Davidson County, Tennessee
What permits do you need to open a restaurant in Nashville?
In short
A restaurant in Nashville, TN needs 6 permits to open, including a food service establishment permit ($180, renewed annually) issued by Metro Public Health. Filing fees total $1,215, and a typical opening runs 9–14 weeks from first application to trading.
Pre-launch build. The permit records on this page are sample data used to build the site structure. None has yet been verified against a primary source, so nothing here should be relied on.
The permits at a glance
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Service Establishment Permit | Metro Public Health | $180 | annually | 12 Aug 2026 |
| Certificate of Use & Occupancy | Codes & Building Safety | $220 | once | 12 Aug 2026 |
| Liquor by the Drink Licence | TN Alcoholic Beverage Comm. | $550 | annually | 06 Aug 2026 |
| Grease Trap Permit | Metro Water Services | $80 | annually | 02 Aug 2026 |
| Fire Inspection Certificate | Nashville Fire Marshal | $85 | annually | Re-check due · 98 days |
| Sales & Use Tax Certificate | TN Dept. of Revenue | No fee | no expiry | 12 Aug 2026 |
Verified 12 August 2026 against Metro Public Health published fee schedule
Every requirement in detail
Food Service Establishment Permit
12 Aug 2026- Fee
- $180
- Renews
- annually
- Issued by
- Metro Public Health
Note: seating over 50.
Certificate of Use & Occupancy
12 Aug 2026- Fee
- $220
- Renews
- once
- Issued by
- Codes & Building Safety
Note: inspection required.
Liquor by the Drink Licence
06 Aug 2026- Fee
- $550
- Renews
- annually
- Issued by
- TN Alcoholic Beverage Comm.
Note: state then local approval.
Grease Trap Permit
02 Aug 2026- Fee
- $80
- Renews
- annually
- Issued by
- Metro Water Services
Note: quarterly servicing log.
Fire Inspection Certificate
Re-check due · 98 days- Fee
- $85
- Renews
- annually
- Issued by
- Nashville Fire Marshal
Note: must be displayed on site.
Sales & Use Tax Certificate
12 Aug 2026- Fee
- No fee
- Renews
- no expiry
- Issued by
- TN Dept. of Revenue
Note: file before first sale.
What order do you have to file these in?
Some permits cannot be applied for until another has been granted. In Nashville the dependency chain sets the floor on your timeline more than any single agency’s processing time.
- 01Zoning verification
- 02Certificate of Occupancy
- 03Health permit + plan review
- 04Liquor licence — state then local
How much does it cost to permit a restaurant in Nashville?
Filing fees for a restaurant in Nashville total $1,215 across 6 permits. That figure covers published permit fees only — plan review, re-inspection and per-face signage charges are billed separately and are the usual reason an outturn exceeds a forecast.
How long does it take to open a restaurant in Nashville?
A typical restaurant opening in Nashville runs 9–14 weeks. The constraint is sequencing rather than any individual agency: occupancy must be certified before the health permit can be issued, and the health permit must be in hand before trading.
Restaurants in nearby cities
Sources
No sources are published for this page yet. Each requirement will cite the agency page, fee schedule or code section it was verified against, with the date it was retrieved — see how the data is verified.
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.