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

Alcohol License — State MLCC and Local Unit Approval (Wayne County)

No fee applies. Wayne County's own Services/Business page lists no alcohol license among the county's business services. Liquor licensing in Michigan runs through the Michigan Liquor Control Commission at the state level, combined with an approval or recommendation step from the local unit of government — the city or township, not the county — where the licensed premises is located. Because Wayne County consists almost entirely of incorporated cities and townships rather than unincorporated territory, that local-government role in Wayne County always falls to a city or township government, such as Detroit, Dearborn or Livonia, never to the county itself. A restaurant or coffee shop applying to serve alcohol works directly with the state Liquor Control Commission and its own city or township, not with Wayne County.

Food Service Establishment Plan Review

Wayne County Environmental Health reviews plans and performs the pre-operational inspection before a restaurant, coffee shop or food truck commissary is newly built, remodeled, or changes ownership, anywhere in Wayne County outside Detroit. The 2024 EH Fee Schedule prices new-construction plan review at $700 for 0-30 seats, $849 for 31-50 seats, $917 for 51-100 seats and $1,015 for over 100 seats or a commissary; a lower preconstruction review is $257 for 0-30 seats and $514 for over 30 seats; a revised, extensive resubmission of plans is $1,000; a field review or report is $289; adding up to three pieces of equipment to an existing kitchen is $564; and adding a water heater is $296. Plan approval is required before the food-service license application is complete and before construction work proceeds. This is authorized under the same Michigan Food Law delegation that authorizes the underlying food-service license itself.

Food Service License (fixed establishment, annual)

Wayne County's Environmental Health Section licenses fixed food-service establishments — restaurants and coffee shops — everywhere in Wayne County outside the City of Detroit; the county's own page states this scope directly, because Detroit businesses are licensed instead by the Detroit Health Department, a separate city-level authority out of scope here. Any fixed restaurant or coffee shop must hold this annual license before operating. The 2024 EH Fee Schedule prices it by seating and category: 0-30 seats $471, 31-50 seats $503, 51-100 seats $528, 101-150 seats $586, and over 150 seats $690, with a lower seasonal/low-risk 0-30-seat tier at $214, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit rate of $280, a specialty/coffee-shop-with-no-food-prep rate of $393, a multiple-locations rate of $380 plus $150 per satellite, and a commissary rate of $559; a $25 state fee and $5 education fee are already included in the asterisked categories. Renewal is due by April 30 each year, with a $96 late fee after that date and $161 after May 31. New applications and changes of ownership must be filed in person at Environmental Health; renewals are mailed pre-printed and can be paid online. Bake sales and prepackaged, non-potentially-hazardous food sales are exempt from this license and may instead need a state (MDARD) retail food establishment license.

Certified Food Safety Manager

No state fee — Michigan neither teaches the course nor issues the certificate, and the cost and length vary by provider. What the law does require is that a food service establishment, an extended retail food establishment or a food service operation inside a grocery employs at least one managerial food safety manager certified under an accredited programme. The rule adds that the certified manager must be a full-time employee but need not be present during all opening hours. Temporary establishments, vending locations and low-risk establishments are exempt. Ninety days are allowed to replace a departed manager or after a change of ownership, but a newly licensed establishment needs one from its first day. There is no statewide food handler card; local health departments may register individuals, and none of the six largest jurisdictions checked does.

Shared with other businesses in Wayne County

• Certified Food Manager (CFM) Requirement — Wayne County Department of Health, Human & Veterans Services (HHVS), Environmental Health Section, Class Registration $240; Recertification Class $100; Exam Only $54 — Wayne County Environmental Health's own training and testing fees for the state-mandated credential (2024 EH Fee Schedule)., ongoing while the fixed food location operates; a certified manager renews through the accredited food-manager program's own recertification cycle, for which Wayne County offers a recertification class. Also required for coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
• Temporary Food Establishment (TFE) License — Wayne County Department of Health, Human & Veterans Services (HHVS), Environmental Health Section, TFE license, including a $4 state fee and $5 education fee bundled in, $249; 501(c)(3) school, athletic or religious organization (no state fee) $126; veteran with documentation (no state fee) $246; late fee for filing less than 10 days before the event $72; no application filed at the event $96 (2024 EH Fee Schedule)., one-time, per event. Also required for food trucks and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
• Food Service Establishment License — Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, $338–$1,333 a year, set by the local health department; the state's embedded share is $30, annual — expires 30 April. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.