14 permits · verified 2026-09-28
What permits do you need to open a restaurant in Hennepin County?
In short
A restaurant in Hennepin County, MN has 3 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 11 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State, Business Services Division charges $135 one-time filing by post; $155 online or in person for the articles of incorporation. 4 of the 14 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-09-28 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a restaurant in Hennepin County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Establishment License (annual) | Hennepin County Public Health, Epidemiology and Environmental Health | $100–$1,040 a year, 2026 schedule, by risk/complexity tier, plus a flat fee for each additional facility at the same site: Low Limited (packaged snacks only, portable bar, half-day childcare with snacks/milk only) $100 + $50; Low (convenience store, coffee fountain-only, sales-only bakery) $215 + $108; Medium Limited (small grocery, cafeteria/catering with no on-site prep) $405 + $202; Medium Small (large grocery, bar, catering food vehicle, small kitchen ≤10 meals, pizza) $612 + $305; High Small (full menu, under 175 seats and/or under 500 meals — family restaurant, fast food, deli, caterer) $807 + $404; High Large (full menu, over 175 seats or over 500 meals) $1,040 + $518 | annual; license period February 1, 2026 to January 31, 2027 for most categories (mobile units and seasonal stands instead run April 1 to March 31) | 2026-09-28 |
| Special / Short-Term Event Food License (10 days or fewer)only if it applies to you | Hennepin County Public Health, Epidemiology and Environmental Health | Per single event, by food category and preparation location (2026 schedule): high-risk food sold on-site $102 for the first day plus $11 per additional day; high-risk food prepared off-site and not sold on-site $204 first day plus $32 additional; low-risk food sold on-site $51 first day plus $11 additional; low-risk food prepared off-site $102 first day plus $32 additional. A $51 late-processing fee applies if the application is filed fewer than 10 days before the event. | per event; up to 10 days | 2026-09-28 |
| Liquor License — City Issues; County Role Limited to Fort Snelling (Hennepin County)only if it applies to you | Hennepin County Licenses & Certificates | No fee | not applicable outside the Fort Snelling unorganized territory | 2026-09-28 |
| Certified Food Protection Manageronly if it applies to you | Minnesota Department of Health, Food, Pools and Lodging Services | $45 certification or renewal, plus a $5 technology fee | 3 years | 2026-09-03 |
| Food and Beverage Establishment License | Minnesota Department of Health, Food, Pools and Lodging Services | $300 base plus a category fee of $185 low risk, $430 medium or $670 high, plus a $50 statewide hospitality fee and a $5 technology fee — or a delegated county's own schedule | annual | 2026-09-03 |
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 Hennepin County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Business License — Hennepin County Positiononly if it applies to you | Hennepin County Licenses & Certificates | No fee | not applicable — the county's business licenses and certificates page lists no general business license | 2026-09-28 |
| Subsurface Sewage Treatment System (SSTS) Permitonly if it applies to you | Hennepin County Public Health, Epidemiology and Environmental Health | Varies — formula on the Hennepin County page | per installation, alteration or compliance inspection; no fixed renewal term published | 2026-09-28 |
| Well Permit — Minnesota Department of Health Notification (Hennepin County)only if it applies to you | Hennepin County Public Health, Epidemiology and Environmental Health | No fee | not applicable at the county level — Minn. Stat. §103I.205 preempts county well permitting unless the Commissioner of Health has delegated it under §103I.111 | 2026-09-28 |
| Building Permit / Zoning Approval — City Issues (Hennepin County)only if it applies to you | Hennepin County Licenses & Certificates | No fee | not applicable — the county's ordinance index lists no building or zoning ordinance; each city issues building permits and zoning approvals | 2026-09-28 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
MN registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State, Business Services Division | $135 one-time filing by post; $155 online or in person | perpetual, subject to a free annual renewal every December | 2026-09-03 |
| General Business License — Minnesota state positiononly if it applies to you | Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State, Business Services Division | No fee | set by the city | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to you | Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State, Business Services Division | $135 one-time filing by post; $155 online or in person | perpetual, subject to a free annual renewal every December | 2026-09-03 |
| Annual Renewalonly if it applies to you | Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State, Business Services Division | No fee | annual — due by 31 December every year after the year of formation | 2026-09-03 |
| Sales and Use Tax Account | Minnesota Department of Revenue, Business Registration | No fee | valid until cancelled or revoked | 2026-09-03 |
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 Hennepin 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 Hennepin County, MN, 3 apply to every business of this type and 11 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.
4 of the 14 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 7 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
Food Establishment License (annual): $100–$1,040 a year, 2026 schedule, by risk/complexity tier, plus a flat fee for each additional facility at the same site: Low Limited (packaged snacks only, portable bar, half-day childcare with snacks/milk only) $100 + $50; Low (convenience store, coffee fountain-only, sales-only bakery) $215 + $108; Medium Limited (small grocery, cafeteria/catering with no on-site prep) $405 + $202; Medium Small (large grocery, bar, catering food vehicle, small kitchen ≤10 meals, pizza) $612 + $305; High Small (full menu, under 175 seats and/or under 500 meals — family restaurant, fast food, deli, caterer) $807 + $404; High Large (full menu, over 175 seats or over 500 meals) $1,040 + $518
Special / Short-Term Event Food License (10 days or fewer): Per single event, by food category and preparation location (2026 schedule): high-risk food sold on-site $102 for the first day plus $11 per additional day; high-risk food prepared off-site and not sold on-site $204 first day plus $32 additional; low-risk food sold on-site $51 first day plus $11 additional; low-risk food prepared off-site $102 first day plus $32 additional. A $51 late-processing fee applies if the application is filed fewer than 10 days before the event.
Food and Beverage Establishment License: $300 base plus a category fee of $185 low risk, $430 medium or $670 high, plus a $50 statewide hospitality fee and a $5 technology fee — or a delegated county's own schedule
The other 1 variable fee belongs to permits that apply to every type of business here; its formula is set out on the Hennepin County permits page and the MN state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Hennepin County?
Permits for a restaurant in Hennepin County, MN come from 5 separate offices: Hennepin County Licenses & Certificates, Hennepin County Public Health, Epidemiology and Environmental Health, Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State, Business Services Division, Minnesota Department of Health, Food, Pools and Lodging Services, Minnesota Department of Revenue, Business Registration. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- Hennepin County Licenses & CertificatesIssues 3 permits on this page: General Business License — Hennepin County Position, Liquor License — City Issues; County Role Limited to Fort Snelling (Hennepin County), Building Permit / Zoning Approval — City Issues (Hennepin County)Hennepin County Government Center, 300 South 6th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55487www.hennepincounty.gov/services/licenses-certificates/business
- Hennepin County Public Health, Epidemiology and Environmental HealthIssues 4 permits on this page: Food Establishment License (annual), Special / Short-Term Event Food License (10 days or fewer), Subsurface Sewage Treatment System (SSTS) Permit, Well Permit — Minnesota Department of Health Notification (Hennepin County)479 Prairie Center Dr, Eden Prairie, MN 55344 · 612-543-5200www.hennepincounty.gov/services/licenses-certificates/business/food-pools-lodging-licenses
- Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State, Business Services DivisionIssues 4 permits on this page: Articles of Incorporation, General Business License — Minnesota state position, Articles of Organization (LLC), Annual Renewal332 Minnesota Street, Suite N201, Saint Paul, MN 55101 · (651) 296-2803www.sos.mn.gov/business-liens
- Minnesota Department of Health, Food, Pools and Lodging ServicesIssues 2 permits on this page: Certified Food Protection Manager, Food and Beverage Establishment LicensePO Box 64975, St Paul, MN 55164-0975 · (651) 201-4500www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/food/license/index.html
- Minnesota Department of Revenue, Business RegistrationIssues 1 permit on this page: Sales and Use Tax Account600 North Robert Street, St Paul, MN 55146 · (651) 282-5225www.revenue.state.mn.us/minnesota-tax-id-requirements
What does a restaurant need in Hennepin County that other businesses do not?
Shared with other businesses in Hennepin County
- Food Establishment License (annual) — Hennepin County Public Health, Epidemiology and Environmental Health, $100–$1,040 a year, 2026 schedule, by risk/complexity tier, plus a flat fee for each additional facility at the same site: Low Limited (packaged snacks only, portable bar, half-day childcare with snacks/milk only) $100 + $50; Low (convenience store, coffee fountain-only, sales-only bakery) $215 + $108; Medium Limited (small grocery, cafeteria/catering with no on-site prep) $405 + $202; Medium Small (large grocery, bar, catering food vehicle, small kitchen ≤10 meals, pizza) $612 + $305; High Small (full menu, under 175 seats and/or under 500 meals — family restaurant, fast food, deli, caterer) $807 + $404; High Large (full menu, over 175 seats or over 500 meals) $1,040 + $518, annual; license period February 1, 2026 to January 31, 2027 for most categories (mobile units and seasonal stands instead run April 1 to March 31). Also required for coffee shops, retail stores and childcare centres; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
- Special / Short-Term Event Food License (10 days or fewer) — Hennepin County Public Health, Epidemiology and Environmental Health, Per single event, by food category and preparation location (2026 schedule): high-risk food sold on-site $102 for the first day plus $11 per additional day; high-risk food prepared off-site and not sold on-site $204 first day plus $32 additional; low-risk food sold on-site $51 first day plus $11 additional; low-risk food prepared off-site $102 first day plus $32 additional. A $51 late-processing fee applies if the application is filed fewer than 10 days before the event., per event; up to 10 days. Also required for food trucks and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
- Liquor License — City Issues; County Role Limited to Fort Snelling (Hennepin County) — Hennepin County Licenses & Certificates, No fee, not applicable outside the Fort Snelling unorganized territory. Also required for coffee shops, food trucks and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
- Certified Food Protection Manager — Minnesota Department of Health, Food, Pools and Lodging Services, $45 certification or renewal, plus a $5 technology fee, 3 years. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
- Food and Beverage Establishment License — Minnesota Department of Health, Food, Pools and Lodging Services, $300 base plus a category fee of $185 low risk, $430 medium or $670 high, plus a $50 statewide hospitality fee and a $5 technology fee — or a delegated county's own schedule, annual. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
The other 4 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Hennepin County, MN; what each one involves is set out on the Hennepin County permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across MN and are covered on the MN state page.
How does a restaurant compare with other businesses in Hennepin County?
A restaurant and a coffee shop in Hennepin County, MN need exactly the same 5 permits beyond the ones every business needs.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a restaurant | Only a restaurant needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee shops | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Food trucks | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| Retail stores | 5 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Childcare centres | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Auto repair shops | 2 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| Contractors and trades | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| Fitness studios | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Salons and barbers | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| Veterinary clinics | 3 | 0 | 5 | 3 |
Sources
Sources for the permits shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the coffee shops page and food trucks page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Hennepin County permits page and the MN state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.