7 permits · verified 2026-10-26
What permits do you need to open a restaurant in Johnson County Tx?
In short
A restaurant in Johnson County Tx, TX has 1 permit that applies to every business of this type, plus 6 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Johnson County Development Services charges $240 per Development Permit (the fee page line covers single-family residential and commercial); an accessory structure without plumbing is $120 for the development permit for commercial use (unincorporated johnson county). 2 of the 7 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-26 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a restaurant in Johnson County Tx
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| County Clerk Certification of TABC Application (Johnson County)only if it applies to you | Johnson County Clerk | $5 per certification (each County Clerk signature required within the TABC application) | Per TABC application; the County Clerk's Office has 30 days to certify or deny the application | 2026-10-26 |
| 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 Johnson County Tx
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Development Permit for Commercial Use (unincorporated Johnson County)only if it applies to you | Johnson County Development Services | $240 per Development Permit (the fee page line covers single-family residential and commercial); an accessory structure without plumbing is $120 | 1 year from date of issuance | 2026-10-26 |
| On-Site Sewage Facility (OSSF) Permit / Authorization to Construct (unincorporated Johnson County)only if it applies to you | Johnson County Development Services | Varies — formula on the Johnson County Tx page | Authorization to Construct valid for 1 year from the issue date unless revoked | 2026-10-26 |
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 Johnson County Tx?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 7 records listed for a restaurant in Johnson County Tx, TX, 1 apply to every business of this type and 6 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 1 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $0.00. That is a floor, not a total. 2 of the 7 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:
Mixed Beverage Permit (MB): $2,650–$5,300 per two-year period; $5,300 original, $2,650 renewal
The other 1 variable fee belongs to permits that apply to every type of business here; its formula is set out on the Johnson County Tx permits page and the TX state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Johnson County Tx?
Permits for a restaurant in Johnson County Tx, TX come from 5 separate offices: Johnson County Development Services, Johnson County Clerk, 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.
- Johnson County Development ServicesIssues 2 permits on this page: Development Permit for Commercial Use (unincorporated Johnson County), On-Site Sewage Facility (OSSF) Permit / Authorization to Construct (unincorporated Johnson County)Johnson County Annex, 2 N Mill St, Suite 305, Cleburne, TX 76033 · 817-556-6380www.johnsoncountytx.org/departments/development-services
- Johnson County ClerkIssues 1 permit on this page: County Clerk Certification of TABC Application (Johnson County)Guinn Justice Center, Rm. 407, 204 S. Buffalo Ave., P.O. Box 662, Cleburne, TX 76033www.johnsoncountytx.org/government/county-clerk/tabc-permits
- 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 Johnson County Tx that other businesses do not?
1 of the 2 permits particular to a restaurant here applies to no other business type we cover in Johnson County Tx: Mixed Beverage Permit (MB).
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 Johnson County Tx
- County Clerk Certification of TABC Application (Johnson County) — Johnson County Clerk, $5 per certification (each County Clerk signature required within the TABC application), Per TABC application; the County Clerk's Office has 30 days to certify or deny the application. Also required for coffee shops and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
The other 2 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Johnson County Tx, TX; what each one involves is set out on the Johnson County Tx 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 Johnson County Tx?
The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 1 of these permits. A restaurant also needs Mixed Beverage Permit (MB). 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 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Retail stores | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Auto repair shops | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Childcare centres | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Contractors and trades | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Fitness studios | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Salons and barbers | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Veterinary clinics | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
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 coffee shops page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Johnson County Tx permits page and the TX state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- 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.