foodservicenerd
What you need to open

What You Need to Open a Cafe / coffee shop

The licenses & permits, equipment, space and timeline to open a cafe / coffee shop — a practical checklist you can act on. Sized to your seats and menu.
Planning checklist, not legal or code advice — your local authority (AHJ) sets the final requirements.

Reviewed monthly · last reviewed 2026-08-10. Fees and rules vary by area — confirm current requirements with your local authority.

Get this tailored to you. Use the opening planner to enter your size and ZIP and get your exact local permit office, fees and a scaled equipment list, or read how to open a cafe / coffee shop for the full step-by-step.

Licenses & permits

The typical set for a cafe / coffee shop — about 10. Some depend on your build-out, staffing and whether you serve alcohol. Fees and steps vary by city and county.

Foundational

  • Employer Identification Number (EIN) — Free federal tax ID from the IRS; needed to hire staff, open a business bank account and file taxes.
  • Business entity / registration — Register your LLC, corporation, or sole-proprietor DBA with your state so the business legally exists.
  • General business license — The basic license to operate, issued by your city or county.
  • Sales-tax permit / seller's permit — Register to collect and remit sales tax; it also lets you buy inventory wholesale for resale.

Food safety

  • Food service establishment permit — The core health-department permit to run a food business; issued after your inspection passes.
  • Food handler cards & manager certification — Food-handler training for staff plus at least one Certified Food Protection Manager (e.g. ServSafe Manager).
  • Plan review / kitchen approval — Submit kitchen plans to the health department before you build or open; they review layout, finishes and equipment.
  • Pre-opening health inspection — An on-site inspection that must pass before your operating permit is issued.

Facility

  • Certificate of Occupancy — Confirms the space is legal to occupy for your use; usually required before you can open.

Legal & insurance

  • General liability & property insurance — Protects the business; landlords and lenders usually require a certificate of insurance (COI). Add liquor liability if you serve alcohol.
Look up your county’s actual permit office and fees on the requirements pages (enter your ZIP), and see the permits & licenses guide.

Equipment

The core equipment for this concept (9 essentials, plus recommended items). Categories only — no brands or prices.

Cooking line

  • Commercial microwave Recommended
    Reheat and quick tasks; not a home unit.

Refrigeration & cold

  • Undercounter refrigeration Essential
    Cold at the line where space is tight.
  • Ice machine Essential
    Sized by covers + drink program; water is the constraint.
  • Glass-door merchandiser Recommended
    Grab-and-go drinks and display.
  • Reach-in refrigerator Recommended
    Primary cold storage; NSF, holds ≤41°F.
  • Refrigerated display case Recommended
    Grab-and-go, pastry and deli display.

Warewashing & sanitation

  • 3-compartment sink Essential
    Wash / rinse / sanitize — required in nearly every kitchen.
  • Hand sink(s) Essential
    Dedicated hand-washing; count grows with stations.
  • Mop / service sink Essential
    Required for cleaning water disposal.

Food prep

  • Stainless work tables Recommended
    Prep and staging; 304 near water, 430 for dry.

Ventilation & safety

  • Commercial water heater Essential
    Sized to peak simultaneous demand; goes into plan review.

Beverage & front

  • Espresso machine Essential
    Two-group minimum for a queue; watch the electrical draw.
  • Coffee brewer Essential
    Batch brew and hot water for a cafe.
  • POS + payment Essential
    Offline queueing is the spec that matters.
Build a tailored, scaled list with the equipment configurator, and confirm each item is NSF listed and whether your cook line needs a Type I hood.

Space & sizing

Plan roughly 15 sq ft per seat for the dining room and another 5–7 per seat for kitchen and support space — so a 60-seat dining room needs about 900 sq ft of dining plus 300–450 sq ft of kitchen. Confirm occupancy limits, restrooms and exits with your building and fire officials.

Model it with the kitchen & seating planner.

Timeline

Estimated time to open: typically 4–9 months. Typical phases and durations:

See the full sequence and long-pole items in the opening timeline.

Cost & staffing

Two more planning steps once you know what you need:

Frequently asked

What do you need to open a cafe / coffee shop?
At a high level: the licenses and permits your jurisdiction requires (typically around 10 for this business), the right commercial equipment for your menu, enough space laid out to code, and the time and budget to build it out. This page lists the permits and equipment; use the opening planner to tailor it to your size and location, and see <a href="../../guides/how-to-open-a-coffee-shop/">how to open a cafe / coffee shop</a> for the step-by-step.
How much does it cost to open a cafe / coffee shop?
It varies widely by size, location and whether you take over an existing space or build from a raw shell. Use the cost-to-open calculator to get an itemized budget with a low-to-high range on every line, adjusted for your region and linked to your county's real permit fees.
Are these the exact requirements for my area?
No — permits, fees and code details are set locally and change. Treat this as a planning checklist, enter your ZIP in the opening planner to pull your county's actual permit office and fees, and confirm everything with your local building, fire and health departments.