Opening a small restaurant in Brooklyn, what permits do I need to get?
I am opening a small café/restaurant in Brooklyn and I need to find out what permits I need to open. I know I need a certificate of occupancy, beer and wine license, but I want to get a clear idea of the multiple permits I need to obtain prior to opening.
36 Comments
Answers (1-10)
If the space is in a landmarked building you will need permission from landmarks for signage I. Addition to the permits.
These Are the Permits and Licenses You'll Need to Open a Restaurant
These Are the Permits and Licenses You'll Need to Open a ...
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Best of Luck to you! Contact me to spread the word of the Grand Opening!!
Martha
1.You require a Business Licence, from the city or state the restaurant resides in. Usually requires getting a business license filling out paperwork, registering your business name and paying an application fee. 2.Employer Identification Number (EIN) tells the federal government that you are an employer, it is essentially a tax id number and you can obtain this by visiting the IRS website filling out forms and paying a fee. is what tells the federal government that you are an employer. Your EIN is the the number under which you file your business taxes each year. 3. Certificate of Occupancy to show that the building it is safe for employees and customers. The town or city that your restaurant resides issues the certificate and usually requires a building inspection by local authorities. Most restaurants must have a certificate of occupancy before opening their doors to the public. 4. Food Service License No restaurant can operate without a food service license. This license usually involves and on site visit by city or county health department officials and ensures that your restaurant meets all food preparation, food storage and food safety regulations and laws. In some cases, employees must complete a food safety training program and have a food handler’s permit. 5. Liquor License If you plan to sell liquor at your restaurant, then you need a liquor license. Liquor laws vary from state to state and sometimes from city to city. Local authorities do not want just anyone selling liquor, so most liquor laws are fairly strict and regulate everything from when and where to serve liquor to how much it costs. Depending on your restaurant’s location, you might need both a beer and wine license and a liquor license.No matter what type of liquor license you need, apply for it early because it can take up to a year to receive it. Application fees can range from a few hundred dollars to many thousands of dollars, and you must renew the license each year 6. Music License - music in the background of any public eating establishment helps create atmosphere. Copyright law, however, protects music, so if you plan to play it in your restaurant, then make sure you have a music license. 7. Get the license from companies that hold performance rights for copyrighted musical works. Two of the largest such companies are the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) and Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI). You can face some pretty stiff fines without a music licence. You can also opt for a restaurant music streaming service that covers all your bases like, Soundtrack Your Brand
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Sign Permit
You need signage to draw attention to your new restaurant. So before you put up that placard, sandwich board or illuminated banner, make sure that you have a sign permit from the city or town where your new restaurant resides. This permit allows you to use signage, but it also regulates the size and location of your signs.
Opening a new restaurant is exciting! With the right licenses and permits, you will get off to a flying start and a whole new culinary adventure. Check out Sirvo’s Business Owner’s Toolkit for more information on operating your own place in the hospitality industry.
These Are the Permits and Licenses You'll Need to Open a Restaurant
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https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/business/food-ope...
HELLO ANDRES, MANY OF MY CUSTOMERS OWN RESTAURANTS AND FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS, THEY RECOMMENDED YOU GO TO THE NYC WEBSITE AND CLICK ON THE FOOD SERVICE ESTABLISHMENT PERMITS PAGE. THAT WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH EVERYTHING YOU NEED.
GOOD LUCK
JACK
PEMCO SUPPLY
For New York City licenses – Visit the Business Express website use the wizard or the search engine
https://www1.nyc.gov/nycbusiness/index
If you plan to serve alcohol, a liquor license is required. It's a lengthy detailed application with many steps and the entire process includes giving notice to the local community board. In addition, before starting the process make sure your business is in order -- eg, lease? insurance? If you need an attorney, feel free to contact me. I can handle contracts, employee matters, and the compliance or regulatory matters for the business that you do not wish to handle yourself.
Hi Andres,
You will need demo, construction, plumbing, electrical, mechanical and if the building is 4 stories or more, possibly a sprinkler permit. There is also a permit regarding your ansul/range hood exhaust system. There may also be special inspections involved at the onset of the project. You will need a third-party consultant for this.
Please pay special attention to the current CofO and how that relates to your proposed construction. Use of the cellar in conjunction with your primary dining space may also be a factor.
Some peripheral issues may also be how flexible the landlord may be for any changes needed, time of year the job is filed and other city agencies that may require their authorization. In terms of filing, based on our most recent experience, DOB staff goes through a lot a changes during the spring and summer. On top of vacation time, many staffers have quit, transferred to other departments, been promoted and terminated and all during the summer. This creates lag on the job. We were given this news directly from the chief plan examiner. So my assumption is that it’s best to file jobs in the winter when everyone is locked indoors dodging the weather. The holidays then become an issue but not as bad as summer.
Feel free to send any other questions. The advice you get pre project is very valuable.
Thanks!
David
Hello Andre - the basics are the DOH Food Service Establishment Permit and NYS liquor license. There could be others based the nature of your operation.
Please feel free to ping me to discuss further.