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12 permits · verified 2026-10-31

What permits do you need to open a coffee shop in Kaufman County?

In short

A coffee shop in Kaufman County, TX has 2 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 10 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Kaufman County Fire Marshal's Office charges $200 per new Certificate of Occupancy / Certificate of Compliance for a new business or change of ownership in the same occupancy class; occupying a building without obtaining a new C.O. adds $100 on top of the new C.O. fee for the certificate of occupancy / certificate of compliance (new business or change of ownership). 6 of the 12 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-31 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a coffee shop in Kaufman County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
County Clerk Signature and Wet/Dry Certification for TABC Applicationsonly if it applies to youKaufman County ClerkThe license or permit fee is set by TABC commission rule and paid to TABC (Alcoholic Beverage Code section 61.31(c) for an original license). Contact the County Clerk's office about any charge for the clerk's signature or certification.per application; the clerk certifies within 30 days of a request, and once a permit or license is issued the wet-area certification stands until a later local option election (Alcoholic Beverage Code sections 11.37 and 61.37)2026-10-31

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 Kaufman County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Fire Code Building Permit (unincorporated Kaufman County)only if it applies to youKaufman County Fire Marshal's OfficeVaries — formula on the Kaufman County pageper project2026-10-31
Certificate of Occupancy / Certificate of Compliance (new business or change of ownership)Kaufman County Fire Marshal's Office$200 per new Certificate of Occupancy / Certificate of Compliance for a new business or change of ownership in the same occupancy class; occupying a building without obtaining a new C.O. adds $100 on top of the new C.O. feerenewed annually after a fire inspection ("renewed for a period of one year", Certificate of Occupancy page)2026-10-31
Fire Construction Permits (hood suppression, sprinkler, alarm, tenant finish-out)only if it applies to youKaufman County Fire Marshal's OfficeVaries — formula on the Kaufman County pageper permit (each installation or modification)2026-10-31
On-Site Sewage Facility (OSSF) Permitonly if it applies to youKaufman County Development ServicesVaries — formula on the Kaufman County pageper system; aerobic system maintenance contracts must be submitted 30 days before the previous contract expires2026-10-31
Floodplain Development Permit (unincorporated Kaufman County)only if it applies to youKaufman County Development ServicesVaries — formula on the Kaufman County pageper project2026-10-31
Stormwater Management Permit and Stormwater Maintenance Permit (commercial)only if it applies to youKaufman County Development ServicesVaries — formula on the Kaufman County pageper project for the Stormwater Management Permit; the Stormwater Maintenance Permit is renewed2026-10-31
Culvert (Driveway) Permit — County Right-of-Wayonly if it applies to youKaufman County Development Services$75 per culvert permit ("Total Amount due: $75.00", Development Services Payments page)expires 12 months from the date of issuance2026-10-31
911 Address Applicationonly if it applies to youKaufman County Development Services$40 per address application ("Total Amount Due: $40.00", Development Services Payments page)one-time, per new address2026-10-31

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

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Certificate of Formationonly if it applies to youTexas Secretary of State$300 one-time filingno expiry2026-08-20
Assumed Name Certificate (DBA)only if it applies to youTexas Secretary of State$25 one-time filingup to ten years, renewable2026-08-21
Texas Sales and Use Tax PermitTexas Comptroller of Public AccountsNo fee — there is no fee for this permitno expiry while actively engaged in business2026-08-21

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 coffee shop in Kaufman County?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 12 records listed for a coffee shop in Kaufman County, TX, 2 apply to every business of this type and 10 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 2 that always apply, 2 carry a flat fee, coming to $200.00. That is a floor, not a total. 6 of the 12 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:

County Clerk Signature and Wet/Dry Certification for TABC Applications: The license or permit fee is set by TABC commission rule and paid to TABC (Alcoholic Beverage Code section 61.31(c) for an original license). Contact the County Clerk's office about any charge for the clerk's signature or certification.

The other 5 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Kaufman County permits page and the TX state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Kaufman County?

Permits for a coffee shop in Kaufman County, TX come from 5 separate offices: Kaufman County Fire Marshal's Office, Kaufman County Development Services, Kaufman County Clerk, 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.

What does a coffee shop need in Kaufman County that other businesses do not?

County Clerk Signature and Wet/Dry Certification for TABC Applications

A restaurant, coffee shop or store in Kaufman County applying for a Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission permit or license goes through the County Clerk. Alcoholic Beverage Code sections 11.37(a) (permits) and 61.37(a) (licenses) require the county clerk, within 30 days of a prospective applicant's request, to certify "whether the location or address given in the request is in a wet area" and whether the sale sought is prohibited by any valid order of the commissioners court. The County Clerk's Beer & Wine page sets out the order of signatures: the city secretary where the business is located, then "Bring the entire packet/application to the County Clerk's office for signature", then the Texas Comptroller, and then back to TABC. The page adds that a new business that has never had a beer and wine license must "run two (2) consecutive ads in the newspaper", consistent with section 61.38(a). TABC's "Unofficial list of Wet/Dry Areas in Texas", dated "As of Dec. 4, 2023", lists Kaufman County as "PW: B-On, B-Off, W-On, W-Off, DS-Off, RM" and lists Combine, Cottonwood, Grays Prairie, Rosser and Talty as "Dry"; TABC labels the list unofficial, and the clerk's certification under sections 11.37 and 61.37 governs a given address. The permit itself, and its fee, come from TABC.

The other 8 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Kaufman County, TX; what each one involves is set out on the Kaufman County 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 coffee shop compare with other businesses in Kaufman County?

The closest match is a retail store, which shares 1 of these permits. A retail store needs Fire Operational Permits — Places of Assembly; High-Piled Storage, which a coffee shop does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Kaufman County, TX, compared with a coffee shop
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a coffee shopOnly a coffee shop needsOnly it needs
Retail stores2101
Restaurants3102
Auto repair shops1011
Childcare centres2012
Contractors and trades1011
Fitness studios2012
Salons and barbers1011
Veterinary clinics1011

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 that apply to every type of business are listed on the Kaufman County permits page and the TX state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. Beer & WineKaufman County Clerk · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-31
  2. Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code Chapter 11 (§11.38, local fee on state liquor permits, capped at one-half the fee schedule in effect August 31, 2021)Texas Legislature · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-28
  3. Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code Chapter 61 (section 61.36, county fees)Texas Legislature · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-29
  4. Unofficial list of Wet/Dry Areas in Texas (As of Dec. 4, 2023)Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-28

Related

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