9 permits · verified 2026-10-13
What permits do you need to open a restaurant in Ramsey County Mn?
In short
A restaurant in Ramsey County Mn, MN has 2 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 7 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. 3 of the 9 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-13 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a restaurant in Ramsey County Mn
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Establishment License (food service and retail food)only if it applies to you | Saint Paul – Ramsey County Public Health — Environmental Health | Annual license fee by class, as the 2026 schedule labels each row: Class A Food Service $1,598; Class B Food Service $1,125; Class C Food Service $941; Class D Food Service High Risk $757; Class D Food Service Med/Low Risk $630; Limited Food Service $432; Seasonal Food Service (per calendar month max. 5) $103; Seasonal Retail Food Service (5 calendar months max) $201; Class A Retail Food $2,216; Class B Retail Food $1,941; Class C Retail Food $1,388; Class D Retail Food $499; Class E Retail Food $289; Class F Retail Food $201. Plan review: Class A, B and C Food Service and Class A, B and C Retail Food $809 each; Class D Food Service, Class D Retail Food, Limited Food Service and Seasonal Food Service $564 each; Class E and Class F Retail Food $281 each; Initial HACCP Review $139; Equipment Review $140; remodeling of less than 50% of floor space 1/2 of the full fee; Pre Licensing Inspection (change of ownership) In-Person Consultation of existing space $248. Re-inspection fee for any licensed establishment failing a follow-up inspection $250. Participation in a food waste diversion program discounts the food establishment license fee by 25%. An initial license is charged 8.33% of the normal fee amount per month remaining in the initial licensing period (this does not apply to special event food stands, seasonal temporary food stands, seasonal food service and mobile food units or food carts). | calendar year, January 1 through December 31 (Food Protection Ordinance §4.04) | 2026-10-13 |
| Special Event Food Stand / Seasonal Temporary Food Stand Licenseonly if it applies to you | Saint Paul – Ramsey County Public Health — Environmental Health | Special Event Food Stand with TCS Food: $88 for 1 day, $136 for 2–10 days. Limited Special Event Food Stand w/o TCS Food: $56 for 1 day, $76 for 2–10 days. Seasonal Temporary Food Stand: $232 flat. Expedited review (application received within 48 hours of the event) adds 25% of the license fee with a minimum of $25. | special event stand: up to ten days annually, one special event license per calendar year per stand; seasonal temporary stand: up to 21 days annually per location | 2026-10-13 |
| 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.
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 Ramsey County Mn?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 9 records listed for a restaurant in Ramsey County Mn, MN, 2 apply to every business of this type and 7 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.
3 of the 9 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 3 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
Food Establishment License (food service and retail food): Annual license fee by class, as the 2026 schedule labels each row: Class A Food Service $1,598; Class B Food Service $1,125; Class C Food Service $941; Class D Food Service High Risk $757; Class D Food Service Med/Low Risk $630; Limited Food Service $432; Seasonal Food Service (per calendar month max. 5) $103; Seasonal Retail Food Service (5 calendar months max) $201; Class A Retail Food $2,216; Class B Retail Food $1,941; Class C Retail Food $1,388; Class D Retail Food $499; Class E Retail Food $289; Class F Retail Food $201. Plan review: Class A, B and C Food Service and Class A, B and C Retail Food $809 each; Class D Food Service, Class D Retail Food, Limited Food Service and Seasonal Food Service $564 each; Class E and Class F Retail Food $281 each; Initial HACCP Review $139; Equipment Review $140; remodeling of less than 50% of floor space 1/2 of the full fee; Pre Licensing Inspection (change of ownership) In-Person Consultation of existing space $248. Re-inspection fee for any licensed establishment failing a follow-up inspection $250. Participation in a food waste diversion program discounts the food establishment license fee by 25%. An initial license is charged 8.33% of the normal fee amount per month remaining in the initial licensing period (this does not apply to special event food stands, seasonal temporary food stands, seasonal food service and mobile food units or food carts).
Special Event Food Stand / Seasonal Temporary Food Stand License: Special Event Food Stand with TCS Food: $88 for 1 day, $136 for 2–10 days. Limited Special Event Food Stand w/o TCS Food: $56 for 1 day, $76 for 2–10 days. Seasonal Temporary Food Stand: $232 flat. Expedited review (application received within 48 hours of the event) adds 25% of the license fee with a minimum of $25.
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
Which offices issue these permits in Ramsey County Mn?
Permits for a restaurant in Ramsey County Mn, MN come from 4 separate offices: Saint Paul – Ramsey County Public Health — 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.
- Saint Paul – Ramsey County Public Health — Environmental HealthIssues 2 permits on this page: Food Establishment License (food service and retail food), Special Event Food Stand / Seasonal Temporary Food Stand License2785 White Bear Ave. N, Suite 350, Maplewood, MN 55109 · 651-266-1199www.ramseycountymn.gov/businesses/licenses-permits-inspections/licenses-inspections/food-vending
- 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 Ramsey County Mn that other businesses do not?
Food Establishment License (food service and retail food)
The county's Food & Vending page states: "Ramsey County inspects and licenses all establishments (except those in Saint Paul and Maplewood) that provide permanent and temporary food services." Its list of establishments that need a license, which it says is not all inclusive, includes restaurants, bars and supper clubs, catering kitchens and commissaries, grocery stores, convenience stores and delicatessens, public and private school kitchens and daycares, and cafeterias and snack bars. The page says "Ramsey County issues food licenses for the calendar year (Jan. 1 through Dec. 31)", that a food license is not transferable to another person or location, that a new food establishment must complete a plan review before construction begins and pass a final inspection before a license is issued, and that a remodel or new food equipment needs a remodel plan review or equipment review. The schedule sets a separate fee for each class row it prints. The county's Food Waste Diversion page says participating establishments can "Save 25% on food license fees" and that "Discounts are applied to license renewal fees for the upcoming year." Figures are the 2026 column of the Ramsey County 2026–2027 fee schedule for Environmental Health (Legistar file 2026-029, adopted by the County Board in Resolution B2026-018 on January 27, 2026), in effect through December 31, 2026; the adopted 2027 column lists different amounts. Contact Saint Paul – Ramsey County Public Health, Environmental Health, 2785 White Bear Ave. N, Suite 350, Maplewood, MN 55109, 651-266-1199.
Special Event Food Stand / Seasonal Temporary Food Stand License
Both county applications (dated 1.21.2026) state: "You need a food stand license if you prepare, offer or serve food to the public with or without charge except as exempted by Minnesota Statutes 157.22 and 28A.15," and "Ramsey County licenses food stands in all Ramsey County cities except Saint Paul and Maplewood." A special event food stand is used in conjunction with celebrations and special events and can operate up to ten days annually; a seasonal temporary food stand is disassembled and moved from location to location and can operate up to 21 days annually in one location, and one license can cover several locations. The special event fee depends on the number of operating days and on whether the menu includes time/temperature control for safety (TCS) foods; the application's examples for the full license include meat, eggs, rice, pizza, sandwiches and cut fruit, and for the limited license cookies, chips, popcorn, lemonade and pre-packaged items. A Ramsey County-licensed food service establishment serving at an event on its own premises for no more than ten days annually, with all food prepared in the establishment by its employees, notifies the county on the same application "(no fee required)" at least two business days before the event. Licenses are not transferable. Figures are the 2026 column of the Ramsey County 2026–2027 fee schedule for Environmental Health (Legistar file 2026-029, adopted by the County Board in Resolution B2026-018 on January 27, 2026), in effect through December 31, 2026; the adopted 2027 column lists different amounts. Contact Saint Paul – Ramsey County Public Health, Environmental Health, 2785 White Bear Ave. N, Suite 350, Maplewood, MN 55109, 651-266-1199.
Shared with other businesses in Ramsey County Mn
- 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 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 Ramsey County Mn?
A restaurant and a coffee shop in Ramsey County Mn, MN need exactly the same 4 permits beyond the ones every business needs.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a restaurant | Only a restaurant needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee shops | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Food trucks | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Childcare centres | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Retail stores | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Auto repair shops | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Contractors and trades | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Fitness studios | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Salons and barbers | 3 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| Veterinary clinics | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
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. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Ramsey County Mn permits page and the MN state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- Ramsey County Fee Schedule 2026-2027 — Environmental Health and Clinical Services, as corrected (Legistar file 2026-029; adopted by Resolution B2026-018, January 27, 2026)Ramsey County Board of Commissioners · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- Ramsey County Food Protection Ordinance (Resolution 2002-398, revised October 19, 2018)Ramsey County, Minnesota · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- Food & VendingRamsey County, Minnesota · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- Food Waste DiversionRamsey County, Minnesota · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- Resolution B2026-018 — Correction to 2026-27 Public Health Fee Schedule (January 27, 2026)Ramsey County Board of Commissioners · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- License Application for Special Event Food Stand (1.21.2026)Ramsey County Environmental Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- License Application for Seasonal Temporary Food Stand (1.21.2026)Ramsey County Environmental Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.