7 permits · verified 2026-10-19
What permits do you need to open a retail store in Lubbock County?
In short
A retail store in Lubbock County, 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. Texas Secretary of State charges $300 one-time filing for the certificate of formation. 4 of the 7 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-19 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a retail store in Lubbock County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| County Local Fee on TABC Alcohol Permitsonly if it applies to you | Lubbock County Tax Assessor-Collector | Statutory basis: Alcoholic Beverage Code section 11.38(a) (permits) and section 61.36(a) (licenses) let a commissioners court levy a fee for each permit or license issued for premises in the county, capped at one-half of the statutory fee in effect on August 31, 2021. The county's Beer & Liquor License page says the Tax Assessor-Collector "receives TABC permit fees" and offers a link to "pay your Beer & Liquor License Fees"; no county rate is published on that page. | tied to the underlying TABC permit or license term | 2026-10-19 |
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 Lubbock County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| On-Site Sewage Facility (Septic) Permitonly if it applies to you | Lubbock County Public Works | Varies — formula on the Lubbock County page | per installation; the Public Works page states no term | 2026-10-19 |
| Culvert Permit, County Road, Right of Way or Easementonly if it applies to you | Lubbock County Public Works | Varies — formula on the Lubbock County page | one permit per culvert placement; the policy states no term | 2026-10-19 |
| Concrete Contoured (Dip) Drive Permit, County Road, Right of Way or Easementonly if it applies to you | Lubbock County Public Works | Varies — formula on the Lubbock County page | one permit per driveway installation; the policy states no term | 2026-10-19 |
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 retail store in Lubbock County?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 7 records listed for a retail store in Lubbock County, 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. 4 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:
County Local Fee on TABC Alcohol Permits: Statutory basis: Alcoholic Beverage Code section 11.38(a) (permits) and section 61.36(a) (licenses) let a commissioners court levy a fee for each permit or license issued for premises in the county, capped at one-half of the statutory fee in effect on August 31, 2021. The county's Beer & Liquor License page says the Tax Assessor-Collector "receives TABC permit fees" and offers a link to "pay your Beer & Liquor License Fees"; no county rate is published on that page.
The other 3 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Lubbock County permits page and the TX state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Lubbock County?
Permits for a retail store in Lubbock County, TX come from 4 separate offices: Lubbock County Public Works, Lubbock County Tax Assessor-Collector, 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.
- Lubbock County Public WorksIssues 3 permits on this page: On-Site Sewage Facility (Septic) Permit, Culvert Permit, County Road, Right of Way or Easement, Concrete Contoured (Dip) Drive Permit, County Road, Right of Way or Easement916 Main Street, Suite 1220, Lubbock, TX 79401 · 806-775-1664www.lubbockcounty.gov/department/index.php?structureid=33
- Lubbock County Tax Assessor-CollectorIssues 1 permit on this page: County Local Fee on TABC Alcohol Permits806-775-1350www.lubbockcounty.gov/department/division.php?structureid=258
- 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 retail store need in Lubbock County that other businesses do not?
Shared with other businesses in Lubbock County
- County Local Fee on TABC Alcohol Permits — Lubbock County Tax Assessor-Collector, Statutory basis: Alcoholic Beverage Code section 11.38(a) (permits) and section 61.36(a) (licenses) let a commissioners court levy a fee for each permit or license issued for premises in the county, capped at one-half of the statutory fee in effect on August 31, 2021. The county's Beer & Liquor License page says the Tax Assessor-Collector "receives TABC permit fees" and offers a link to "pay your Beer & Liquor License Fees"; no county rate is published on that page., tied to the underlying TABC permit or license term. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
The other 3 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Lubbock County, TX; what each one involves is set out on the Lubbock 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 retail store compare with other businesses in Lubbock County?
A retail store and a coffee shop in Lubbock County, TX need exactly the same 1 permit beyond the ones every business needs.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a retail store | Only a retail store needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee shops | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Restaurants | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Auto repair shops | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Childcare centres | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Contractors and trades | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Fitness studios | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Salons and barbers | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Veterinary clinics | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Sources
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 Lubbock County permits page and the TX state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.