What permits do you need to open a coffee shop in Fort Worth?

Food Permit Change of Ownership

$200 when a food business changes hands. A permit does not simply transfer with the premises, so budget this into any acquisition alongside the annual permit itself. Reissuing a permit for other reasons is $100, and a required re-inspection is $200.

Fire Operational Permit — Places of Assembly

$80 for an occupant load up to 300, $165 for 301 to 1,000, and $390 above 1,000. This is the permit a restaurant with a dining room, a bar, a gym or an event space needs — and it sits on top of the area-banded fire inspection fee rather than replacing it. A temporary membrane structure, tent or canopy is $280 under Sec. 105.5.49, which is the highest tent fee in this dataset by a distance.

Temporary Event Food and Beverage Booth

$52 per food and beverage booth. The per-additional-day charge, the special event fee and the temporary permit late fee were all eliminated in the September 2025 schedule.

Grease Trap or Interceptor Permit

$9.85 — the cheapest grease interceptor permit in this dataset, against $60 in Arlington and $75 in Abilene. A sand trap is $18.81, a backflow preventer $9.85, a floor drain $4.02 and each roof drain $9.38. The first fixture or appliance is $9.85 and each additional one $4.02, so a full restaurant plumbing package still lands in the low hundreds. The outlier is irrigation: each lawn sprinkler system is $113.40.

Food Establishment Plan Review

$165 to $500 depending on floor area, set out in the division's separate Schedule of Plan Review Fees. Considerably cheaper than Arlington's flat $500 for the same step. Budget it alongside the annual food establishment permit rather than instead of it.

Shared with other businesses in Fort Worth

• Food Handler Certificate — Fort Worth Environmental Services Department, Consumer Health Division, $10–$16 per person, by course route, two years. Also required for restaurants, retail stores and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
• Food Manager Certification — Fort Worth Environmental Services Department, Consumer Health Division, $85 for the online class, not stated in the published fee schedule. Also required for restaurants and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.
• Fixed Food Establishment Annual Permit — Fort Worth Environmental Services Department, Consumer Health Division, $258–$773 per year, banded by gross annual food sales, annual. Also required for restaurants; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.
• Pre-Permit Request for Services — Fort Worth Environmental Services Department, Consumer Health Division, $150 per request, one-time. Also required for restaurants; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.
• Temporary or Limited Certificate of Occupancy — City of Fort Worth Development Services, $378 per certificate, not stated in the published fee schedule. Also required for restaurants, retail stores and fitness studios; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
• Commercial Kitchen Hood Permit — City of Fort Worth Development Services, $11.65–$31.37 by hood type and component, not stated in the published fee schedule. Also required for restaurants and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.
• Consumer Health Reinspection — Fort Worth Environmental Services Department, Consumer Health Division, $200 per site inspection, per inspection. Also required for restaurants, retail stores, childcare centres and fitness studios; what it involves is set out on the childcare centres page.