10 permits · verified 2026-10-10
What permits do you need to open a coffee shop in Somerset County Nj?
In short
A coffee shop in Somerset County Nj, NJ has 2 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 8 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services charges $75 a year; $30 for a nonprofit for the annual report. 4 of the 10 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-10 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a coffee shop in Somerset County Nj
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Weighing and Measuring Device Registration (State Registration, County Inspection)only if it applies to you | New Jersey Office of Weights and Measures, Division of Consumer Affairs | STATE-SET fees under N.J.A.C. 13:47F-1.7: scales up to and including 1,000 lb capacity, $25.00 per scale, not more than $200.00 per commercial location; scales over 1,000 lb capacity, $100.00; fuel pump dispensers, $25.00 per dispenser hose, not more than $200.00 per commercial location; any other device not listed, $40.00; late fee $10.00. Paid to the State, not a county fee | one year from the date of issuance (N.J.A.C. 13:47F-1.3(c)); renewed annually | 2026-10-10 |
| Retail Food Establishment License | New Jersey Department of Health, Public Health and Food Protection Program | $80–$1,000 a year, set by the local board of health across more than a hundred jurisdictions | annual, usually the calendar year | 2026-09-03 |
| Certified Food Protection Manageronly if it applies to you | New Jersey Department of Health, Public Health and Food Protection Program | No fee | set by the certifying programme, not by New Jersey | 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.
Local permits that apply to every type of business in Somerset County Nj
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| County Planning Board Land Development Review (Site Plan and Change of Use)only if it applies to you | Somerset County Planning Board (Land Development Review) | Varies — formula on the Somerset County Nj page | one-time fee per application; revision fees per revised submission | 2026-10-10 |
| County Road Opening Permit (Work in a Somerset County Road Right-of-Way, Including Driveways)only if it applies to you | Somerset County Engineering Division, Department of Public Works | Varies — formula on the Somerset County Nj page | permit expires one year after issuance | 2026-10-10 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
NJ registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Reportonly if it applies to you | New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services | $75 a year; $30 for a nonprofit | annual — due the last day of the entity's anniversary month | 2026-09-03 |
| General Business License — New Jersey Business Action Center Positiononly if it applies to you | New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services | No fee | set by the municipality | 2026-09-03 |
| Certificate of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services | $100 one-time filing | no expiry, but an annual report is due each anniversary month | 2026-09-03 |
| Certificate of Formation (LLC)only if it applies to you | New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services | $100 one-time filing | no expiry, but an annual report is due each anniversary month | 2026-09-03 |
| Business Registration (Form NJ-REG) | New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services | No fee | one-time registration — no renewal | 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 coffee shop in Somerset County Nj?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 10 records listed for a coffee shop in Somerset County Nj, NJ, 2 apply to every business of this type and 8 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.
4 of the 10 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:
Commercial Weighing and Measuring Device Registration (State Registration, County Inspection): STATE-SET fees under N.J.A.C. 13:47F-1.7: scales up to and including 1,000 lb capacity, $25.00 per scale, not more than $200.00 per commercial location; scales over 1,000 lb capacity, $100.00; fuel pump dispensers, $25.00 per dispenser hose, not more than $200.00 per commercial location; any other device not listed, $40.00; late fee $10.00. Paid to the State, not a county fee
Retail Food Establishment License: $80–$1,000 a year, set by the local board of health across more than a hundred jurisdictions
The other 2 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Somerset County Nj permits page and the NJ state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Somerset County Nj?
Permits for a coffee shop in Somerset County Nj, NJ come from 5 separate offices: Somerset County Planning Board (Land Development Review), Somerset County Engineering Division, Department of Public Works, New Jersey Office of Weights and Measures, Division of Consumer Affairs, New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services, New Jersey Department of Health, Public Health and Food Protection Program. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- Somerset County Planning Board (Land Development Review)Issues 1 permit on this page: County Planning Board Land Development Review (Site Plan and Change of Use)County Administration Building, 20 Grove Street, P.O. Box 3000, Somerville, NJ 08876-1262 · 908-231-7021www.somersetcountynj.gov/government/public-works/planning/land-development
- Somerset County Engineering Division, Department of Public WorksIssues 1 permit on this page: County Road Opening Permit (Work in a Somerset County Road Right-of-Way, Including Driveways)20 Grove Street, P.O. Box 3000, Somerville, NJ 08876 · 908-231-7024www.somersetcountynj.gov/government/dept-of-engineering-planning/engineering
- New Jersey Office of Weights and Measures, Division of Consumer AffairsIssues 1 permit on this page: Commercial Weighing and Measuring Device Registration (State Registration, County Inspection)www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/OWM
- New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise ServicesIssues 5 permits on this page, including Annual Report, General Business License — New Jersey Business Action Center Position, Certificate of Incorporation33 West State Street, 5th Floor, Trenton, NJ 08608-1214 · (609) 292-9292www.nj.gov/treasury/revenue
- New Jersey Department of Health, Public Health and Food Protection ProgramIssues 2 permits on this page: Retail Food Establishment License, Certified Food Protection ManagerPO Box 369, Trenton, NJ 08625-0369 · (609) 826-4935www.nj.gov/health/ceohs/phfpp/retailfood
What does a coffee shop need in Somerset County Nj that other businesses do not?
Shared with other businesses in Somerset County Nj
- Commercial Weighing and Measuring Device Registration (State Registration, County Inspection) — New Jersey Office of Weights and Measures, Division of Consumer Affairs, STATE-SET fees under N.J.A.C. 13:47F-1.7: scales up to and including 1,000 lb capacity, $25.00 per scale, not more than $200.00 per commercial location; scales over 1,000 lb capacity, $100.00; fuel pump dispensers, $25.00 per dispenser hose, not more than $200.00 per commercial location; any other device not listed, $40.00; late fee $10.00. Paid to the State, not a county fee, one year from the date of issuance (N.J.A.C. 13:47F-1.3(c)); renewed annually. Also required for retail stores and auto repair shops; what it involves is set out on the auto repair shops page.
- Retail Food Establishment License — New Jersey Department of Health, Public Health and Food Protection Program, $80–$1,000 a year, set by the local board of health across more than a hundred jurisdictions, annual, usually the calendar year. Also required for restaurants; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.
- Certified Food Protection Manager — New Jersey Department of Health, Public Health and Food Protection Program, No fee, set by the certifying programme, not by New Jersey. Also required for restaurants; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.
The other 2 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Somerset County Nj, NJ; what each one involves is set out on the Somerset County Nj permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across NJ and are covered on the NJ state page.
How does a coffee shop compare with other businesses in Somerset County Nj?
The closest match is a restaurant, which shares 2 of these permits. A coffee shop also needs Commercial Weighing and Measuring Device Registration (State Registration, County Inspection). A restaurant needs nothing here that a coffee shop does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a coffee shop | Only a coffee shop needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurants | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Retail stores | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Auto repair shops | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Childcare centres | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Contractors and trades | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Fitness studios | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Salons and barbers | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Veterinary clinics | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
Sources
Sources for the permits shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the auto repair shops page and restaurants page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Somerset County Nj permits page and the NJ state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.