md

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Permitted Use Letteronly if it applies to youHoward County Department of Planning and Zoning$100 per letterone-time, per letter2026-10-02

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 Howard County Md?

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 Howard County Md, MD, 5 apply to every business of this type and 9 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.

7 of the 14 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:

Alcoholic Beverage License (Board of License Commissioners): Current fees under Liquor Board Rules, Chapter VIII, Rule 8.02 (revision effective July 1, 2026): Class A Beer $150, Class A Beer & Light Wine $175, Class A-1 (7-day) Beer/Wine/Liquor $900, Class A-2 (6-day) $700, Class A Winery (Light Wine) $50 — range $50-$900. Class B (restaurant): Beer $150, Beer & Light Wine $175, Beer/Wine/Liquor $1,000, Luxury Restaurant (BLX) $2,000 — range $150-$2,000. Class C (clubs/conference centers): Veterans Clubs (Beer only) $25, Clubs Beer & Light Wine $150, Continuing Care Retirement Community $250, 7-day Beer/Wine/Liquor $250, Beer/Wine/Liquor (§23-1007) $250, Affiliate of Int'l Org. of Police Officers $500, Conference Center Beer/Wine/Liquor $700, Country Clubs Beer/Wine/Liquor $1,500 — range $25-$1,500. Class D (tavern): Beer $150, Beer & Light Wine $175, Beer/Wine/Liquor $600-$1,000 by days/premises. Class GC Golf Course $350-$1,500. Marketplace License $6,000 (plus $500 for live entertainment, plus $200 for outdoor table service). Shopping Mall Plaza License $4,000. Application/hearing fee $270 (Rule 2.04). License transfer $20, administrative change $5 (Rules 8.05-8.06, Alcoholic Beverages Article §4-305).

Temporary Food Service Facility License: $65 per event or season under Council Resolution No. 89-2026, effective July 1, 2026, plus a 10% technology surcharge added on top of that figure rather than included within it.

Commercial Expedited Plan Review: $750 for a project up to 2,500 square feet; $1,500 for 2,501 to 5,000 square feet; plus $750 for each additional 2,500 square feet above that, under the FY2027 Building Permit Fee Schedule (Resolution #83-2026, effective July 1, 2026), plus the standard 10% DILP technology fee.

Food Service Facility License: High priority $415, Medium priority $325, Low priority $100, under Council Resolution No. 89-2026, effective July 1, 2026, plus a 10% technology surcharge that the resolution's text describes as collected on all uncapped established fees, in addition to (not included within) the listed figures.

Building Permit, New Construction or Addition (Non-Residential): $0.30 per new gross square foot, plus a $200 non-refundable commercial filing fee, under the FY2027 Building Permit Fee Schedule (Resolution #83-2026, effective July 1, 2026), plus the 10% technology fee Howard County Code §3.101(b) applies to all DILP permits.

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

The other 1 variable fee belongs to permits that apply to every type of business here; its formula is set out on the Howard County Md permits page and the MD state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Howard County Md?

Permits for a restaurant in Howard County Md, MD come from 8 separate offices: Howard County Board of License Commissioners (County Council, ex officio), Howard County Health Department, Bureau of Environmental Health, Howard County Department of Inspections, Licenses & Permits (DILP), Howard County Department of Planning and Zoning, 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 Howard County Md that other businesses do not?

Alcoholic Beverage License (Board of License Commissioners)

A restaurant or retail store that sells or serves alcohol in Howard County needs a license from the Board of License Commissioners, on which Howard County's five Council members sit ex officio, with a separately appointed Alcoholic Beverage Hearing Board handling most hearings by delegation. This record cites the current Liquor Board Rules revision, effective July 1, 2026, which superseded a copy dated 7/27/2022 and added a Class MT (Movie Theater) license and a Gift Basket Permit not present in the earlier version; the dollar figures for the pre-existing classes are unchanged between the two revisions. The Class C family (clubs and conference centers) ranges from $25, for a Veterans Club licensed for beer only, up to $1,500 for a Country Club holding a full Beer/Wine/Liquor license — $150 is the fee for only one Class C subtype (Clubs, Beer & Light Wine), not the bottom of the range. A restaurant fits the Class B family most directly; a retail store selling packaged alcohol fits Class A. An application or hearing fee of $270 applies on top of the license fee itself, except for most temporary or special licenses unless a hearing is required.

Temporary Food Service Facility License

A food truck or restaurant serving food at a one-off event or temporary location in Howard County uses this license instead of the standing Food Service Facility License: $65 under Council Resolution No. 89-2026, effective July 1, 2026, plus a 10% technology surcharge added on top of that figure. The Health Department's own public fee-schedule page still showed the superseded 07-2024 all-in figure of $72 when retrieved on October 2, 2026 — that older figure already included the surcharge under the 2024 schedule's own wording, while the 2026 resolution's $65 base figure does not. Resolution 89-2026 is the current, adopted source for this fee, issued by the Bureau of Environmental Health at 8930 Stanford Blvd, Columbia.

Commercial Expedited Plan Review

A business that wants its commercial building-permit plans reviewed on an expedited basis rather than the Department of Inspections, Licenses & Permits' standard review queue can pay for Commercial Expedited Plan Review: $750 for a project up to 2,500 square feet, $1,500 for 2,501 to 5,000 square feet, and an additional $750 for every further 2,500 square feet beyond that, under the FY2027 Building Permit Fee Schedule set by Resolution #83-2026, effective July 1, 2026, plus the standard 10% DILP technology fee. This is an optional add-on to, not a substitute for, the underlying building or tenant-improvement permit fee itself.

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 Howard County Md

  • Food Service Facility License — Howard County Health Department, Bureau of Environmental Health, High priority $415, Medium priority $325, Low priority $100, under Council Resolution No. 89-2026, effective July 1, 2026, plus a 10% technology surcharge that the resolution's text describes as collected on all uncapped established fees, in addition to (not included within) the listed figures., annual. Also required for coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
  • Building Permit, New Construction or Addition (Non-Residential) — Howard County Department of Inspections, Licenses & Permits (DILP), $0.30 per new gross square foot, plus a $200 non-refundable commercial filing fee, under the FY2027 Building Permit Fee Schedule (Resolution #83-2026, effective July 1, 2026), plus the 10% technology fee Howard County Code §3.101(b) applies to all DILP permits., one-time, per permit. Also required for coffee shops, retail stores, fitness studios, salons and barbers, auto repair shops and veterinary clinics; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
  • Tenant Improvement Permit, First Occupancy of Shell Space — Howard County Department of Inspections, Licenses & Permits (DILP), $250 per permit, plus the standard 10% DILP technology fee, one-time, per permit. Also required for coffee shops, retail stores, fitness studios, salons and barbers, auto repair shops and veterinary clinics; what it involves is set out on the retail stores 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 1 local permit in the tables apply to every type of business in Howard County Md, MD; what each one involves is set out on the Howard County Md 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 Howard County Md?

The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 6 of these permits. A restaurant also needs Alcoholic Beverage License (Board of License Commissioners) and Temporary Food Service Facility License. A coffee shop needs nothing here that a restaurant does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Howard County Md, MD, compared with a restaurant
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a restaurantOnly a restaurant needsOnly it needs
Coffee shops6620
Retail stores6442
Fitness studios4351
Veterinary clinics4351
Auto repair shops5352
Food trucks5352
Salons and barbers5352
Childcare centres1081
Contractors and trades5085

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 retail stores page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Howard County Md permits page and the MD state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. Howard County Liquor Board Rules, current revision effective July 1, 2026 (Chapter VIII fee table)Howard County Board of License Commissioners · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-02
  2. Howard County Liquor License pageHoward County Council / Board of License Commissioners · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-02
  3. Howard County Council Resolution No. 89-2026, Health Department Fees, effective July 1, 2026Howard County Council · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-02
  4. Howard County Council Bill 48-2008, amending Howard County Code §12.107 (food service facility definition)Howard County Council · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-02
  5. FY2027 Building Permit Fee Schedule (Resolution #83-2026), effective July 1, 2026Howard County Department of Inspections, Licenses & Permits · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-02
  6. Maryland Health-General section 21-308 — county governing bodies set the food establishment license fee scheduleMaryland General Assembly · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  7. 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
  8. Montgomery County Licensure and Regulatory Services — fee scheduleMontgomery County, Maryland · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  9. 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.