What permits do you need to open a retail store in St Louis County Mn?

Precious Metal Dealer License

A business buying secondhand items containing precious metal applies to the County Auditor for this license. The Auditor's licenses page describes it as issued "to an individual, partnership, or corporation engaging in the business of buying secondhand items containing precious metal, including, but not limited to, jewelry, watches, eating utensils, candlesticks, and religious and decorative objects" and states "The license fee is $52.00 for the initial site and $6.00 for each additional site." The amount is not fixed by statute: Minn. Stat. §325F.733 subd. 2 directs each applicant to pay a license fee "in an amount determined by the board of county commissioners of the county" to cover the cost of administering the license, and the county's 2026 Fee Schedule lists the same $52 and $6 figures. The statute also requires the license to be posted and purchase prices to be displayed. The figure is from the St. Louis County 2026 Fee Schedule (amended by the County Board after the public hearing on January 27, 2026; originally adopted November 4, 2025 by Resolution No. 25-527), which is in effect through December 31, 2026. Contact the St. Louis County Auditor's licensing staff at 218-726-2580 or auditorlicensing@stlouiscountymn.gov.

Tobacco Products License

A retailer selling tobacco, tobacco-related devices, electronic delivery devices or nicotine and lobelia products where the county is the licensing authority needs this license, approved by the County Board and issued by the County Auditor. Minn. Stat. §461.12 subd. 1 sets the county's scope: "The county board shall license and regulate the sale of tobacco ... in unorganized territory of the county except on the State Fairgrounds and in a town or a home rule charter or statutory city if the town or city does not license and regulate retail sales" of those products, and retailers licensed by a town or city "are not required to obtain a second license for the same location under the licensing ordinance of the county." Ordinance 51 states that "Only fixed location businesses shall be eligible to be licensed," so a moveable place of business such as a food truck cannot hold it. The Auditor's page states that "The annual license runs from January 1 to December 31." Ordinance 51 §1200 sets administrative penalties of $300, $600 and $1,000 for first, second and third violations at the same premises within 36 months. The figure is from the St. Louis County 2026 Fee Schedule (amended by the County Board after the public hearing on January 27, 2026; originally adopted November 4, 2025 by Resolution No. 25-527), which is in effect through December 31, 2026. Contact the St. Louis County Auditor's licensing staff at 218-726-2580 or auditorlicensing@stlouiscountymn.gov.

Transient Merchant License

A merchant doing temporary and transient business in the county, in one locality or travelling from place to place, who hires, leases, occupies or uses a building, structure, vacant lot or railroad car to exhibit and sell goods applies to the County Auditor for this license. The $150 fee is set by Minn. Stat. §329.11 and is paid to the county treasurer; the statute also requires a bond to the county of not less than $1,000 nor more than $3,000, in an amount set by the county treasurer. The Auditor's licenses page states "The license fee is $150.00 per site," and the county's 2026 Fee Schedule lists the same amount under Minn. Stat. §329.11. Under the statute a license covers one person and one place, is not good outside the issuing county, and is good for one year from issuance; the applicant must show a valid Minnesota seller's permit (or state in writing that no taxable item is offered) and appoint the county auditor as agent for service of process. Contact the St. Louis County Auditor's licensing staff at 218-726-2580 or auditorlicensing@stlouiscountymn.gov.

Shared with other businesses in St Louis County Mn

• County Liquor License (townships only) — St. Louis County Auditor — Licensing, County fee per license, 2026 Fee Schedule, by type and Area (Ordinance 28 §6.03.03): on-sale intoxicating Area 1 $1,800, Area 2 $1,000, Area 3 $750; off-sale intoxicating Area 1 $500, Area 2 $250, Area 3 $150; Sunday on-sale intoxicating $200 (all Areas); exclusive liquor store off-sale: unorganized areas $350, organized townships $500, and Angora, Clinton and Sturgeon Townships $500 each; club on-sale intoxicating $500; on-sale wine Area 1 $600, Area 2 $334, Area 3 $250; 3.2 percent malt liquor on-sale $150, off-sale $115, on/off-sale $150; seasonal on-sale intoxicating Area 1 $900, Area 2 $700, Area 3 $500; seasonal Sunday on-sale $150; temporary on-sale intoxicating (14 days) $100; temporary on-sale 3.2 percent malt liquor (14 days) $25; expanded service area permit $75, subsequent $40. Permit for consumption and display: $250 payable to Minnesota Liquor Enforcement plus $50 payable to the St. Louis County Auditor. A late fee of 5% of the license fee applies to renewals received after the Ordinance 28 §4.04 deadlines., annual licenses July 1 through June 30; seasonal licenses May 1 through October 31 or November 1 through April 30; consumption and display permits April 1 through March 31 (Ordinance 28 §4.03). Also required for restaurants; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.