10 permits · verified 2026-10-02
What permits do you need to open a retail store in Chesterfield County Va?
In short
A retail store in Chesterfield County Va, VA has 5 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 5 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Chesterfield County Commissioner of the Revenue charges $550,000 gross receipts a year — the amount below which the flat $10 fee applies instead of the percentage tax, and the amount subtracted when computing the percentage tax above it for the bpol no-tax-below / percentage-tax reduction threshold. 6 of the 10 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-02 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a retail store in Chesterfield County Va
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BPOL Alcohol Add-On Tax — Beer and Wine Retaileronly if it applies to you | Chesterfield County Commissioner of the Revenue | $20 a year, flat, in addition to the retail BPOL tax | annual | 2026-10-02 |
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 Chesterfield County Va
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Building Permit | Chesterfield County Department of Building Inspection | Varies — formula on the Chesterfield County Va page | one-time, per project; the fee schedule itself is reviewed annually by the Board of Supervisors and can change at the next fiscal year | 2026-10-02 |
| BPOL (Business, Professional and Occupational License) Registration and Flat-Fee Bracket | Chesterfield County Commissioner of the Revenue | Varies — formula on the Chesterfield County Va page | calendar year; renew by March 1 | 2026-10-02 |
| BPOL Percentage Tax on Gross Receipts | Chesterfield County Commissioner of the Revenue | Varies — formula on the Chesterfield County Va page | calendar year; renew by March 1 | 2026-10-02 |
| BPOL No-Tax-Below / Percentage-Tax Reduction Threshold | Chesterfield County Commissioner of the Revenue | $550,000 gross receipts a year — the amount below which the flat $10 fee applies instead of the percentage tax, and the amount subtracted when computing the percentage tax above it | calendar year | 2026-10-02 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
VA registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to you | Virginia State Corporation Commission, Office of the Clerk | $100 one-time filing | no expiry, but a $50 annual registration fee is due every year | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | Virginia State Corporation Commission, Office of the Clerk | Varies — formula on the VA page | no expiry, but an annual registration fee and a free annual report are due | 2026-09-03 |
| Annual Registration Feeonly if it applies to you | Virginia State Corporation Commission, Office of the Clerk | Varies — formula on the VA page | annual — the last day of the twelfth month after the month of formation | 2026-09-03 |
| Dealer's Certificate of Registration | Virginia Department of Taxation | No fee | indefinite — valid until the business closes or the certificate is revoked | 2026-09-03 |
| General Business License — Local BPOL License (Virginia)only if it applies to you | Virginia State Corporation Commission, Office of the Clerk | Varies — formula on the VA page | annual — usually due 1 March | 2026-09-03 |
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 Chesterfield County Va?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 10 records listed for a retail store in Chesterfield County Va, VA, 5 apply to every business of this type and 5 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 5 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $550,000.00. That is a floor, not a total. 6 of the 10 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 1 has no fee published at all.
The other 6 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Chesterfield County Va permits page and the VA state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Chesterfield County Va?
Permits for a retail store in Chesterfield County Va, VA come from 4 separate offices: Chesterfield County Department of Building Inspection, Chesterfield County Commissioner of the Revenue, Virginia State Corporation Commission, Office of the Clerk, Virginia Department of Taxation. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- Chesterfield County Department of Building InspectionIssues 1 permit on this page: Commercial Building Permit9800 Government Center Parkway, Chesterfield, VA 23832 · 804-748-1057www.chesterfield.gov/DocumentCenter/View/329/Commercial-Building-Inspection-Fee-Schedule-PDF
- Chesterfield County Commissioner of the RevenueIssues 4 permits on this page: BPOL (Business, Professional and Occupational License) Registration and Flat-Fee Bracket, BPOL Percentage Tax on Gross Receipts, BPOL No-Tax-Below / Percentage-Tax Reduction Threshold, BPOL Alcohol Add-On Tax — Beer and Wine Retailer9901 Lori Road, Bldg. 38, Rm. 165, Chesterfield, VA 23832 · 804-748-1281www.chesterfield.gov/businesslicense
- Virginia State Corporation Commission, Office of the ClerkIssues 4 permits on this page: Articles of Organization (LLC), Articles of Incorporation, Annual Registration Fee, General Business License — Local BPOL License (Virginia)1300 East Main Street, Richmond, VA 23219 · (804) 371-9733www.scc.virginia.gov
- Virginia Department of TaxationIssues 1 permit on this page: Dealer's Certificate of RegistrationPO Box 1115, Richmond, VA 23218-1115 · (804) 367-8037www.tax.virginia.gov/register-business-virginia
What does a retail store need in Chesterfield County Va that other businesses do not?
Shared with other businesses in Chesterfield County Va
- BPOL Alcohol Add-On Tax — Beer and Wine Retailer — Chesterfield County Commissioner of the Revenue, $20 a year, flat, in addition to the retail BPOL tax, annual. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
The other 4 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Chesterfield County Va, VA; what each one involves is set out on the Chesterfield County Va permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across VA and are covered on the VA state page.
How does a retail store compare with other businesses in Chesterfield County Va?
The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 1 of these permits. A coffee shop needs Food Establishment Permit, Temporary Food Establishment Permit, Food Establishment Permit and Certified Food Protection Manager, which a retail store does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a retail store | Only a retail store needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee shops | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Restaurants | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| Auto repair shops | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Childcare centres | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Contractors and trades | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Fitness studios | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Food trucks | 4 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Salons and barbers | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 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 Chesterfield County Va permits page and the VA 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.