The licenses & permits, equipment, space and timeline to open a catering business — a practical checklist you can act on.
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 catering business for the full step-by-step.
Licenses & permits
The typical set for a catering business — 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).
Pre-opening health inspection — An on-site inspection that must pass before your operating permit is issued.
Type-specific
Catering permit / temporary event permits — A catering-specific health permit, plus temporary food permits for individual events.
Commissary agreement — A licensed base kitchen for prep, potable water and waste disposal; a signed letter is usually required for trucks and caterers.
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.
Reach-in freezerEssential Frozen storage; low duty for most concepts.
Refrigerated prep tableEssential Cold rail + work surface for assembly.
Ice machineEssential Sized by covers + drink program; water is the constraint.
Walk-in cooler / freezerRecommended Bulk cold storage once volume grows.
Warewashing & sanitation
3-compartment sinkEssential Wash / rinse / sanitize — required in nearly every kitchen.
Hand sink(s)Essential Dedicated hand-washing; count grows with stations.
Commercial dish machineEssential High- or low-temp; sized by racks/hour.
Mop / service sinkEssential Required for cleaning water disposal.
Food prep sinkRecommended Washing produce; separate from warewashing.
Food prep
Stainless work tablesEssential Prep and staging; 304 near water, 430 for dry.
Meat / deli slicerRecommended Consistent slicing for deli and sandwich lines.
Storage
Wire / dry shelvingEssential Dry-goods and smallware storage; epoxy or poly in humidity.
Ventilation & safety
Type I exhaust hood + suppressionEssential Required over grease/smoke; the largest single build line.
Class K + ABC extinguishersEssential Class K wherever there's hot oil; annual cert.
Commercial water heaterEssential Sized to peak simultaneous demand; goes into plan review.
Holding & service
Hot holding cabinetEssential Holds cooked product at temp without drying.
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
Catering has no dining room — your space is production, cold storage and staging. Many caterers start from a commercial or commissary kitchen before building their own.
Estimated time to open: typically 2–4 months from a commissary. Typical phases and durations:
Concept & business plan2–8 weeks
Register the business1–2 weeks
Line up a commissary1–4 weeks
Order & install equipment2–10 weeks
Catering permit & food safety2–6 weeks
Mobile unit inspection1–3 weeks
Hire & train2–6 weeks
Soft open & launch1–3 weeks
See the full sequence and long-pole items in the opening timeline.
Cost & staffing
Two more planning steps once you know what you need:
Budget — the cost-to-open calculator gives an itemized startup budget with your county’s real permit fees.
Staffing — the staffing planner suggests a roster and labor-cost target.
Frequently asked
What do you need to open a catering business?
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-start-a-catering-business/">how to open a catering business</a> for the step-by-step.
How much does it cost to open a catering business?
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.