If you think about open a restaurant What business idea you should know that they are highly regulated by several of the state and local health authorities.
Therefore as an entrepreneur you must be very organized and informed about several of the licenses and the permission to open a restaurant required by health authorities before the first customer arrives at your business.
If you do not obtain the necessary licenses, your restaurant will result in fines and penalties and perhaps the closure of your business.
Licenses and permission to open a restaurant
Business license: Like any business, your restaurant must exist as a legal business entity at the state and federal level.
Well, just as you need a permission for open a restaurant, you must obtain the commercial license or business license that will allow you to legally operate your restaurant within a specific jurisdiction.
Even if you registered it as a corporation with the IRS and the Department of State Revenue, your restaurant must adhere to local business licensing guidelines.
It means you have to register the business name with the county.
Food handling license:
In some states and cities you are required as a restaurant owner or manager to complete mandatory food handling and sanitation training.
Even in some cities food handling licenses require class certification and on-site inspection.
Well, many restaurant owners prefer to certify multiple staff members, as at least one certified professional must remain on site while the restaurant is in operation.
Building permit: Construction licenses and occupancy licenses are issued by the commissioners, who verify the operational safety of the place.
Building license: The building permit requires you to keep fire extinguishers, fire exits and emergency exits clearly marked and working.
Some cities may also require testing of the building to verify that it can withstand a tornado, earthquake or flood.
Federal business license:
If your restaurant is involved in activities regulated by a federal agency such as interstate transportation of animal or plant products, the Small Business Administration may require you to obtain a federal business license.
Even county or local state agencies can force you to manage licenses and charge you an annual fee or a percentage of sales to keep your license.
Food handling permit:
The food handling permit ensures that your restaurant complies with regulations that relate to food sanitation, storage, protection, and preparation.
Food handler permit:
You need to apply for the food handler’s permit to ensure that you have successfully completed the food safety certification.
Tax permit:
Depending on the requirements of your business area, you may need the tax permit, in addition to the health permit, building permit, signage permit, alarm permit, or zoning permit.
Sign permission: You must obtain the signage permit by managing it in the locality of your restaurant, as some cities have very strict rules regarding allowed signage.
Alarm permission: If you have installed an alarm system, you must contact the local government to request it.
Resale permit: If your restaurant is in a state that requires sales tax, you must obtain the state resale permit, which allows you to collect sales tax from customers.
Health permit for buildings: By obtaining a health permit from the city or county Department of Health, as the permit holder you are subject to health inspections, to ensure that the place complies with food handling practices, because if you do not comply with these practices You could be fined or risk losing your health permit.
Employee health leave:
Not only does the building need a health permit, but so do the employees who handle food and beverages.
Typically, employees must successfully complete a state-approved course.
The food handler course teaches employees proper sanitation, food storage and handling practices to prevent the spread of foodborne illness.
Firefighters permit: You may need the firefighters permit issued by the local fire marshal, as the fire inspector will periodically inspect the facilities and fire prevention systems that are required.
Alcoholic Beverage License:
State authorities require you to obtain an alcoholic beverage license if you plan to serve alcohol in your restaurant.
Cabaret license: You will need the cabaret license if you plan to open your restaurant with live music even if it does not fit the definition of a luxury restaurant, since the presence of live musicians obliges you as an owner to adhere to the common rules of interpreter safety .
Trademark license: As a new restaurant owner you can be included in one of two categories:
As a franchise owner or owner of your own brand from scratch.
You should know that both types of owners require specific licenses.
For example, as a franchisee, you must comply with the local licensing requirements and the registration of the business as a subsidiary of a commercial entity, managing them with the local or state authorities.
As an independent business owner, you should do a thorough brand verification, especially if you market across state lines.
Keep in mind that there are cases where as a restaurant owner it is possible to reach an agreement with companies with similar names before investing in signage and marketing.
Liquor license: Many county and city governments may also require a liquor license. This type of license usually has several levels or series of licenses that you can request according to the type of liquor you want to sell and where you can sell the liquor.
For example, if you want your restaurant to be part of a local culinary festival, you must obtain a license to serve alcoholic beverages at the festival, even if you already have the license to serve alcoholic beverages.
Music license: If you intend for your establishment to have music from CDS, you will need a music license and even to play copyrighted music, as you need them if you hire the services of a DJ and for karaoke.
Requirements and permission to open a restaurant
Besides of permission to open a restaurantSince you plan to open a food business, it must meet many regulatory requirements.
Some of them apply to all food companies and some are specific to the particular food product such as low acid canned foods, juices, and seafood.
As an overview of the regulatory requirements related to starting a food business, you should know that in addition to the requirements of the Food and Drug Administration, your business will be subject to other federal, state and local requirements, which will vary depending on the products you serve in your restaurant.
This is why you should contract with the FDA District Office and state and local regulatory agencies, as they will help you identify which state and local regulations you must comply with.
FDA regulation: The FDA regulates all foods and food ingredients introduced or offered for sale in interstate commerce with the exception of meat, poultry, and some processed egg products that are regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture.
Home restaurant: If you have a physical space in your home to open the restaurant, you can do it but you must understand the regulations of the FDA, the state and the local health department.
Well, local and county health agencies inspect foodservice establishments, food retailers, and provide you with technical assistance.
Registration of food facilities: Since your facility will manufacture, process and store food for human consumption, you must register with the FDA before starting your activities.
Food import: If your restaurant buys and serves imported food products, you must comply with the same laws and regulations as food produced in the United States, as it must ensure that they do not contain prohibited ingredients and the labeling and packaging is informative and truthful.
Therefore, you must obtain all the licenses and permits before opening your restaurant either in your own home or outside of it and you can operate your business with the peace of mind that you are within what the law requires.