What permits do you need to open a coffee shop in Montgomery County Pa?

Eating & Drinking Establishment License — Sit-Down Dining (A License)

Every restaurant or coffee shop offering sit-down dining in Montgomery County needs this license from the Office of Public Health, priced by seating capacity under the 2026 Fee and Permit Schedule effective January 1, 2026: $345 for up to 49 seats, $385 for 50 to 199 seats, and $460 for 200 or more seats. Chapter 4 §4-5 requires a valid permit to operate any food facility, and §4-2 adopts the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's Food Code by reference. A combined sit-down and retail-sales operation pays the higher 'AA license' rate, stacking this record's A-license fee with the C-license Retail Food Facility fee listed separately here. The exact renewal cycle length is not stated in the fee schedule or in Chapters 1, 4, or 21 of the Public Health Code; OPH's own permitting and licensing page confirms only that current holders are invoiced to renew about 45 days before an expiration date that is not otherwise published.

Temporary Food Service License (Special Event)

A restaurant, coffee shop, food truck, or retail store selling food at a fair, festival, or other short-term event in Montgomery County needs a Temporary Food Service License from OPH for each event, priced under the 2026 Fee and Permit Schedule at $180 per vendor per event, or $105 for a nonprofit vendor. Chapter 4 §4-5 requires a valid permit to operate any food establishment and specifically extends that requirement to a temporary or otherwise transient operation, so this license is required in addition to, not instead of, any standing facility license a vendor otherwise holds for its base location. Application materials for this license are published as a standalone form on OPH's permitting and licensing page alongside the county's other Environmental Field Services applications.

Eating & Drinking Establishment License — Take-Out / Non-Temporary Vendor (B License)

A restaurant, coffee shop, or food truck operating a fixed take-out window with no seating, or a non-temporary vendor stand, in Montgomery County needs this license from OPH, priced flat at $290 under the 2026 Fee and Permit Schedule — the same figure applies to both the take-out-facility line and the non-temporary-vendor line on the schedule. This is distinct from the Mobile Food Vendor (E License) listed separately here, which covers a vehicle-based mobile unit rather than a fixed stand or window. The exact renewal cycle length is not stated in the fee schedule or Chapters 1, 4, or 21 of the Public Health Code; OPH's own permitting and licensing page confirms only that current holders are invoiced to renew about 45 days before an expiration date that is not otherwise published.

Shared with other businesses in Montgomery County Pa

• Food Facility Plan Review — Montgomery County Office of Public Health, Retail food facility plan review, by square footage: 2,000 square feet or less $265, plus $65 for each additional 1 to 200 square feet. Plan review for a food establishment that is not a retail facility is a flat $265, per the 2026 Fee and Permit Schedule., One-time, before opening a new facility or completing a remodel.. Also required for restaurants, food trucks, retail stores and childcare centres; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
• Certified Food Safety Manager (CFSM) Certificate — Montgomery County Office of Public Health, $95 per 5-year certificate, per the 2026 Fee and Permit Schedule's Field Services fee table, 5 years, per Chapter 4 §4-3(e): 'A Certified Food Safety Manager is required to reapply for certification every five (5) years.'. Also required for restaurants and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
• Retail Food Facility License — Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory Services, $82–$241 new license, renewal or change of ownership, risk-based — 24, 18, 12 or 6 months, renewed annually. Also required for restaurants, retail stores and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
• Food Employee Certification — Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory Services, No fee, set by the accredited certifying programme, not by the Commonwealth. Also required for restaurants, retail stores and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.