15 permits · verified 2026-08-25
What permits do you need to open a restaurant in Denton?
In short
A restaurant in Denton, TX has 6 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 9 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. City of Denton Development Services charges $540 per application for the zoning board of adjustment application. 11 of the 15 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-08-25 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a restaurant in Denton
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contractor Annual Registration | City of Denton Development Services | $0–$66 per year, by trade | 1 year | 2026-08-25 |
| Temporary and Seasonal Food Permitonly if it applies to you | City of Denton Consumer Health Division | $50–$162 per event or per season | per event, or seasonal | 2026-08-25 |
| Specific Use Permitonly if it applies to you | City of Denton Development Services | $1,428–$8,695 per application, by type | per application | 2026-08-25 |
| Food Establishment Permit | City of Denton Consumer Health Division | $162–$487 per year, by type and floor area | 1 year | 2026-08-25 |
| Change of Zoning Requestonly if it applies to you | City of Denton Development Services | $1,140–$14,399 per application, by type and acreage | per application | 2026-08-25 |
| Mixed Beverage Permit (MB)only if it applies to you | Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission | $2,650–$5,300 per two-year period; $5,300 original, $2,650 renewal | every 2 years | 2026-08-21 |
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 Denton
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Occupancy and Business License | City of Denton Development Services | Varies — formula on the Denton page | not stated in the published schedule | 2026-08-25 |
| Commercial Alteration and Fire Damage Permit | City of Denton Development Services | Varies — formula on the Denton page | per permit | 2026-08-25 |
| Certification of Zoning Complianceonly if it applies to you | City of Denton Development Services | Varies — formula on the Denton page | per application | 2026-08-25 |
| Zoning Board of Adjustment Applicationonly if it applies to you | City of Denton Development Services | $540 per application | per application | 2026-08-25 |
| Commercial Building Permit | City of Denton Development Services | Varies — formula on the Denton page | per permit | 2026-08-25 |
| Sign Permitonly if it applies to you | City of Denton Development Services | Varies — formula on the Denton page | per permit; annual for banners and off-premise highway signs | 2026-08-25 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
TX registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Formationonly if it applies to you | Texas Secretary of State | $300 one-time filing | no expiry | 2026-08-20 |
| Assumed Name Certificate (DBA)only if it applies to you | Texas Secretary of State | $25 one-time filing | up to ten years, renewable | 2026-08-21 |
| Texas Sales and Use Tax Permit | Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts | No fee — there is no fee for this permit | no expiry while actively engaged in business | 2026-08-21 |
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 Denton?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 15 records listed for a restaurant in Denton, TX, 6 apply to every business of this type and 9 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 6 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $0.00. That is a floor, not a total. 11 of the 15 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 0 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
Contractor Annual Registration: $0–$66 per year, by trade
Temporary and Seasonal Food Permit: $50–$162 per event or per season
Specific Use Permit: $1,428–$8,695 per application, by type
Food Establishment Permit: $162–$487 per year, by type and floor area
Change of Zoning Request: $1,140–$14,399 per application, by type and acreage
Mixed Beverage Permit (MB): $2,650–$5,300 per two-year period; $5,300 original, $2,650 renewal
The other 5 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Denton permits page and the TX state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Denton?
Permits for a restaurant in Denton, TX come from 5 separate offices: City of Denton Development Services, City of Denton Consumer Health Division, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, Texas Secretary of State, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- City of Denton Development ServicesIssues 9 permits on this page, including Certificate of Occupancy and Business License, Commercial Alteration and Fire Damage Permit, Contractor Annual Registration401 N Elm Street, Denton, TX 76201 · 940-349-8541www.cityofdenton.com/1188/Development-Fees
- City of Denton Consumer Health DivisionIssues 2 permits on this page: Temporary and Seasonal Food Permit, Food Establishment Permit401 N Elm Street, Denton, TX 76201library.municode.com/tx/denton/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=SPACOOR_CH13FOFOSEES
- Texas Alcoholic Beverage CommissionIssues 1 permit on this page: Mixed Beverage Permit (MB)www.tabc.texas.gov
- Texas Secretary of StateIssues 2 permits on this page: Certificate of Formation, Assumed Name Certificate (DBA)www.sos.state.tx.us
- Texas Comptroller of Public AccountsIssues 1 permit on this page: Texas Sales and Use Tax Permitcomptroller.texas.gov/taxes/permit
What does a restaurant need in Denton that other businesses do not?
1 of the 6 permits particular to a restaurant here applies to no other business type we cover in Denton: Mixed Beverage Permit (MB).
Food Establishment Permit
A restaurant is $162 under 1,000 square feet of gross floor area and $487 above — a threefold step at a single threshold, which makes the measurement worth checking before applying. A grocery store is $324 under 12,000 square feet and $487 above. A convenience store is $162 without a deli and $324 with one. A bar is $324, a daycare, nursing home or similar $324, and a school cafeteria $487. There is also a $162 new permit application fee on top of the annual permit for a first application. Health reinspection is $50.
Change of Zoning Request
$8,884 for a change of zoning request, dropping to $1,140 where the request only addresses a residential single-lot non-conformity. A planned development is $14,399 up to 25 acres plus $38 an acre beyond, and a planned development overlay $8,884 on the same basis. A comprehensive plan map amendment is another $8,884. These are worth establishing before a site is under contract. The fee covers planning, engineering and completeness review together; public hearing notices are charged on top at actual cost.
Mixed Beverage Permit (MB)
Read directly from the TABC two-year licensing fee schedule: Mixed Beverage Permit (MB) $5,300 original, $2,650 renewal, charged on a two-year cycle. A Wine and Malt Beverage Retailer's Permit (BG) is $1,900 if you do not need spirits. Note a widely-cited competitor lists $6,006 for this permit, which does not appear in the TABC schedule.
Shared with other businesses in Denton
- Contractor Annual Registration — City of Denton Development Services, $0–$66 per year, by trade, 1 year. Also required for auto repair shops, contractors and trades, retail stores and salons and barbers; what it involves is set out on the salons and barbers page.
- Temporary and Seasonal Food Permit — City of Denton Consumer Health Division, $50–$162 per event or per season, per event, or seasonal. Also required for coffee shops, food trucks and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
- Specific Use Permit — City of Denton Development Services, $1,428–$8,695 per application, by type, per application. Also required for retail stores, auto repair shops, childcare centres, fitness studios and veterinary clinics; what it involves is set out on the auto repair shops page.
The other 6 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Denton, TX; what each one involves is set out on the Denton permits page. The 3 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across TX and are covered on the TX state page.
How does a restaurant compare with other businesses in Denton?
The closest match is a retail store, which shares 5 of these permits. A restaurant also needs Mixed Beverage Permit (MB). A retail store needs Commercial Pool or Spa Permit, which a restaurant does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a restaurant | Only a restaurant needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail stores | 6 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| Auto repair shops | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| Coffee shops | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| Contractors and trades | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| Childcare centres | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| Food trucks | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| Salons and barbers | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| Veterinary clinics | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| Fitness studios | 3 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
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 salons and barbers page, coffee shops page and auto repair shops page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Denton permits page and the TX state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- City of Denton Permit and Fee Schedule — Building and Health Permit Fee Schedule effective 6 May 2025, document dated 8 October 2025City of Denton Development Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-08-25
- City of Denton Development Fees schedule, dated 3 July 2025, based on Ordinance 25-708 approved 6 May 2025City of Denton Development Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-08-25
- Two-Year Licensing Fees — TABCTexas Alcoholic Beverage Commission · primary source · retrieved 2026-08-22
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.