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21 permits · verified 2026-09-12

What permits do you need to open a restaurant in Missoula?

In short

A restaurant in Missoula, MT has 8 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 13 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. City of Missoula, Community Planning, Development & Innovation — Building Division charges $154 one-time for the temporary (conditional) certificate of occupancy. 10 of the 21 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-09-12 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a restaurant in Missoula

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Sign Permitonly if it applies to youCity of Missoula, Current Planning and Land Use Division$116.40–$225.60 one-time, per sign, by sign type: $116.40 Banner, $156.00 Sidewalk, $176.40 Window, $196.80 Awning/Canopy/Hanging or Dynamic Display/Pump Top Unit, $154.80 Other, up to $225.60 Wall/Projecting/Ground/Mural/Heritageone-time, per sign — not stated in the published fee schedule2026-09-12
Retail Food Establishment Plan Review FeeMissoula Public Health (Missoula City-County Health Department)A flat $285.00 Basic Plan Review Fee for a new permanent retail food establishment (no small/large split). A $145.00 Modified Plan Review applies for a minor remodel, menu/equipment change, or a new operation in an already-licensed space; a $145.00 Change of Ownership Plan Review; a $145.00 HACCP or Food Process Review; a $130.00 non-public water supply review; a $100.00 resubmittal fee if the application is incomplete; and a $130.00 additional pre-licensing inspection fee if work is not complete at the scheduled inspection.one-time, prior to construction/remodeling2026-09-12
Retail Food Establishment License (administered locally by Missoula Public Health)Missoula Public Health (Missoula City-County Health Department)No feeannual — every Montana food license expires December 31st (see this site's Montana state page)2026-09-12
Temporary Food Service Plan Review & Permitonly if it applies to youMissoula Public Health (Missoula City-County Health Department)A plan review fee tiered by how far in advance the application is submitted — $35.00 (5+ days before the event), $60.00 (3-4 days), $85.00 (1-2 days), or $105.00 (day of event) — plus a permit fee tiered by size and duration: $65.00/$75.00/$85.00 (single-day/multi-day/recurring) for a small operation (2 or fewer employees working at any one time), or $95.00/$105.00/$115.00 for a large one (3 or more).valid for a single event lasting no more than 21 consecutive days, or a recurring event totaling no more than 45 days in a calendar year2026-09-12
Fire Department Café Review (Sidewalk Café)only if it applies to youMissoula Fire Department, Fire Prevention Bureau$85 one-timenot stated in the published fee schedule2026-09-12
Certified Food Protection Manageronly if it applies to youMontana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Environmental Health and Food Safety SectionNo feeset by the accrediting programme2026-09-04
Retail Food Establishment LicenseMontana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Environmental Health and Food Safety Section$150–$275 a year, banded by peak employee countannual — renew before 31 December2026-09-04

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 Missoula

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Certificate of OccupancyCity of Missoula, Community Planning, Development & Innovation — Building DivisionNo feeone-time — issued after all required building and (for commercial properties) fire inspections pass2026-09-12
Temporary (Conditional) Certificate of Occupancyonly if it applies to youCity of Missoula, Community Planning, Development & Innovation — Building Division$154 one-timetemporary — until outstanding conditions for a standard Certificate of Occupancy are met2026-09-12
Zoning Variance (Board of Adjustment)only if it applies to youCity of Missoula, Board of AdjustmentVaries — formula on the Missoula pageone-time, per application2026-09-12
Fire Plan Review and Inspection (Commercial Construction)Missoula Fire Department, Fire Prevention BureauVaries — formula on the Missoula pageone-time, per project2026-09-12
City of Missoula General Business LicenseCity of Missoula, Community Planning, Development & Innovation — Permit & Business Licensing CoordinatorsVaries — formula on the Missoula pageannual — expires May 31st each year regardless of the issue date2026-09-12
Commercial Building PermitCity of Missoula, Community Planning, Development & Innovation — Building DivisionVaries — formula on the Missoula pageone-time, per project — not stated in the published fee schedule2026-09-12
Zoning Compliance Permit/Review (ZCP/ZCR)City of Missoula, Current Planning and Land Use DivisionVaries — formula on the Missoula pageone-time, per application2026-09-12
Conditional Use Reviewonly if it applies to youCity of Missoula, Current Planning and Land Use Division$4,993 one-time, per applicationone-time, per application2026-09-12
Zoning Map Amendment (Rezoning)only if it applies to youCity of Missoula, Current Planning and Land Use Division$8,654.40 one-time, per application (base fee, plus $854.40 per additional resultant zoning district)one-time, per application2026-09-12

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

MT registrations that apply to every type of business

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to youMontana Secretary of State, Business Services Division$35 one-time filingperpetual, but an annual report is due every year2026-09-04
Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to youMontana Secretary of State, Business Services Division$35 one-time filingperpetual, but an annual report is due every year2026-09-04
Annual Reportonly if it applies to youMontana Secretary of State, Business Services DivisionVaries — formula on the MT pageannual — due between 1 January and 15 April2026-09-04
Sales Tax Registration — Montana Department of Revenue Positiononly if it applies to youMontana Department of Revenue, Business Tax UnitNo feenot applicable2026-09-04
General Business License — Montana Secretary of State Guidanceonly if it applies to youMontana Secretary of State, Business Services DivisionNo feenot applicable2026-09-04

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 Missoula?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 21 records listed for a restaurant in Missoula, MT, 8 apply to every business of this type and 13 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.

10 of the 21 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 5 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:

Sign Permit: $116.40–$225.60 one-time, per sign, by sign type: $116.40 Banner, $156.00 Sidewalk, $176.40 Window, $196.80 Awning/Canopy/Hanging or Dynamic Display/Pump Top Unit, $154.80 Other, up to $225.60 Wall/Projecting/Ground/Mural/Heritage

Retail Food Establishment Plan Review Fee: A flat $285.00 Basic Plan Review Fee for a new permanent retail food establishment (no small/large split). A $145.00 Modified Plan Review applies for a minor remodel, menu/equipment change, or a new operation in an already-licensed space; a $145.00 Change of Ownership Plan Review; a $145.00 HACCP or Food Process Review; a $130.00 non-public water supply review; a $100.00 resubmittal fee if the application is incomplete; and a $130.00 additional pre-licensing inspection fee if work is not complete at the scheduled inspection.

Temporary Food Service Plan Review & Permit: A plan review fee tiered by how far in advance the application is submitted — $35.00 (5+ days before the event), $60.00 (3-4 days), $85.00 (1-2 days), or $105.00 (day of event) — plus a permit fee tiered by size and duration: $65.00/$75.00/$85.00 (single-day/multi-day/recurring) for a small operation (2 or fewer employees working at any one time), or $95.00/$105.00/$115.00 for a large one (3 or more).

Retail Food Establishment License: $150–$275 a year, banded by peak employee count

The other 6 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Missoula permits page and the MT state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Missoula?

Permits for a restaurant in Missoula, MT come from 9 separate offices: City of Missoula, Community Planning, Development & Innovation — Building Division, City of Missoula, Current Planning and Land Use Division, City of Missoula, Board of Adjustment, Missoula Public Health (Missoula City-County Health Department), Missoula Fire Department, Fire Prevention Bureau, City of Missoula, Community Planning, Development & Innovation — Permit & Business Licensing Coordinators, Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Environmental Health and Food Safety Section, Montana Secretary of State, Business Services Division, Montana Department of Revenue, Business Tax Unit. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.

What does a restaurant need in Missoula that other businesses do not?

Retail Food Establishment Plan Review Fee

Paid to Missoula Public Health before construction or remodeling of a restaurant, coffee shop, deli, or similar fixed food establishment begins — separate from, and paid earlier than, Montana's own Retail Food Establishment License fee recorded below and on this site's Montana state page.

Temporary Food Service Plan Review & Permit

Applies to a restaurant or food truck operator selling food at a farmers' market, fair, festival, fundraiser, or sporting event. A non-profit organization operating 4 days or fewer in a 12-month period needs no permit, only notice to Missoula Public Health; one operating more than 4 days pays a discounted fee, for which Missoula Public Health's Temporary Food Service page publishes no dollar figure; ask MPH for the amount. An unlicensed mobile or one licensed only out-of-state also needs this permit to sell at a Missoula event.

Fire Department Café Review (Sidewalk Café)

Applies to a restaurant or coffee shop adding sidewalk café seating. The $85.00 Café Review fee is set by the Fire Department's FY2027 fee schedule (Resolution 8971, effective October 1, 2026), and it is layered on top of the Business License's own $331.00 (new) / $79.00 (renewal) Sidewalk Café Endorsement fee on the City's Business License & Registration Fee Schedule effective October 1, 2026.

Retail Food Establishment License

This fee schedule is genuinely new, rebuilt by a 2025 law after sixteen years unchanged: $150 for a small establishment with no more than two employees at peak, $225 for a medium one with three to nine, and $275 for ten or more. A mobile food establishment follows a two-tier version of the same idea, $150 small and $225 large. A late fee of $25 applies on top if renewal is not paid before the current license expires. The state's own application form still circulating online has not caught up with this change and still quotes the old $85 and $115 figures — the current statute and the department's own fee notice control instead. Ninety per cent of the fee is passed through to fund local health department inspections, which is why many Montana counties handle the on-the-ground inspection even though the state issues the license.

Shared with other businesses in Missoula

  • Sign Permit — City of Missoula, Current Planning and Land Use Division, $116.40–$225.60 one-time, per sign, by sign type: $116.40 Banner, $156.00 Sidewalk, $176.40 Window, $196.80 Awning/Canopy/Hanging or Dynamic Display/Pump Top Unit, $154.80 Other, up to $225.60 Wall/Projecting/Ground/Mural/Heritage, one-time, per sign — not stated in the published fee schedule. Also required for coffee shops, retail stores, salons and barbers, fitness studios, auto repair shops and veterinary clinics; what it involves is set out on the fitness studios page.
  • Retail Food Establishment License (administered locally by Missoula Public Health) — Missoula Public Health (Missoula City-County Health Department), No fee, annual — every Montana food license expires December 31st (see this site's Montana state page). Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
  • Certified Food Protection Manager — Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Environmental Health and Food Safety Section, No fee, set by the accrediting programme. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.

The other 9 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Missoula, MT; what each one involves is set out on the Missoula permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across MT and are covered on the MT state page.

How does a restaurant compare with other businesses in Missoula?

The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 6 of these permits. A restaurant also needs Temporary Food Service Plan Review & Permit. A coffee shop needs nothing here that a restaurant does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Missoula, MT, compared with a restaurant
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a restaurantOnly a restaurant needsOnly it needs
Coffee shops6610
Food trucks7433
Fitness studios2161
Retail stores2161
Auto repair shops3162
Salons and barbers3162
Veterinary clinics3162
Childcare centres5075
Contractors and trades4074

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 fitness studios page, food trucks page and coffee shops page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Missoula permits page and the MT state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. Permanent Retail Food Establishments — MPH's own page confirming the $285 Basic Plan Review Fee and the local/DPHHS-renewal fee-collection splitMissoula Public Health (Missoula City-County Health Department) · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-12
  2. Fees — Missoula Public Health's own current, complete fee list, including the $35-$105 Temporary Food Service plan review tiers and $65-$115 permit tiers by size and durationMissoula Public Health (Missoula City-County Health Department) · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-12
  3. Temporary Food Service — MPH's own page describing the TFS permit process, duration limits, and non-profit fee exemptionsMissoula Public Health (Missoula City-County Health Department) · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-12
  4. Resolution 8971 — FY2027 Fire Prevention Bureau Fee Schedule, adopted August 17, 2026 and effective October 1, 2026: Building/Sprinkler/Alarm Plan Review and Inspection fees scaled by square footage, plus flat Vendor Review ($88), Café Review ($85), and Sign Review ($121) feesCity of Missoula, Montana, Missoula Fire Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-08
  5. Business License & Registration Fee Schedule, effective October 1, 2026 (FY2027, adopted by Resolution 8970) — the per-FTE fee tables for General, Contractor, Itinerant/Mobile Vendor, Liquor, and Cannabis licenses, plus Daycare, Sidewalk Café, and Pawnbroker endorsement feesCity of Missoula, Montana, Community Planning, Development & Innovation · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-12
  6. Montana DPHHS — notice of the new retail food fee structure under House Bill 853Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
  7. 50-50-205, Montana Code Annotated — retail food establishment license fees as amended by HB 853Montana Legislature · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04

Related

Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.