13 published records
Business licenses and permits in Washington County, Minnesota
Washington County, Minnesota, seat Stillwater; population 283,960 (U.S. Census Bureau 2024 estimate). Washington County Public Health and Environment licenses food establishments under Ordinance 215 and public pools and spas under Ordinance 183, each of which applies to establishments "located in Washington County", and the Minnesota Department of Health's list of local food, pools and lodging contacts names the county department for Washington County. The same department licenses hazardous waste generators in all incorporated and unincorporated areas (Ordinance 195), issues septic (SSTS) permits under Development Code Chapter 4 (Ordinance 206), and licenses tobacco retailers (Ordinance 216) and registers cannabis and hemp retailers (Ordinance 219) only in the cities and townships listed on each program's own page. Property Records and Taxpayer Services issues alcohol licenses for six townships, transient merchant licenses under Minn. Stat. §329.11 and precious metal dealer licenses under Minn. Stat. §325F.733. Community Services licenses family child care homes. The cities and townships in the county are separate governments, and each one's own license, permit and zoning rules stack on these county records for businesses within it.
What are you opening in Washington County?
- RestaurantsFull-service restaurants carry the densest permit load of any small business: food, fire, occupancy, waste, and usually alcohol.See the full permit list
- Coffee shopsCafés are permitted as food service establishments even where no cooking happens, and the plan review step catches most operators by surprise.See the full permit list
- Retail storesRetail is the lightest common permit load, but the sales tax permit and the certificate of occupancy are non-negotiable in every jurisdiction.See the full permit list
- Salons and barbersPersonal care is licensed at state board level as well as locally, so the shop license and the practitioner licenses are separate obligations.See the full permit list
- Food trucksMobile food is the one category with no certificate of occupancy — but it gains a commissary agreement, and the unit itself is inspected rather than the premises.See the full permit list
- Fitness studiosPrepaid memberships trigger state registration and often a surety bond, which catches operators who budgeted only for the fit-out.See the full permit list
- Childcare centresThe heaviest permit load of any small business: state agency licensing, per-person background checks, and a stricter fire standard than ordinary commercial use.See the full permit list
- Contractors and tradesLicensed at state board level rather than locally, and the only common category with no premises permits at all — the bond is usually the long pole.See the full permit list
- Auto repair shopsOrdinary commercial permitting plus an environmental layer: waste oil, solvents and stormwater are each registered separately.See the full permit list
- Veterinary clinicsA state facility permit, controlled substances registration at both state and federal level, and a medical waste manifest — none of which a general business license covers.See the full permit list
Permits that apply to every type of business in Washington County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSTS (Septic) Installation, Repair and Soil Review Permitonly if it applies to you | Washington County Public Health and Environment | 2026 Septic Permit Application: Non-Single Family/Commercial installation $1,298; Installation Permit Renewal $186; System Abandonment, Tank Replacement Only or System Repair $148; Compliance – Soil Review $237. The county's Septic page fee schedule lists the soil / site review application fee as "$237, plus $102 per lot". Septic application fees are non-refundable. | per permit, for the approved installation at the specified location | 2026-10-13 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
What do these permits involve in Washington County?
SSTS (Septic) Installation, Repair and Soil Review Permit
A business whose building is served by a subsurface sewage treatment system (septic system) rather than a public sewer needs a county permit to install new septic tanks or a soil treatment area, to repair or replace a system or any component, or to change the use of, expand or modify the building the system serves, as the county's Septic page states; a business on a public sewer has no septic permit. Development Code Chapter Four §3.1 states: "This chapter shall apply and be in effect in all areas in Washington County other than cities and towns that have adopted ordinances that comply with Minnesota Statute Section 115.55, Minnesota Rules, Chapter 7082, and are as restrictive as this Chapter." The figures are as printed on the county's 2026 Septic Permit Application, which also states that "Septic application fees are non refundable" and that checks are payable to Washington County; the same amounts appear in the fee schedule on the county's Septic page. Applications can be filed through the county's online permitting portal or on paper. Installation inspections must be scheduled 24 hours before the work, and sewage tanks serving commercial establishments require an in-person inspection. Contact Washington County Public Health and Environment at 651-430-6655 or PHE@washingtoncountymn.gov.
Sources
Every figure in the table above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.
- 2026 Septic Permit ApplicationWashington County Public Health and Environment · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems (SSTS) — Permits & Inspections; Fee ScheduleWashington County Public Health and Environment · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- Washington County Development Code Chapter Four, Subsurface Sewage Treatment System Regulations (Ordinance No. 206, effective June 5, 2018)Washington County, Minnesota · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
Who issues business permits in Washington County?
Permitting in Washington County is split across 3 agencies we hold records for, with tax registration handled at state level. No single office issues everything, which is why an opening usually means filing in several places rather than one.
Washington County issuing agencies
- Washington County Public Health and EnvironmentFood establishment, mobile food unit, food cart, seasonal temporary stand, special event and day care centre food licenses (Ordinance 215) · Public swimming pool and whirlpool/spa licenses (Ordinance 183) · Hazardous waste generator licenses (Ordinance 195) · Tobacco retail licenses (Ordinance 216) and cannabis and hemp retail registrations (Ordinance 219) in the cities and townships listed on each program's page · Subsurface sewage treatment system (septic) permits under Development Code Chapter 4 (Ordinance 206)9 permits
- Washington County Property Records and Taxpayer ServicesAlcohol licenses for businesses in Baytown, Denmark, Grey Cloud, May, Stillwater and West Lakeland Townships · Transient merchant licenses (Minn. Stat. §329.11) · Precious metal dealer licenses (Minn. Stat. §325F.733)3 permits
- Washington County Community Services — Child Care LicensingLicensing of in-home family child care providers, including orientation, yearly home inspections and license fees1 permit
Other Minnesota jurisdictions we cover
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.