What permits do you need to open a restaurant in Arlington County?

Mixed Beverage Restaurant Local License Tax

County Code §11-56.2 provides that establishments holding a mixed beverage restaurant license issued by the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Board "shall pay a local license tax, in addition to all other taxes imposed, for doing business in the County". The tax is administered by the Commissioner of Revenue's Business Tax Division and applies to restaurants, including restaurants operated at hotels or motels, and to private nonprofit clubs operating a restaurant on their premises. Contact the Commissioner of Revenue at 703-228-3060 for the current amount before budgeting. This record applies only to a restaurant that serves mixed beverages under a state license; a restaurant without that state license has no obligation under it.

Temporary Food Establishment License

County Code §9.2-10.B, as amended by Ord. No. 26-08 (effective July 1, 2026), assesses a $40 application or annual renewal fee on a person who operates a temporary food establishment at a local festival, fair or other special event and who is not otherwise licensed to operate a food establishment or mobile food unit under that section. The Environmental Health Program's Temporary Food Establishment Licenses page states that an operator without a valid Virginia Department of Health or Arlington County food establishment permit must submit a Temporary Food Establishment Application "and pay the $40 fee (if applicable, as noted on the application) at least 10 business days before the event." The page adds that a food truck without an Arlington permit must also pass a joint health and fire inspection at least 10 business days before the event, and that an event with food vendors needs a coordinator application.

Fire Operational Permits (Kitchen Hood, Mobile Food Unit, Repair Garage, Child Day Care, Place of Assembly)

The Office of the Fire Marshal's operational permit fee table, issued under County Code Chapter 8.1 (Code Updated April 2025), sets these fees: a commercial kitchen operation requiring a Type I hood, $175; a Mobile Food Unit employing commercial cooking that produces grease-laden vapors, a fire protection system, or LP gas or portable fuel-fired equipment, $175; an automotive repair garage, $175, or $175 for a combined repair garage and service station; a child daycare facility, $150 for an approved capacity up to 50, $200 for 51 to 500 and $300 above 500; and a place of assembly, $200 for 50 to 500 and $300 above 500. The Fire Marshal's hood page states: "This is an annual permit with a permit fee of $175.00. However, if the occupancy has a valid ASSEMBLY permit, a separate hood system permit is not required." The Environmental Health Mobile Unit Licenses page lists the same $175 fire inspection fee for food trucks. The county's FY 2027 Adopted Tax & Fee Compendium lists the child care, assembly and $175 figures.

Food Establishment Permit

One flat $40 for the whole state, which is unusual and cheap — and the fee's authority is the Appropriation Act rather than the food statute, so anyone looking for it in Title 35.1 or in the food regulation will not find it there. A new restaurant pays $80 in total, plan review plus permit, and the combined fees are capped at $80 a year per facility. Apply at least thirty days before opening. A permit is not transferable, so a change of ownership means a fresh $40. Ten localities adopted their own food ordinances before 2022 and permit independently — Alexandria, Arlington, Danville, Fairfax County, Hampton, Hopewell, Norfolk, Petersburg, Portsmouth and Roanoke — and some add real money on top: Fairfax charges $100 for a preliminary inspection and $80 for a change of ownership. Retail food stores and manufacturers are a different regime entirely, run by the agriculture department, where the permit is free and the annual inspection is $40.

Certified Food Protection Manager

No state fee — Virginia neither issues the certificate nor charges for it; an accredited programme does both. At least one employee with supervisory and management authority must hold it, but the rule carves out establishments serving only food that needs no temperature control, and those that merely reheat or cold-hold commercially processed food, provided they do not cool it. The five-year validity people quote is the certifying programme's rule, not Virginia's — the regulation sets no term. Virginia requires no food handler card statewide either, and the department publishes a table of the twelve localities that do impose one, all of them in Hampton Roads and the Peninsula.

Shared with other businesses in Arlington County

• Beer and Wine Retail On-Premises Local License Tax — Arlington County Commissioner of Revenue, Business Tax Division, Annual local license tax under County Code §11-26.C (wine and beer) or §11-26.D (beer), in addition to the gross-receipts license tax; contact the Commissioner of Revenue at 703-228-3060 for the current amount., Annual. Also required for coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
• Food Establishment License — Arlington County Public Health Division, Environmental Health Program, $40 application or annual renewal fee (not prorated); an additional $50 late fee for renewal applications received after December 31., Calendar year; renewal fee due in December, late fee after December 31. Also required for coffee shops and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
• Food Establishment Plan Review and Pre-Operational Re-Inspection — Arlington County Public Health Division, Environmental Health Program, $40 plan and specification review fee on each submission; $100 re-inspection fee if the facility does not pass the pre-scheduled pre-operational inspection., One-time, per construction, remodeling or conversion project. Also required for coffee shops, food trucks and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
• County Board Use Permit — Arlington County Department of Community Planning, Housing and Development, Planning and Zoning Divisions, Type I (commercial and non-commercial conditional uses except Type II) $7,443. Type II (live entertainment and food delivery services) $2,453. Type III (including commercial uses with substantial alteration to structures and sites, all drive-through uses and vehicle service establishments) $14,491 plus a $6,393 DES fee. Schools, including child care centers: enrollment of 100 or fewer $639 plus a $309 DES fee; enrollment over 100 and up to 250 $1,509 plus a $576 DES fee. The 10% automation enhancement fee applies to the zoning fees, not to the DES fees., Per application; FY 2027 schedule in effect July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. Also required for coffee shops, auto repair shops and childcare centres; what it involves is set out on the auto repair shops page.