What permits do you need to open a coffee shop in Lake County Oh?

Retail Cigarette License (form CIG40)

A convenience store, grocery, restaurant or coffee shop that sells cigarettes in Lake County needs a retail cigarette license from the Lake County Auditor. The Auditor's FAQ, the county's own current page, states: 'You need to fill out and submit a CIG40 form to the Auditor's office by mail or walk-in with your payment of $125.00, cash or check.' On renewal it says: 'Yes. The Auditor's office will send out a renewal form by mail sometime in April every year. A renewal costs $125.00, cash or check. If renewing by mail, you MUST include a self-addressed stamped envelope with your application and payment.' A license taken out partway through the year is prorated: the Auditor's Proration Chart 2026-2027 lists an amount for each application date, starting at $125.00 on 6/1/2026 and $124.66 on 6/2/2026.

Manager Certification in Food Protection

Ohio charges nothing for this. The Department of Health neither teaches the course nor sells the certificate — it approves providers, who set their own tuition, and the official application form carries no fee field at all. Two tiers exist and the names have changed: what was Level One is now person-in-charge certification, required for at least one person per shift at any operation first licensed after 1 March 2010, and what was Level Two is manager certification, required at risk level III and IV operations and needing an accredited exam as well as the course. Temporary, mobile and low-risk operations are exempt from the manager tier. Ohio has no food handler card in the California sense. The often-repeated claim that the certification lasts five years appears in neither the rule, the statute nor any Department page — the five-year term belongs to the third-party exam certificate, not to the Ohio certification, so no expiry is published here.

Shared with other businesses in Lake County Oh

• Food Service Operation / Retail Food Establishment License — Lake County General Health District, LCGHD license fee per Chapter 220 §220.06(a)(1), revised 12/1/2025. Commercial, less than 25,000 sq ft: Risk 1 $252; Risk 2 $280; Risk 3 $554; Risk 4 $704. Commercial, greater than 25,000 sq ft: Risk 1 $364; Risk 2 $388; Risk 3 $1,352; Risk 4 $1,460. Non-commercial: 50% of the commercial license fee for the same risk level (§220.06(a)(2)). A license fee submitted late is charged a late fee in accordance with ORC 3717.23(D) or 3717.43(D) (§220.06(a)(8))., annual; LCGHD's food safety page states that renewal applications received after the March 1st deadline are assessed a late fee penalty. Also required for restaurants, retail stores, childcare centres and fitness studios; what it involves is set out on the childcare centres page.
• Food Facility Plan Review — Lake County General Health District, LCGHD plan review fee per Chapter 220 §220.06(a)(3), revised 01/01/2020, the same under or over 25,000 sq ft: Commercial Risk 1 or 2 $225; Commercial Risk 3 or 4 $400; Non-Commercial Risk 1 or 2 $150; Non-Commercial Risk 3 or 4 $200., per project. Also required for restaurants, retail stores and childcare centres; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
• Temporary Food Service Operation / Retail Food Establishment License — Lake County General Health District, $75–$150 per event — commercial $150.00; non-commercial 50% of that, $75.00, per event, for not more than five consecutive days. Also required for food trucks and restaurants; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
• Vendor's License — Ohio Department of Taxation, $50 one-time, per fixed location, no renewal — stays in effect until cancelled. Also required for restaurants, retail stores, salons and barbers, fitness studios, auto repair shops and veterinary clinics; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
• Food Service Operation License — Ohio Department of Health, Food Safety Program, $28 state fee for a commercial operation ($14 non-commercial, $6 per vending machine location), plus a license fee set independently by the local board of health, 1 March to the last day of February. Also required for restaurants and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.