16 permits · verified 2026-09-12
What permits do you need to open a restaurant in Concord?
In short
A restaurant in Concord, NH has 6 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 10 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. City of Concord, Code Administration Division charges $50 one-time, per application for the change of occupancy (certificate of occupancy) fee. 7 of the 16 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 Concord
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Service Establishment License | City of Concord, Code Administration Division, Health & Licensing Services | $74–$534 annual license fee banded by classification: Class I $534.00 (100+ seats, or supermarket operations of 10,000+ sq ft), Class II $346.00 (26-99 seats; grocery under 10,000 sq ft; wholesale distributors; liquor lounges; nursing homes; nightclubs; institutions), Class III $223.00 (under 25 seats; take-out with no seating; drive-in theatres; hot dog and sandwich shops; service and fraternal organizations), Class IV $165.00 (prepackaged-products-only establishments; group daycare facilities), Class V $112.00 (temporary food service establishments, 14 days or fewer; movie theatres selling only popcorn/soda/candy), Class VI $95.60 (vending machine operators per location; qualifying nonprofits), Class VII $74.00 (public and parochial schools); a $30.00 nonrefundable application fee, a $40.00 plan review fee for a new establishment, a $30.00 fee per failed inspection, and a $50.00 past-due license penalty apply on top of the class fee | annual — priced and renewed as a yearly permit fee per the Health & Licensing Services Division's own current fee schedule | 2026-09-12 |
| Outdoor Seating (Sidewalk Encumbrance) Permitonly if it applies to you | City of Concord, Code Administration Division, Health & Licensing Services | $50 per venue | annual, per venue — priced on the Health & Licensing Services Division's own Yearly Permit Fees schedule | 2026-09-12 |
| Place of Assembly Permit (Annual Inspection)only if it applies to you | Concord Fire Department, Fire Prevention Bureau | $115 annual inspection fee | annual — billed and inspected yearly, per the Fire Department's own current Inspection Fees | 2026-09-12 |
| Sign Permitonly if it applies to you | City of Concord, Code Administration Division | A $30.00 nonrefundable application fee accompanies every sign permit application, plus $2.25 per square foot of sign area (as measured under the Zoning Ordinance); a further $30.00 fee applies where the sign requires Planning Board approval, and $18.00 where it requires approval over or within the public right-of-way. A temporary sign permitted for no more than 15 days is a flat $20.00 and is exempt from the base application fee. A Sandwich Board Sign is $25.00 per year. | not stated in the published fee schedule (Sandwich Board Sign: annual) | 2026-09-12 |
| Certified Food Protection Manager | New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Food Protection Section | No fee | set by the accrediting organisation, not stated by the state | 2026-09-04 |
| Food Service Establishment License | New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Food Protection Section | $100–$875 a year, banded by seating and category | annual — a new business first holds a 90-day provisional license before the final one-year license issues | 2026-09-04 |
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 Concord
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Change of Occupancy (Certificate of Occupancy) Fee | City of Concord, Code Administration Division | $50 one-time, per application | one-time — issued for a new occupancy or a change of business use | 2026-09-12 |
| Zoning Board of Adjustment Application (Variance, Special Exception, Appeal)only if it applies to you | City of Concord, Planning Division (Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustment) | Varies — formula on the Concord page | one-time, per application | 2026-09-12 |
| Planning Board Site Plan Review / Conditional Use Permitonly if it applies to you | City of Concord, Planning Division (Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustment) | Varies — formula on the Concord page | one-time, per application | 2026-09-12 |
| Building Permit | City of Concord, Code Administration Division | Varies — formula on the Concord page | one-time, per project — not stated in the published fee schedule | 2026-09-12 |
| Fire Suppression / Alarm System Plan Review and Inspection | Concord Fire Department, Fire Prevention Bureau | Varies — formula on the Concord page | one-time, per project or system | 2026-09-12 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
NH registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Reportonly if it applies to you | New Hampshire Secretary of State, Corporation Division | $100 a year; a late fee of $50 is added after 1 April | annual — due 1 April every year | 2026-09-04 |
| Certificate of Formation (LLC)only if it applies to you | New Hampshire Secretary of State, Corporation Division | $100 one-time filing; a $2 handling charge applies to any electronic filing | perpetual, but an annual report is due every year | 2026-09-04 |
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | New Hampshire Secretary of State, Corporation Division | $100 one-time filing; a $2 handling charge applies to any electronic filing | perpetual, but an annual report is due every year | 2026-09-04 |
| Business Profits Tax and Business Enterprise Taxonly if it applies to you | New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration | No fee | the filing thresholds are adjusted for inflation every two years | 2026-09-04 |
| General Business License and Sales Tax — New Hampshire Revenue Department Positiononly if it applies to you | New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration | No fee | not applicable | 2026-09-04 |
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 Concord?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 16 records listed for a restaurant in Concord, NH, 6 apply to every business of this type and 10 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.
Of the 6 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $50.00. That is a floor, not a total. 7 of the 16 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 Service Establishment License: $74–$534 annual license fee banded by classification: Class I $534.00 (100+ seats, or supermarket operations of 10,000+ sq ft), Class II $346.00 (26-99 seats; grocery under 10,000 sq ft; wholesale distributors; liquor lounges; nursing homes; nightclubs; institutions), Class III $223.00 (under 25 seats; take-out with no seating; drive-in theatres; hot dog and sandwich shops; service and fraternal organizations), Class IV $165.00 (prepackaged-products-only establishments; group daycare facilities), Class V $112.00 (temporary food service establishments, 14 days or fewer; movie theatres selling only popcorn/soda/candy), Class VI $95.60 (vending machine operators per location; qualifying nonprofits), Class VII $74.00 (public and parochial schools); a $30.00 nonrefundable application fee, a $40.00 plan review fee for a new establishment, a $30.00 fee per failed inspection, and a $50.00 past-due license penalty apply on top of the class fee
Sign Permit: A $30.00 nonrefundable application fee accompanies every sign permit application, plus $2.25 per square foot of sign area (as measured under the Zoning Ordinance); a further $30.00 fee applies where the sign requires Planning Board approval, and $18.00 where it requires approval over or within the public right-of-way. A temporary sign permitted for no more than 15 days is a flat $20.00 and is exempt from the base application fee. A Sandwich Board Sign is $25.00 per year.
Food Service Establishment License: $100–$875 a year, banded by seating and category
The other 4 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Concord permits page and the NH state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Concord?
Permits for a restaurant in Concord, NH come from 7 separate offices: City of Concord, Code Administration Division, Health & Licensing Services, City of Concord, Code Administration Division, City of Concord, Planning Division (Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustment), Concord Fire Department, Fire Prevention Bureau, New Hampshire Secretary of State, Corporation Division, New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Food Protection Section, New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- City of Concord, Code Administration Division, Health & Licensing ServicesIssues 2 permits on this page: Food Service Establishment License, Outdoor Seating (Sidewalk Encumbrance) Permit37 Green Street, Concord, NH 03301 · (603) 225-8580www.concordnh.gov/331/Health-Licensing-Services
- City of Concord, Code Administration DivisionIssues 3 permits on this page: Change of Occupancy (Certificate of Occupancy) Fee, Building Permit, Sign Permit37 Green Street, Concord, NH 03301 · (603) 225-8580www.concordnh.gov/322/Code-Administration-Division
- City of Concord, Planning Division (Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustment)Issues 2 permits on this page: Zoning Board of Adjustment Application (Variance, Special Exception, Appeal), Planning Board Site Plan Review / Conditional Use Permit41 Green Street, Concord, NH 03301 · (603) 225-8610www.concordnh.gov/280/Zoning-Board-of-Adjustment
- Concord Fire Department, Fire Prevention BureauIssues 2 permits on this page: Place of Assembly Permit (Annual Inspection), Fire Suppression / Alarm System Plan Review and Inspection24 Horseshoe Pond Lane, Concord, NH 03301 · (603) 225-8650www.concordnh.gov/481/Fire-Prevention
- New Hampshire Secretary of State, Corporation DivisionIssues 3 permits on this page: Annual Report, Certificate of Formation (LLC), Articles of Incorporation107 North Main Street, Concord, NH 03301 · (603) 271-3246www.sos.nh.gov/corporations-0
- New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Food Protection SectionIssues 2 permits on this page: Certified Food Protection Manager, Food Service Establishment License29 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03301 · (603) 271-4589www.dhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/environmental-health-and-you/food-protection/food-establishments
- New Hampshire Department of Revenue AdministrationIssues 2 permits on this page: Business Profits Tax and Business Enterprise Tax, General Business License and Sales Tax — New Hampshire Revenue Department Position109 Pleasant Street, Concord, NH 03301 · (603) 230-5920www.revenue.nh.gov
What does a restaurant need in Concord that other businesses do not?
Food Service Establishment License
The fee runs from $225 for the smallest restaurant, up to twenty-four seats, through $350 for twenty-five to ninety-nine and $450 for a hundred to a hundred and ninety-nine, up to $875 for two hundred seats or more; a bar with no food preparation is far cheaper at $100. Fifteen New Hampshire cities and towns — including Manchester, Nashua, Concord, Portsmouth and Dover — are self-inspecting, meaning the local health authority licenses and inspects food establishments directly rather than the state doing so; confirm which regime applies before assuming the state fee schedule governs. A brand-new establishment first receives a 90-day provisional license, followed by an unannounced inspection, before the full one-year license is issued.
Shared with other businesses in Concord
- Food Service Establishment License — City of Concord, Code Administration Division, Health & Licensing Services, $74–$534 annual license fee banded by classification: Class I $534.00 (100+ seats, or supermarket operations of 10,000+ sq ft), Class II $346.00 (26-99 seats; grocery under 10,000 sq ft; wholesale distributors; liquor lounges; nursing homes; nightclubs; institutions), Class III $223.00 (under 25 seats; take-out with no seating; drive-in theatres; hot dog and sandwich shops; service and fraternal organizations), Class IV $165.00 (prepackaged-products-only establishments; group daycare facilities), Class V $112.00 (temporary food service establishments, 14 days or fewer; movie theatres selling only popcorn/soda/candy), Class VI $95.60 (vending machine operators per location; qualifying nonprofits), Class VII $74.00 (public and parochial schools); a $30.00 nonrefundable application fee, a $40.00 plan review fee for a new establishment, a $30.00 fee per failed inspection, and a $50.00 past-due license penalty apply on top of the class fee, annual — priced and renewed as a yearly permit fee per the Health & Licensing Services Division's own current fee schedule. Also required for coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
- Outdoor Seating (Sidewalk Encumbrance) Permit — City of Concord, Code Administration Division, Health & Licensing Services, $50 per venue, annual, per venue — priced on the Health & Licensing Services Division's own Yearly Permit Fees schedule. Also required for coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
- Place of Assembly Permit (Annual Inspection) — Concord Fire Department, Fire Prevention Bureau, $115 annual inspection fee, annual — billed and inspected yearly, per the Fire Department's own current Inspection Fees. Also required for coffee shops and fitness studios; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
- Sign Permit — City of Concord, Code Administration Division, A $30.00 nonrefundable application fee accompanies every sign permit application, plus $2.25 per square foot of sign area (as measured under the Zoning Ordinance); a further $30.00 fee applies where the sign requires Planning Board approval, and $18.00 where it requires approval over or within the public right-of-way. A temporary sign permitted for no more than 15 days is a flat $20.00 and is exempt from the base application fee. A Sandwich Board Sign is $25.00 per year., not stated in the published fee schedule (Sandwich Board Sign: annual). 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 coffee shops page.
- Certified Food Protection Manager — New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Food Protection Section, No fee, set by the accrediting organisation, not stated by the state. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
The other 5 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Concord, NH; what each one involves is set out on the Concord permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across NH and are covered on the NH state page.
How does a restaurant compare with other businesses in Concord?
A restaurant and a coffee shop in Concord, NH need exactly the same 6 permits beyond the ones every business needs.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a restaurant | Only a restaurant needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee shops | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Fitness studios | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| Food trucks | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| Retail stores | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| Salons and barbers | 3 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
| Veterinary clinics | 3 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
| Auto repair shops | 4 | 1 | 5 | 3 |
| Childcare centres | 3 | 0 | 6 | 3 |
| Contractors and trades | 3 | 0 | 6 | 3 |
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 and food trucks page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Concord permits page and the NH state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- New Hampshire DHHS — food service establishment fee scheduleNew Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
- New Hampshire DHHS — applying for a food license, self-inspecting communities and the provisional-to-final license processNew Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services · 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.