13 permits · verified 2026-09-04
What permits do you need to open a restaurant in Philadelphia?
In short
A restaurant in Philadelphia, PA has 7 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 6 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. City of Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Office of Food Protection charges $30 for a new or renewal certificate; a replacement is $50 for the food safety certification. 5 of the 13 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-09-04 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a restaurant in Philadelphia
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Safety Certification | City of Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Office of Food Protection | $30 for a new or renewal certificate; a replacement is $50 | 5 years | 2026-09-04 |
| Food Preparation and Serving License | City of Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections | $275–$415 a year — $299 for most establishments, $415 for 30 or more seats, $275 for a catering company; a $20 non-refundable application fee counts toward the total | annual | 2026-09-04 |
| 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 | 2026-09-03 |
| 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 | 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 Philadelphia
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Activity License | City of Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections | No fee | does not expire — no renewal required | 2026-09-04 |
| Certificate of Occupancy | City of Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections | Varies — formula on the Philadelphia page | not time-limited — a new certificate is required whenever the use or occupancy classification changes | 2026-09-04 |
| Commercial Building Permitonly if it applies to you | City of Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections | Varies — formula on the Philadelphia page | one-time, per project | 2026-09-04 |
| Sign Permitonly if it applies to you | City of Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections | Varies — formula on the Philadelphia page | the permits are one-time per installation; the Outdoor Advertising License renews every 5 years | 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.
PA registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations | $125 one-time filing | no expiry, but an annual report is due each year | 2026-09-03 |
| Certificate of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to you | Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations | $125 one-time filing | no expiry, but an annual report is due each year | 2026-09-03 |
| Annual Reportonly if it applies to you | Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations | $7 per year for a for-profit entity | annual | 2026-09-03 |
| General Business License — Pennsylvania position | Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations | No fee | set by the issuing municipality | 2026-09-03 |
| Sales, Use and Hotel Occupancy Tax Licenseonly if it applies to you | Pennsylvania Department of Revenue | No fee — no registration fee | 5 years, renewed automatically subject to compliance | 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 restaurant in Philadelphia?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 13 records listed for a restaurant in Philadelphia, PA, 7 apply to every business of this type and 6 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 7 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $30.00. That is a floor, not a total. 5 of the 13 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 Preparation and Serving License: $275–$415 a year — $299 for most establishments, $415 for 30 or more seats, $275 for a catering company; a $20 non-refundable application fee counts toward the total
Retail Food Facility License: $82–$241 new license, renewal or change of ownership
The other 3 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Philadelphia permits page and the PA state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Philadelphia?
Permits for a restaurant in Philadelphia, PA come from 5 separate offices: City of Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Office of Food Protection, City of Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections, Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory Services, Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- City of Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Office of Food ProtectionIssues 1 permit on this page: Food Safety Certification7801 Essington Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19153 · (215) 685-7495www.phila.gov/services/permits-violations-licenses/get-a-license/business-licenses/food-businesses/take-a-food-safety-certification-course
- City of Philadelphia Department of Licenses and InspectionsIssues 5 permits on this page, including Commercial Activity License, Food Preparation and Serving License, Certificate of Occupancy1401 John F. Kennedy Blvd., MSB, Public Service Concourse, Philadelphia, PA 19102 · (215) 686-8686www.phila.gov/departments/department-of-licenses-and-inspections
- Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable OrganizationsIssues 4 permits on this page: Articles of Incorporation, Certificate of Organization (LLC), Annual Report, General Business License — Pennsylvania positionfile.dos.pa.gov
- Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory ServicesIssues 2 permits on this page: Retail Food Facility License, Food Employee Certificationwww.pa.gov/agencies/pda/food/food-safety/retail-food/retail-food-facilities-and-restaurants
- Pennsylvania Department of RevenueIssues 1 permit on this page: Sales, Use and Hotel Occupancy Tax Licensemypath.pa.gov
What does a restaurant need in Philadelphia that other businesses do not?
Food Safety Certification
At least one certified employee must be present at all times at a stationary food business, and the certificate must be posted where customers can see it. The $30 fee is only for the City's own certificate — it comes after first completing an approved 16-hour or ANSI-accredited food safety course, priced separately by the course provider. Businesses selling only pre-packaged, non-hazardous food are exempt.
Shared with other businesses in Philadelphia
- Food Preparation and Serving License — City of Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections, $275–$415 a year — $299 for most establishments, $415 for 30 or more seats, $275 for a catering company; a $20 non-refundable application fee counts toward the total, annual. Also required for coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops 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 coffee shops, 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 coffee shops, retail stores and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
The other 4 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Philadelphia, PA; what each one involves is set out on the Philadelphia permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across PA and are covered on the PA state page.
How does a restaurant compare with other businesses in Philadelphia?
A restaurant and a coffee shop in Philadelphia, PA need exactly the same 4 permits beyond the ones every business needs.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a restaurant | Only a restaurant needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee shops | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Food trucks | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Retail stores | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Auto repair shops | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Childcare centres | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Contractors and trades | 3 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| Fitness studios | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Salons and barbers | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Veterinary clinics | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
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 retail stores page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Philadelphia permits page and the PA state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- City of Philadelphia — food safety certification application, updated April 2025City of Philadelphia Department of Public Health · 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.