16 permits · verified 2026-10-08
What permits do you need to open a restaurant in Knox County Tn?
In short
A restaurant in Knox County Tn, TN has 4 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 12 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Knox County Clerk (Business Tax Division and Commission Library) charges $15 county license (county-only; inside the City of Knoxville the separate city business license is also required) for the county business tax license (standard or minimal activity). 6 of the 16 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-08 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a restaurant in Knox County Tn
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Service Establishment Permit (KCHD) | Knox County Health Department, Environmental Health | $30–$360 per permit year (state rule fees): $210 for 0–50 seats, $360 for 51+; auxiliary bar $100; child care food service $50 (0–50) or $80 (51+); temporary food $30 | annual permit year, July 1 – June 30 (KCHD); a temporary food permit covers 14 days per KCHD's fee table | 2026-10-08 |
| County Beer Permit (unincorporated area)only if it applies to you | Knox County Clerk (Business Tax Division and Commission Library) | $250 non-refundable application fee, plus the $100 annual beer privilege tax paid to the County Clerk (prorated by month for a new permit; due January 1) | the permit continues until the business ends, changes ownership, relocates or changes its name (Code § 4-3); the $100 privilege tax is annual; employee and server permits are valid three years | 2026-10-08 |
| Food Service Establishment Permit | Tennessee Department of Health, Environmental Health Program | $30–$360 a year — $210 up to fifty seats, $360 above; $30 for a temporary establishment | annual | 2026-09-03 |
| Certified Food Protection Manageronly if it applies to you | Tennessee Department of Health, Environmental Health Program | No fee | not applicable — Tennessee issues no certificate | 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 Knox County Tn
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| County Business Tax License (Standard or Minimal Activity)only if it applies to you | Knox County Clerk (Business Tax Division and Commission Library) | $15 county license (county-only; inside the City of Knoxville the separate city business license is also required) | minimal activity license: renewed each year with the $15 fee by the expiration date on the license; standard license: the Clerk mails the updated license once the Department of Revenue reports the annual business tax paid | 2026-10-08 |
| Commercial Building Permit and Plans Review | Knox County Code Administration and Inspection Department | Varies — formula on the Knox County Tn page | per permit | 2026-10-08 |
| Sign Permitonly if it applies to you | Knox County Code Administration and Inspection Department | Varies — formula on the Knox County Tn page | per permit | 2026-10-08 |
| Temporary Certificate of Occupancyonly if it applies to you | Knox County Code Administration and Inspection Department | $50 per temporary certificate of occupancy (the technology access fee does not apply) | temporary; per certificate | 2026-10-08 |
| Temporary Use Permitonly if it applies to you | Knox County Code Administration and Inspection Department | $75 per temporary use permit, plus the $25 technology access fee | per permit | 2026-10-08 |
| Zoning Verification Letteronly if it applies to you | Knox County Code Administration and Inspection Department | $60 per letter (the technology access fee does not apply) | one-time, per letter | 2026-10-08 |
| Subsurface Sewage Disposal System (Septic) Installation Permitonly if it applies to you | Knox County Health Department, Groundwater Division | $200 per SSDS installation permit / drain-field layout | per permit | 2026-10-08 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
TN 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 | Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business and Charitable Organizations | Varies — formula on the TN page | no expiry, but an annual report on the same per-member scale is due each year | 2026-09-03 |
| For-Profit Corporation Charteronly if it applies to you | Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business and Charitable Organizations | $100 one-time filing | no expiry, but a $20 annual report is due each year | 2026-09-03 |
| Standard or Minimal Activity Business Licenseonly if it applies to you | Tennessee Department of Revenue | $15 per jurisdiction per location — charged again by the city if it has enacted the tax | annual for a standard license, renewed free when the tax return is filed | 2026-09-03 |
| Annual Reportonly if it applies to you | Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business and Charitable Organizations | Varies — formula on the TN page | annual — due the first day of the fourth month after the fiscal year ends | 2026-09-03 |
| Sales and Use Tax Certificate of Registration | Tennessee Department of Revenue | No fee | no expiry stated | 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 Knox County Tn?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 16 records listed for a restaurant in Knox County Tn, TN, 4 apply to every business of this type and 12 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 16 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 2 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
Food Service Establishment Permit (KCHD): $30–$360 per permit year (state rule fees): $210 for 0–50 seats, $360 for 51+; auxiliary bar $100; child care food service $50 (0–50) or $80 (51+); temporary food $30
Food Service Establishment Permit: $30–$360 a year — $210 up to fifty seats, $360 above; $30 for a temporary establishment
The other 4 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Knox County Tn permits page and the TN state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Knox County Tn?
Permits for a restaurant in Knox County Tn, TN come from 7 separate offices: Knox County Clerk (Business Tax Division and Commission Library), Knox County Health Department, Environmental Health, Knox County Code Administration and Inspection Department, Knox County Health Department, Groundwater Division, Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business and Charitable Organizations, Tennessee Department of Health, Environmental Health Program, Tennessee Department of Revenue. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- Knox County Clerk (Business Tax Division and Commission Library)Issues 2 permits on this page: County Business Tax License (Standard or Minimal Activity), County Beer Permit (unincorporated area)Old Courthouse, 300 Main Street, Knoxville, TN 37902 · 865-215-2392 (business licenses); 865-215-3441 (beer permits and wine certificates); 865-215-2385 (main office)www.knoxcounty.org/clerk/businesstax.php
- Knox County Health Department, Environmental HealthIssues 1 permit on this page: Food Service Establishment Permit (KCHD)140 Dameron Ave., Knoxville, TN 37917 · 865-215-5200 (ext. 2)www.knoxcounty.org/health/EH/faqs.php
- Knox County Code Administration and Inspection DepartmentIssues 5 permits on this page, including Commercial Building Permit and Plans Review, Sign Permit, Temporary Certificate of Occupancy400 Main Street, Suite 547, Knoxville, TN 37902 · 865-215-2325www.knoxcounty.org/codes/index.php
- Knox County Health Department, Groundwater DivisionIssues 1 permit on this page: Subsurface Sewage Disposal System (Septic) Installation Permit140 Dameron Ave., Knoxville, TN 37917 · 865-215-5200 (ext. 1)www.knoxcounty.org/health/groundwater_protection/groundwater_services.php
- Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business and Charitable OrganizationsIssues 3 permits on this page: Articles of Organization (LLC), For-Profit Corporation Charter, Annual Report312 Rosa L. Parks Avenue, 6th Floor, Nashville, TN 37243-1102 · (615) 741-2286tncab.tnsos.gov
- Tennessee Department of Health, Environmental Health ProgramIssues 2 permits on this page: Food Service Establishment Permit, Certified Food Protection Manager710 James Robertson Parkway, Nashville, TN 37243 · (615) 741-7206www.tn.gov/health/eh.html
- Tennessee Department of RevenueIssues 2 permits on this page: Standard or Minimal Activity Business License, Sales and Use Tax Certificate of Registration500 Deaderick Street, Nashville, TN 37242 · (800) 342-1003www.tn.gov/revenue/taxes/business-tax/registration-and-licensing.html
What does a restaurant need in Knox County Tn that other businesses do not?
Shared with other businesses in Knox County Tn
- Food Service Establishment Permit (KCHD) — Knox County Health Department, Environmental Health, $30–$360 per permit year (state rule fees): $210 for 0–50 seats, $360 for 51+; auxiliary bar $100; child care food service $50 (0–50) or $80 (51+); temporary food $30, annual permit year, July 1 – June 30 (KCHD); a temporary food permit covers 14 days per KCHD's fee table. Also required for coffee shops and childcare centres; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
- County Beer Permit (unincorporated area) — Knox County Clerk (Business Tax Division and Commission Library), $250 non-refundable application fee, plus the $100 annual beer privilege tax paid to the County Clerk (prorated by month for a new permit; due January 1), the permit continues until the business ends, changes ownership, relocates or changes its name (Code § 4-3); the $100 privilege tax is annual; employee and server permits are valid three years. Also required for retail stores; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
- Food Service Establishment Permit — Tennessee Department of Health, Environmental Health Program, $30–$360 a year — $210 up to fifty seats, $360 above; $30 for a temporary establishment, annual. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
- Certified Food Protection Manager — Tennessee Department of Health, Environmental Health Program, No fee, not applicable — Tennessee issues no certificate. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
The other 7 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Knox County Tn, TN; what each one involves is set out on the Knox County Tn permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across TN and are covered on the TN state page.
How does a restaurant compare with other businesses in Knox County Tn?
The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 3 of these permits. A restaurant also needs County Beer Permit (unincorporated area). A coffee shop needs nothing here that a restaurant does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a restaurant | Only a restaurant needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee shops | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Food trucks | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Childcare centres | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Retail stores | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Auto repair shops | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Contractors and trades | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Fitness studios | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Salons and barbers | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Veterinary clinics | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
Sources
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 Knox County Tn permits page and the TN 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.