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14 permits · verified 2026-10-20

What permits do you need to open a retail store in Delaware County Oh?

In short

A retail store in Delaware County Oh, OH has 6 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 8 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Delaware County Auditor charges $50 for each fixed place of business in Delaware County, combined: $25 to the state organized crime commission fund and $25 to the county general fund for the vendor's license (filed with the delaware county auditor). 8 of the 14 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-20 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a retail store in Delaware County Oh

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Food Service Operation / Retail Food Establishment LicenseDelaware Public Health DistrictCombined DPHD + state fee, 2026 schedule. Commercial under 25,000 sq ft: Risk I $314, Risk II $352, Risk III $646, Risk IV $812. Commercial over 25,000 sq ft: Risk I $443, Risk II $466, Risk III $1,576, Risk IV $1,668. Non-commercial under 25,000 sq ft: Risk I $157, Risk II $176, Risk III $323, Risk IV $406. Non-commercial over 25,000 sq ft: Risk I $221.50, Risk II $233, Risk III $788, Risk IV $834. Each total includes the state fee of $28 (commercial) or $14 (non-commercial), which is not a DPHD charge. A late renewal adds a penalty of 25% of the renewal fee.one licensing period, March 1 to the last day of February (ORC 3717.01(P)); a license issued to a new operation after December 1 runs to the end of the next licensing period (ORC 3717.43(C)(1)(a))2026-10-20
Food Plan Reviewonly if it applies to youDelaware Public Health DistrictNew facility: $500 under 25,000 sq ft, $900 over 25,000 sq ft. Remodel: $300 under 25,000 sq ft, $600 over 25,000 sq ft. Expedited review (acted on within 5 business days): $1,000 plus the plan review fee. Paid in full at submission.per project; DPHD's Food Safety page states that plans 'will be acted upon within 30 days of receipt' and expedited plans 'within 5 business days'2026-10-20
Tent Permitonly if it applies to youDelaware County Department of Building SafetyCommercial Fee Schedule (effective January 1, 2017): tent $75; tent with electric $150; tent plan examination $50 + $1/100 sq ft. Plus the $25 non-refundable application fee and the 3% Ohio Board of Building Standards assessment.per event or installation2026-10-20
Retail Cigarette Dealer's Licenseonly if it applies to youDelaware County Auditor$125 a year for each physical place of business; prorated after June 1 with a $25 minimum; $5 for a duplicate and $5 for a transfer to another location in the countyone year from June 1; apply on or before June 1 each year2026-10-20
Vendor's LicenseOhio Department of Taxation$50 one-time, per fixed locationno renewal — stays in effect until cancelled2026-09-03
Transient Vendor's Licenseonly if it applies to youOhio Department of Taxation$50 one-time, valid statewideno renewal — stays in effect until cancelled2026-09-03

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 Delaware County Oh

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Commercial Plumbing Permit and Plan ReviewDelaware Public Health DistrictVaries — formula on the Delaware County Oh pageper project2026-10-20
Commercial Building Permit and Plan ExaminationDelaware County Department of Building SafetyVaries — formula on the Delaware County Oh pagea permit is invalid if work has not commenced within twelve months of issuance; one twelve-month extension is granted if the owner requests it at least ten days before expiration and pays any required fee2026-10-20
Commercial Electrical, HVAC, Gas Piping and Fire Protection Permitsonly if it applies to youDelaware County Department of Building SafetyVaries — formula on the Delaware County Oh pageper project; the Building Code's twelve-month permit validity and single twelve-month extension apply2026-10-20
Certificate of Use and OccupancyDelaware County Department of Building SafetyVaries — formula on the Delaware County Oh pageissued once all required inspections are approved; a temporary or time-limited certificate runs for the period the building official sets2026-10-20
County Zoning Certificate (Marlboro, Radnor and Thompson Townships)only if it applies to youDelaware County Department of Building SafetyVaries — formula on the Delaware County Oh pageper project2026-10-20
Vendor's License (filed with the Delaware County Auditor)Delaware County Auditor$50 for each fixed place of business in Delaware County, combined: $25 to the state organized crime commission fund and $25 to the county general fundissued for the place of business with no expiry date in ORC 5739.17; a change in the vendor requires a new license2026-10-20

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

OH 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 Organization (LLC)only if it applies to youOhio Secretary of State, Business Services Division$99 one-time filingno expiry — Ohio requires no annual report2026-09-03
Initial Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to youOhio Secretary of State, Business Services Division$99 one-time filing, minimum — see notes on authorised sharesno expiry — Ohio requires no annual report2026-09-03

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 retail store in Delaware County Oh?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 14 records listed for a retail store in Delaware County Oh, OH, 6 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.

Of the 6 that always apply, 2 carry a flat fee, coming to $100.00. That is a floor, not a total. 8 of the 14 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 0 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:

Food Service Operation / Retail Food Establishment License: Combined DPHD + state fee, 2026 schedule. Commercial under 25,000 sq ft: Risk I $314, Risk II $352, Risk III $646, Risk IV $812. Commercial over 25,000 sq ft: Risk I $443, Risk II $466, Risk III $1,576, Risk IV $1,668. Non-commercial under 25,000 sq ft: Risk I $157, Risk II $176, Risk III $323, Risk IV $406. Non-commercial over 25,000 sq ft: Risk I $221.50, Risk II $233, Risk III $788, Risk IV $834. Each total includes the state fee of $28 (commercial) or $14 (non-commercial), which is not a DPHD charge. A late renewal adds a penalty of 25% of the renewal fee.

Food Plan Review: New facility: $500 under 25,000 sq ft, $900 over 25,000 sq ft. Remodel: $300 under 25,000 sq ft, $600 over 25,000 sq ft. Expedited review (acted on within 5 business days): $1,000 plus the plan review fee. Paid in full at submission.

Tent Permit: Commercial Fee Schedule (effective January 1, 2017): tent $75; tent with electric $150; tent plan examination $50 + $1/100 sq ft. Plus the $25 non-refundable application fee and the 3% Ohio Board of Building Standards assessment.

The other 5 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Delaware County Oh permits page and the OH state page.

Is Delaware County Oh expensive for a retail store?

Comparing like with like — only the permits charged as a single flat fee, since a valuation formula has no figure to rank — Delaware County Oh sits where the table below puts it against every other OH jurisdiction covered here that publishes the same permit.

Retail Cigarette Dealer's License: Delaware County Oh charges $125. Across 4 jurisdictions it runs from $125 in Lorain County to $125 in Summit County, with a median of $125. 3 charge exactly the same.

Read the spread rather than the rank. Retail Cigarette Dealer's License varies by $0 between the cheapest and dearest jurisdiction here, which is the sort of gap worth knowing before you sign a lease on one side of a city line rather than the other.

Which offices issue these permits in Delaware County Oh?

Permits for a retail store in Delaware County Oh, OH come from 5 separate offices: Delaware Public Health District, Delaware County Department of Building Safety, Delaware County Auditor, Ohio Department of Taxation, Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services Division. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.

What does a retail store need in Delaware County Oh that other businesses do not?

Food Plan Review

Building or substantially remodeling a kitchen, coffee bar, food counter or food-preparation area in DPHD's district needs a plan review before the work starts. DPHD's Food Safety page states that 'the State of Ohio requires that all new or substantially remodeled food facilities undergo a plan review approval process,' that plans 'will be acted upon within 30 days of receipt,' and that 'a food plan review fee must be paid in full at the time of submission.' The amounts above are published on that page and in DPHD's 2026 Environmental Health fee schedule (Board of Health Resolution 2025-09, adopted December 9, 2025, effective January 1, 2026, in effect through December 31, 2026); no state component is added to them. The page also states that plumbing plans 'must be submitted separately to the DPHD plumbing department,' so a food fit-out normally runs this review, a DPHD commercial plumbing permit and the Department of Building Safety's commercial permits at the same time. The plan review comes before, and in addition to, the annual food license.

Retail Cigarette Dealer's License

A store, coffee shop or restaurant selling cigarettes at retail in Delaware County needs this license for each physical location. The fee is statutory: ORC 5743.15 sets $125 for each physical place of business, runs the license year from June 1, prorates a license issued later in the year to a minimum of $25, and charges $5 for a duplicate and $5 for an in-county transfer. Under ORC 5743.15(D)(2), 30% of the fee goes to the municipal corporation or township where the business is located, 10% to the county general fund and 60% to the state cigarette tax enforcement fund. The Delaware County Auditor's form CIG 40 (Rev. 3/12) instructs the applicant to 'mail two copies to the office of the county auditor' and states that 'there is no discount for multiple locations.' The form also states that a move, a sale of the business or a change in its legal form requires a new license. This license is in addition to the vendor's license.

Vendor's License

The fee doubled from $25 to $50 on 9 April 2025 under House Bill 366, and the Department's own older PDF guidance still prints $25 — check the date on anything you read. One license per fixed location, so a second shop means a second $50. The license number is keyed to the county, but the fee is statutory and identical in all eighty-eight; the county auditor is a filing channel, not a separate charge. It is not only for goods: certain taxable services, including landscaping, building maintenance and janitorial work, private security and dry cleaning, need one too. An out-of-state seller with economic nexus registers free.

Shared with other businesses in Delaware County Oh

  • Food Service Operation / Retail Food Establishment License — Delaware Public Health District, Combined DPHD + state fee, 2026 schedule. Commercial under 25,000 sq ft: Risk I $314, Risk II $352, Risk III $646, Risk IV $812. Commercial over 25,000 sq ft: Risk I $443, Risk II $466, Risk III $1,576, Risk IV $1,668. Non-commercial under 25,000 sq ft: Risk I $157, Risk II $176, Risk III $323, Risk IV $406. Non-commercial over 25,000 sq ft: Risk I $221.50, Risk II $233, Risk III $788, Risk IV $834. Each total includes the state fee of $28 (commercial) or $14 (non-commercial), which is not a DPHD charge. A late renewal adds a penalty of 25% of the renewal fee., one licensing period, March 1 to the last day of February (ORC 3717.01(P)); a license issued to a new operation after December 1 runs to the end of the next licensing period (ORC 3717.43(C)(1)(a)). Also required for restaurants, coffee shops, childcare centres and fitness studios; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
  • Tent Permit — Delaware County Department of Building Safety, Commercial Fee Schedule (effective January 1, 2017): tent $75; tent with electric $150; tent plan examination $50 + $1/100 sq ft. Plus the $25 non-refundable application fee and the 3% Ohio Board of Building Standards assessment., per event or installation. Also required for restaurants and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
  • Transient Vendor's License — Ohio Department of Taxation, $50 one-time, valid statewide, no renewal — stays in effect until cancelled. Also required for food trucks; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.

The other 6 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Delaware County Oh, OH; what each one involves is set out on the Delaware County Oh permits page. The 2 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across OH and are covered on the OH state page.

How does a retail store compare with other businesses in Delaware County Oh?

The closest match is a restaurant, which shares 5 of these permits. A retail store also needs Transient Vendor's License. A restaurant needs Temporary Food Service License, Manager Certification in Food Protection and Food Service Operation License, which a retail store does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Delaware County Oh, OH, compared with a retail store
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a retail storeOnly a retail store needsOnly it needs
Restaurants8513
Coffee shops8424
Food trucks7334
Fitness studios3241
Auto repair shops1150
Childcare centres2151
Veterinary clinics2151
Salons and barbers3152
Contractors and trades2062

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 Delaware County Oh permits page and the OH state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. 2026 Delaware Public Health District Environmental Health FeesDelaware Public Health District · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-20
  2. Food Safety — Delaware Public Health DistrictDelaware Public Health District · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-20
  3. Delaware Public Health District Board of Health, signed minutes of the December 9, 2025 meeting (Resolution 2025-09, Emergency Adoption of the Amended 2026 Environmental Health Fees)Delaware Public Health District · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-20
  4. ORC 5743.15 — retail cigarette dealer's license, $125 application fee per physical place, license year commencing 1 June, $25 proration floor, $5 duplicate and transfer fees, and the 30/10/60 distribution of the feeOhio Legislative Service Commission · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-30
  5. Application for Retail Cigarette Dealer's License (CIG 40, Rev. 3/12)Delaware County Auditor · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-20
  6. Auditor Forms — Delaware County AuditorDelaware County Auditor · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-20
  7. Ohio Department of Taxation — sales and use tax, vendor's license types and feesOhio Department of Taxation · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  8. Ohio Department of Taxation — vendor's license fee change, House Bill 366Ohio Department of Taxation · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03

Related

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