14 permits · verified 2026-09-14
What permits do you need to open a restaurant in Sioux Falls?
In short
A restaurant in Sioux Falls, SD has 7 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 7 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services charges $150 filed online; paper filing costs $165 for the articles of organization (llc). 6 of the 14 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-09-14 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a restaurant in Sioux Falls
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sign Permitonly if it applies to you | City of Sioux Falls Planning and Development Services | By type and size: a wall sign, freestanding sign or electronic message center is $35.00 under 100 square feet and $50.00 over 100 square feet. A banner over 100 square feet is $35.00. An off-premise sign or billboard is $100.00 at any size. A temporary portable sign such as a wind feather or inflatable is $15.00. A window sign is free under 25 square feet and $15.00 over. Temporary reader board and sandwich board signs carry no fee. | not stated in the published fee table | 2026-09-14 |
| Food Service Establishment License | Sioux Falls Health Department | Banded by floor area under §110.029: $181.00 up to 2,500 square feet, $271.00 from 2,501 to 5,000 and $362.00 at 5,001 and above. The annual fee covers one full service food preparation area and each additional preparation area is $92.00. Plan review for a new or remodelled establishment is $52.00 up to 2,500 square feet, $209.00 from 2,501 to 5,000 and $302.00 above. A grocery store selling prepackaged food is $181.00 above 250 square feet and $92.00 at or below. An annual renewal application received after December 31 carries a $75.00 late fee. A follow-up inspection is $92.00. A $30.00 discount applies where the establishment averaged 94 percent or above on the preceding year's routine inspections and the renewal application arrives before January 1. A fire inspection under §110.035 adds $28.00 for a restaurant without a beverage license. | annual, effective January 1 through December 31 under §112.015 | 2026-09-14 |
| Food Service Manager Certification | South Dakota Department of Health, Office of Health Protection | No fee | set by the accredited training provider rather than state regulation | 2026-09-04 |
| Food Establishment License | South Dakota Department of Health, Office of Health Protection | $140–$275 a year, banded by seating capacity; a new establishment adds a $100 initial fee on top | annual — every license expires December 31 regardless of issue date, with a discounted half-year fee for openings after July 1 | 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.
Local permits that apply to every type of business in Sioux Falls
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Business License — City of Sioux Falls position (enumerated licenses only)only if it applies to you | City of Sioux Falls Licensing Office, City Attorney's Office | No fee | not applicable to a general license; under §110.011 all licenses take effect when issued and terminate on December 31 of the year for which issued unless otherwise provided | 2026-09-14 |
| Commercial Building Permit | City of Sioux Falls Planning and Development Services | Varies — formula on the Sioux Falls page | not stated in the published tables | 2026-09-14 |
| Certificate of Occupancy — Required; Fee Not Published Separately (Sioux Falls) | City of Sioux Falls Planning and Development Services | No fee | one-time, issued after final inspection | 2026-09-14 |
| Conditional Use Permit / Zoning and Subdivision Feesonly if it applies to you | City of Sioux Falls Planning and Development Services | Varies — formula on the Sioux Falls page | one-time per application | 2026-09-14 |
| Annual Fire License (inspection included) and Fire Permits | Sioux Falls Fire Rescue, Fire Prevention Division | Varies — formula on the Sioux Falls page | annual for §110.033 licenses; per permit for §110.034 system permits | 2026-09-14 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
SD registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to you | South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services | $150 filed online; paper filing costs $165 | perpetual, but an annual report is due every year | 2026-09-04 |
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services | $150 filed online; paper filing costs $165 | perpetual, but an annual report is due every year | 2026-09-04 |
| Annual Reportonly if it applies to you | South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services | $55 a year filed online; paper filing costs $70 | annual — due the first day of the entity's anniversary month of formation | 2026-09-04 |
| General Business License — State of South Dakota positiononly if it applies to you | South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services | No fee | not applicable | 2026-09-04 |
| Sales Tax License | South Dakota Department of Revenue | No fee | no stated expiration | 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.
How much does it actually cost to permit a restaurant in Sioux Falls?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 14 records listed for a restaurant in Sioux Falls, SD, 7 apply to every business of this type and 7 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.
6 of the 14 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 5 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
Sign Permit: By type and size: a wall sign, freestanding sign or electronic message center is $35.00 under 100 square feet and $50.00 over 100 square feet. A banner over 100 square feet is $35.00. An off-premise sign or billboard is $100.00 at any size. A temporary portable sign such as a wind feather or inflatable is $15.00. A window sign is free under 25 square feet and $15.00 over. Temporary reader board and sandwich board signs carry no fee.
Food Service Establishment License: Banded by floor area under §110.029: $181.00 up to 2,500 square feet, $271.00 from 2,501 to 5,000 and $362.00 at 5,001 and above. The annual fee covers one full service food preparation area and each additional preparation area is $92.00. Plan review for a new or remodelled establishment is $52.00 up to 2,500 square feet, $209.00 from 2,501 to 5,000 and $302.00 above. A grocery store selling prepackaged food is $181.00 above 250 square feet and $92.00 at or below. An annual renewal application received after December 31 carries a $75.00 late fee. A follow-up inspection is $92.00. A $30.00 discount applies where the establishment averaged 94 percent or above on the preceding year's routine inspections and the renewal application arrives before January 1. A fire inspection under §110.035 adds $28.00 for a restaurant without a beverage license.
Food Establishment License: $140–$275 a year, banded by seating capacity; a new establishment adds a $100 initial fee on top
The other 3 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Sioux Falls permits page and the SD state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Sioux Falls?
Permits for a restaurant in Sioux Falls, SD come from 7 separate offices: City of Sioux Falls Licensing Office, City Attorney's Office, City of Sioux Falls Planning and Development Services, Sioux Falls Fire Rescue, Fire Prevention Division, Sioux Falls Health Department, South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services, South Dakota Department of Health, Office of Health Protection, South Dakota Department of Revenue. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- City of Sioux Falls Licensing Office, City Attorney's OfficeIssues 1 permit on this page: General Business License — City of Sioux Falls position (enumerated licenses only)City Hall, 224 W. Ninth Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57104 · (605) 367-8082www.siouxfalls.gov/business-permits/permits-licenses-inspections/licensing
- City of Sioux Falls Planning and Development ServicesIssues 4 permits on this page: Commercial Building Permit, Certificate of Occupancy — Required; Fee Not Published Separately (Sioux Falls), Conditional Use Permit / Zoning and Subdivision Fees, Sign Permit231 N. Dakota Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD 57104 · (605) 367-8010www.siouxfalls.gov/government/departments/planning-development
- Sioux Falls Fire Rescue, Fire Prevention DivisionIssues 1 permit on this page: Annual Fire License (inspection included) and Fire Permits224 W. 9th Street, Ground Floor of City Hall, Sioux Falls, SD 57104 · (605) 367-8093www.siouxfalls.gov/health-safety/fire/permits
- Sioux Falls Health DepartmentIssues 1 permit on this page: Food Service Establishment License521 N. Main Avenue, Suite 101, Sioux Falls, SD 57104 · (605) 367-8760www.siouxfalls.gov/health-safety/health-services
- South Dakota Secretary of State, Business ServicesIssues 4 permits on this page: Articles of Organization (LLC), Articles of Incorporation, Annual Report, General Business License — State of South Dakota position500 E Capitol Ave, Pierre, SD 57501 · (605) 773-4845sdsos.gov/business-services/default.aspx
- South Dakota Department of Health, Office of Health ProtectionIssues 2 permits on this page: Food Service Manager Certification, Food Establishment License600 East Capitol Ave, Pierre, SD 57501 · (605) 773-4945doh.sd.gov/topics/food-lodging-safety/licensure-and-codes/food-service
- South Dakota Department of RevenueIssues 1 permit on this page: Sales Tax License445 East Capitol Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501 · 1-800-829-9188dor.sd.gov
What does a restaurant need in Sioux Falls that other businesses do not?
Shared with other businesses in Sioux Falls
- Sign Permit — City of Sioux Falls Planning and Development Services, By type and size: a wall sign, freestanding sign or electronic message center is $35.00 under 100 square feet and $50.00 over 100 square feet. A banner over 100 square feet is $35.00. An off-premise sign or billboard is $100.00 at any size. A temporary portable sign such as a wind feather or inflatable is $15.00. A window sign is free under 25 square feet and $15.00 over. Temporary reader board and sandwich board signs carry no fee., not stated in the published fee table. Also required for coffee shops, retail stores, fitness studios, auto repair shops, veterinary clinics and salons and barbers; what it involves is set out on the fitness studios page.
- Food Service Establishment License — Sioux Falls Health Department, Banded by floor area under §110.029: $181.00 up to 2,500 square feet, $271.00 from 2,501 to 5,000 and $362.00 at 5,001 and above. The annual fee covers one full service food preparation area and each additional preparation area is $92.00. Plan review for a new or remodelled establishment is $52.00 up to 2,500 square feet, $209.00 from 2,501 to 5,000 and $302.00 above. A grocery store selling prepackaged food is $181.00 above 250 square feet and $92.00 at or below. An annual renewal application received after December 31 carries a $75.00 late fee. A follow-up inspection is $92.00. A $30.00 discount applies where the establishment averaged 94 percent or above on the preceding year's routine inspections and the renewal application arrives before January 1. A fire inspection under §110.035 adds $28.00 for a restaurant without a beverage license., annual, effective January 1 through December 31 under §112.015. Also required for coffee shops and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
- Food Service Manager Certification — South Dakota Department of Health, Office of Health Protection, No fee, set by the accredited training provider rather than state regulation. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
- Food Establishment License — South Dakota Department of Health, Office of Health Protection, $140–$275 a year, banded by seating capacity; a new establishment adds a $100 initial fee on top, annual — every license expires December 31 regardless of issue date, with a discounted half-year fee for openings after July 1. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
The other 5 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Sioux Falls, SD; what each one involves is set out on the Sioux Falls permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across SD and are covered on the SD state page.
How does a restaurant compare with other businesses in Sioux Falls?
A restaurant and a coffee shop in Sioux Falls, SD 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 |
| Retail stores | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Food trucks | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Fitness studios | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Auto repair shops | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Veterinary clinics | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Salons and barbers | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Childcare centres | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Contractors and trades | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
Sources
Sources for the permits shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the fitness studios page, coffee shops page and food trucks page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Sioux Falls permits page and the SD 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.