Commercial Compliance Hub
Check requirements

19 permits · verified 2026-10-09

What permits do you need to open a restaurant in Nashville Davidson?

In short

A restaurant in Nashville Davidson, TN has 7 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 12 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Metro Department of Codes and Building Safety charges $55 per use and occupancy permit or certificate of compliance where no building permit has been issued (Metro Code § 16.28.110 E) for the use and occupancy (u&o) permit / certificate of occupancy. 13 of the 19 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-09 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a restaurant in Nashville Davidson

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Food Service Establishment Permit (Metro Public Health)Metro Public Health Department, Food Protection and Public Facilities Division$30–$360 per permit year (state rule fees): $210 for 0–50 seats, $360 for 51+; auxiliary $100; child care food service $50 (0–50 seats) or $80 (51+); temporary food service $30annual (the rule states each establishment fee 'per year'; the $30 temporary food service fee is stated without a period)2026-10-09
Beer Permit (Metropolitan Beer Permit Board)only if it applies to youMetropolitan Beer Permit Board$250 non-refundable application fee, plus the $100 annual beer privilege tax (due January 1; prorated by month for a new permit)the permit expires on termination of the business, change in ownership, relocation or change of the business name (Metro Code § 7.08.220); the $100 privilege tax is annual2026-10-09
Plumbing, Gas/Mechanical and Electrical Permits (Metro Codes)only if it applies to youMetro Department of Codes and Building SafetyPlumbing (§ 16.12.220): minimum $75 per permit; $11 per fixture (grease traps and interceptors count as fixtures); sewer or water service connection $80 each; hot water heater $43; re-inspection $50. Gas/mechanical (§ 16.16.400): minimum $75 per permit; $16 per commercial appliance beyond the first; hot water heater $21; plus $32 per 100,000 Btuh for heating, ventilating, air-conditioning and refrigeration work; re-inspection $50. Electrical (§ 16.20.250): itemised by outlets, motors, appliances, signs and services, minimum $75 per permit; fees tripled when work starts before the permit.per permit2026-10-09
Fire Marshal Operational Permits (assembly, open flames, repair garages, spraying and others)only if it applies to youNashville Fire Department, Fire Marshal's OfficePer Metro Code § 10.64.018 as amended by Ordinance BL2026-1328: places of assembly by occupant load — 50–1,000 persons $150; 1,001–5,000 $250; 5,001–20,000 $500; over 20,000 $750. Open flames and candles $151. Repair garages and motor fuel-dispensing facilities $151. Spraying and dipping $151. Hot work operations $151. High-piled storage $151. Day care operation $151. Re-inspection $65. Expedite fee $175 for applications filed fewer than ten business days ahead; at least triple the fee if operations start before the permit.most operational permits run 12 months or the duration of the event (Fire Marshal's Office permit table)2026-10-09
Sidewalk Café Permit (NDOT)only if it applies to youNashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure (NDOT), Permit Office$250 non-refundable application fee, plus an annual right-of-way use fee of $200 (under 500 sq ft of right-of-way), $300 (500–1,000 sq ft) or $500 (over 1,000 sq ft). Renewal is annual with the same application and right-of-way use fees.one year, renewable annually; renewal applications at least 30 days before expiry2026-10-09
Parklet / Streatery Permit (NDOT)only if it applies to youNashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure (NDOT), Permit Office$150 non-refundable application fee. A streatery also pays an annual fee equal to the lost revenue for the metered parking spaces it occupies plus a lower rate for any non-metered spaces, as determined by the NDOT director.one year; renewal applications at least 30 days before expiry2026-10-09
Grease (FOG) Plan Approval and Annual Grease Control Equipment Certification (Metro Water Services)Metro Water Services, Environmental Compliance (Grease Management)Metro Water Services' FOG Management Policy states that the Department 'may charge inspection, monitoring, assessment, impact, and permit fees' and prints no amounts. The annual trap or interceptor certification is performed by an MWS-approved inspector engaged by the establishment.plan approval per new establishment, upgrade or change of ownership; grease control equipment certification annually2026-10-09
Food Service Establishment PermitTennessee Department of Health, Environmental Health Program$30–$360 a year — $210 up to fifty seats, $360 above; $30 for a temporary establishmentannual2026-09-03
Certified Food Protection Manageronly if it applies to youTennessee Department of Health, Environmental Health ProgramNo feenot applicable — Tennessee issues no certificate2026-09-03

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 Nashville Davidson

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Metro Business Tax LicenseDavidson County Clerk, Business Tax DivisionVaries — formula on the Nashville Davidson pageannual, tied to the state business tax return2026-09-05
Use and Occupancy (U&O) Permit / Certificate of OccupancyMetro Department of Codes and Building Safety$55 per use and occupancy permit or certificate of compliance where no building permit has been issued (Metro Code § 16.28.110 E)one-time, per occupancy or change of use2026-10-09
Commercial Building Permit and Plans Examination (Metro Codes)Metro Department of Codes and Building SafetyVaries — formula on the Nashville Davidson pageper permit2026-10-09
Sign Permit (Metro Codes)only if it applies to youMetro Department of Codes and Building SafetyVaries — formula on the Nashville Davidson pageper permit2026-10-09
Burglar and Fire Alarm Registration Permitonly if it applies to youNashville Fire Department, Fire Marshal's OfficeVaries — formula on the Nashville Davidson pageone year; renewals due on or before the end of the month in which the permit was issued2026-10-09

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

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to youTennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business and Charitable OrganizationsVaries — formula on the TN pageno expiry, but an annual report on the same per-member scale is due each year2026-09-03
For-Profit Corporation Charteronly if it applies to youTennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business and Charitable Organizations$100 one-time filingno expiry, but a $20 annual report is due each year2026-09-03
Standard or Minimal Activity Business Licenseonly if it applies to youTennessee Department of Revenue$15 per jurisdiction per location — charged again by the city if it has enacted the taxannual for a standard license, renewed free when the tax return is filed2026-09-03
Annual Reportonly if it applies to youTennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business and Charitable OrganizationsVaries — formula on the TN pageannual — due the first day of the fourth month after the fiscal year ends2026-09-03
Sales and Use Tax Certificate of RegistrationTennessee Department of RevenueNo feeno expiry stated2026-09-03

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 Nashville Davidson?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 19 records listed for a restaurant in Nashville Davidson, TN, 7 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.

Of the 7 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $55.00. That is a floor, not a total. 13 of the 19 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 (Metro Public Health): $30–$360 per permit year (state rule fees): $210 for 0–50 seats, $360 for 51+; auxiliary $100; child care food service $50 (0–50 seats) or $80 (51+); temporary food service $30

Plumbing, Gas/Mechanical and Electrical Permits (Metro Codes): Plumbing (§ 16.12.220): minimum $75 per permit; $11 per fixture (grease traps and interceptors count as fixtures); sewer or water service connection $80 each; hot water heater $43; re-inspection $50. Gas/mechanical (§ 16.16.400): minimum $75 per permit; $16 per commercial appliance beyond the first; hot water heater $21; plus $32 per 100,000 Btuh for heating, ventilating, air-conditioning and refrigeration work; re-inspection $50. Electrical (§ 16.20.250): itemised by outlets, motors, appliances, signs and services, minimum $75 per permit; fees tripled when work starts before the permit.

Fire Marshal Operational Permits (assembly, open flames, repair garages, spraying and others): Per Metro Code § 10.64.018 as amended by Ordinance BL2026-1328: places of assembly by occupant load — 50–1,000 persons $150; 1,001–5,000 $250; 5,001–20,000 $500; over 20,000 $750. Open flames and candles $151. Repair garages and motor fuel-dispensing facilities $151. Spraying and dipping $151. Hot work operations $151. High-piled storage $151. Day care operation $151. Re-inspection $65. Expedite fee $175 for applications filed fewer than ten business days ahead; at least triple the fee if operations start before the permit.

Sidewalk Café Permit (NDOT): $250 non-refundable application fee, plus an annual right-of-way use fee of $200 (under 500 sq ft of right-of-way), $300 (500–1,000 sq ft) or $500 (over 1,000 sq ft). Renewal is annual with the same application and right-of-way use fees.

Parklet / Streatery Permit (NDOT): $150 non-refundable application fee. A streatery also pays an annual fee equal to the lost revenue for the metered parking spaces it occupies plus a lower rate for any non-metered spaces, as determined by the NDOT director.

Grease (FOG) Plan Approval and Annual Grease Control Equipment Certification (Metro Water Services): Metro Water Services' FOG Management Policy states that the Department 'may charge inspection, monitoring, assessment, impact, and permit fees' and prints no amounts. The annual trap or interceptor certification is performed by an MWS-approved inspector engaged by the establishment.

Food Service Establishment Permit: $30–$360 a year — $210 up to fifty seats, $360 above; $30 for a temporary establishment

The other 6 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Nashville Davidson permits page and the TN state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Nashville Davidson?

Permits for a restaurant in Nashville Davidson, TN come from 10 separate offices: Davidson County Clerk, Business Tax Division, Metro Department of Codes and Building Safety, Metro Public Health Department, Food Protection and Public Facilities Division, Metropolitan Beer Permit Board, Nashville Fire Department, Fire Marshal's Office, Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure (NDOT), Permit Office, Metro Water Services, Environmental Compliance (Grease Management), 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.

What does a restaurant need in Nashville Davidson that other businesses do not?

Sidewalk Café Permit (NDOT)

Ordinance BL2026-1358, passed by the Metropolitan Council on June 16, 2026, added Metro Code § 13.02.020, whose fee table sets the sidewalk café permit at $250 and the annual right-of-way use fee at $200 (<500 sf), $300 (500–1000 sf) and $500 (>1000 sf), unchanged through and after July 1, 2028, and rewrote § 13.32.165 C to refer to that table. NDOT's Sidewalk Café Permit page (last updated July 2, 2026) states 'New right-of-way permit fees effective July 1, 2026 per BL2026-1358' and lists the same $250 non-refundable application fee and annual use fees. Under § 13.32.165 operating a sidewalk café in the public right-of-way without a permit is a misdemeanor; permits last one year and must be posted; at least five feet of sidewalk must stay clear; $1 million liability insurance is required, plus $1 million liquor liability insurance if alcohol is served; and food preparation on the right-of-way is prohibited. Apply through ePermits with the site address and a seating plan.

Parklet / Streatery Permit (NDOT)

Metro Code § 13.32.166 defines a streatery as up to two parking stalls or a loading zone used as an extension of, or a stand-alone, sidewalk café for patrons of a nearby restaurant or bar, and a parklet as a small public gathering space in up to two parking stalls; operating either in the right-of-way without a permit is a misdemeanor. The § 13.02.020 fee table added by Ordinance BL2026-1358 (passed June 16, 2026) sets both the parklet permit and the streatery permit at $150 through and after July 1, 2028, and § 13.02.020 C.2 sets the streatery's annual fee from the lost metered-parking revenue plus a lower rate for non-metered spaces, as determined by the NDOT director. Section 13.32.166 E requires a site plan, letters of support from fronting property owners, an indemnity agreement, $1 million liability insurance (and liquor liability insurance where alcohol is served), interdepartmental review including the beer board, water and fire, and a construction permit; state and local food rules apply to a streatery where food is served.

Shared with other businesses in Nashville Davidson

  • Food Service Establishment Permit (Metro Public Health) — Metro Public Health Department, Food Protection and Public Facilities Division, $30–$360 per permit year (state rule fees): $210 for 0–50 seats, $360 for 51+; auxiliary $100; child care food service $50 (0–50 seats) or $80 (51+); temporary food service $30, annual (the rule states each establishment fee 'per year'; the $30 temporary food service fee is stated without a period). Also required for coffee shops and childcare centres; what it involves is set out on the childcare centres page.
  • Beer Permit (Metropolitan Beer Permit Board) — Metropolitan Beer Permit Board, $250 non-refundable application fee, plus the $100 annual beer privilege tax (due January 1; prorated by month for a new permit), the permit expires on termination of the business, change in ownership, relocation or change of the business name (Metro Code § 7.08.220); the $100 privilege tax is annual. Also required for coffee shops, retail stores and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
  • Plumbing, Gas/Mechanical and Electrical Permits (Metro Codes) — Metro Department of Codes and Building Safety, Plumbing (§ 16.12.220): minimum $75 per permit; $11 per fixture (grease traps and interceptors count as fixtures); sewer or water service connection $80 each; hot water heater $43; re-inspection $50. Gas/mechanical (§ 16.16.400): minimum $75 per permit; $16 per commercial appliance beyond the first; hot water heater $21; plus $32 per 100,000 Btuh for heating, ventilating, air-conditioning and refrigeration work; re-inspection $50. Electrical (§ 16.20.250): itemised by outlets, motors, appliances, signs and services, minimum $75 per permit; fees tripled when work starts before the permit., per permit. Also required for coffee shops and contractors and trades; what it involves is set out on the contractors and trades page.
  • Fire Marshal Operational Permits (assembly, open flames, repair garages, spraying and others) — Nashville Fire Department, Fire Marshal's Office, Per Metro Code § 10.64.018 as amended by Ordinance BL2026-1328: places of assembly by occupant load — 50–1,000 persons $150; 1,001–5,000 $250; 5,001–20,000 $500; over 20,000 $750. Open flames and candles $151. Repair garages and motor fuel-dispensing facilities $151. Spraying and dipping $151. Hot work operations $151. High-piled storage $151. Day care operation $151. Re-inspection $65. Expedite fee $175 for applications filed fewer than ten business days ahead; at least triple the fee if operations start before the permit., most operational permits run 12 months or the duration of the event (Fire Marshal's Office permit table). Also required for coffee shops, fitness studios, childcare centres, auto repair shops and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
  • Grease (FOG) Plan Approval and Annual Grease Control Equipment Certification (Metro Water Services) — Metro Water Services, Environmental Compliance (Grease Management), Metro Water Services' FOG Management Policy states that the Department 'may charge inspection, monitoring, assessment, impact, and permit fees' and prints no amounts. The annual trap or interceptor certification is performed by an MWS-approved inspector engaged by the establishment., plan approval per new establishment, upgrade or change of ownership; grease control equipment certification annually. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops 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 5 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Nashville Davidson, TN; what each one involves is set out on the Nashville Davidson 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 Nashville Davidson?

A restaurant and a coffee shop in Nashville Davidson, TN need exactly the same 9 permits beyond the ones every business needs.

Permits particular to each business type in Nashville Davidson, TN, compared with a restaurant
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a restaurantOnly a restaurant needsOnly it needs
Coffee shops9900
Food trucks7453
Childcare centres3271
Retail stores3271
Fitness studios1180
Auto repair shops2181
Contractors and trades4183
Salons and barbers2092
Veterinary clinics2092

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 childcare centres page, coffee shops page, contractors and trades page and retail stores page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Nashville Davidson permits page and the TN state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. Ordinance BL2026-1358 — NDOT fees, new Metro Code § 13.02.020 (passed June 16, 2026; linked from NDOT's Sidewalk Café Permit page)Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County (Legistar) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-09
  2. Sidewalk Café Permit — NDOT (page last updated July 2, 2026)Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-09
  3. Metropolitan Code, Chapter 13.32 — Streets and Sidewalks Regulations (§§ 13.32.165 sidewalk cafés, 13.32.166 parklets and streateries)Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County (Municode) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-09

Related

Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.