Licenses and permits to open a coffee shop in Fort Lee

Fees and timelines at a glance

A coffee shop that prepares drinks or food on site is a food service business, licensed and inspected like a restaurant. The same filings as restaurants.

Filing	Agency	Government fee	How long
Business formation and tax registration	NJ Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services	Varies	Not listed
Application for Employer Identification Number (EIN)	Internal Revenue Service	Free	Fax: about 4 business days. Mail: about 4 to 5 weeks. Phone: issued on the call.
New Jersey tax and employer registration (NJ-REG)	NJ Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services	Varies	File at least 15 business days before opening.
Food establishment plan review	Borough of Fort Lee Health Department	Varies	Not listed
Construction permit for the build-out	Borough of Fort Lee Building Department	Varies	Not listed
Fort Lee retail food establishment license	Borough of Fort Lee Health Department	Varies	Not listed

1. 1

   Business formation and tax registration

   NJ Division of Revenue and Enterprise ServicesNew Jersey

   Form or register the company, then register for state taxes.

   Fee

   Varies

   Filed

   Filed online

   File on the agency's siteHow to fill it

2. 2

   Application for Employer Identification Number (EIN)

   Internal Revenue ServiceUS federal

   Owners with an SSN or ITIN apply online. A company whose responsible party has neither (most China-based owners) faxes or mails Form SS-4, or calls the IRS international line.

   Fee

   Free

   Filed

   Paper form, faxed or mailed

   Takes

   Fax: about 4 business days. Mail: about 4 to 5 weeks. Phone: issued on the call.

   File on the agency's siteHow to fill it

3. 3

   New Jersey tax and employer registration (NJ-REG)

   NJ Division of Revenue and Enterprise ServicesNew Jersey

   Everyone doing business in New Jersey registers; NJ-REG is the tax and employer registration, filed online at least 15 business days before opening. A corporation or LLC files its certificate of formation first. A business collecting sales tax gets a Certificate of Authority.

   Fee

   Varies

   Filed

   Filed online

   Takes

   File at least 15 business days before opening.

   File on the agency's siteHow to fill it

4. 4

   Food establishment plan review

   Borough of Fort Lee Health DepartmentFort Lee

   Under New Jersey's food code, plans go to the local health authority for approval before building or converting a food establishment.

   Fee

   Varies

   Filed

   Filed in person

   File on the agency's siteHow to fill it

5. 5

   Construction permit for the build-out

   Borough of Fort Lee Building DepartmentFort Lee

   The Building Department's state-licensed inspectors permit and inspect construction under the Uniform Construction Code.

   Fee

   Varies

   Filed

   Filed in person

   File on the agency's siteHow to fill it

6. 6

   Fort Lee retail food establishment license

   Borough of Fort Lee Health DepartmentFort Lee

   The Health Department's license for a restaurant or food store, applied for on its form with the fee.

   Fee

   Varies

   Filed

   Filed in person

   File on the agency's siteHow to fill it

Questions and answers

How much do the permits cost to open a coffee shop in Fort Lee?

None of them has a fixed government fee, 5 fees are set by the space or the business and 1 filing is free. Build-out, insurance and adviser costs are on top.

How long do the permits take for a coffee shop in Fort Lee?

The times the agencies give. Application for Employer Identification Number (EIN): Fax: about 4 business days. Mail: about 4 to 5 weeks. Phone: issued on the call. New Jersey tax and employer registration (NJ-REG): File at least 15 business days before opening.

Which agencies issue the permits for a coffee shop in Fort Lee?

The 6 filings go to 4 agencies: NJ Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services, Internal Revenue Service, Borough of Fort Lee Health Department and Borough of Fort Lee Building Department.

What is the first filing to open a coffee shop in Fort Lee?

The business formation and tax registration, with the NJ Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services. Form or register the company, then register for state taxes.

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<div class="placetta-checklist"><p><strong>Licenses and permits to open a coffee shop in Fort Lee</strong></p><ol><li>Business formation and tax registration (NJ Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services)</li><li>Application for Employer Identification Number (EIN) (Internal Revenue Service)</li><li>New Jersey tax and employer registration (NJ-REG) (NJ Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services)</li><li>Food establishment plan review (Borough of Fort Lee Health Department)</li><li>Construction permit for the build-out (Borough of Fort Lee Building Department)</li><li>Fort Lee retail food establishment license (Borough of Fort Lee Health Department)</li></ol><p>Source: <a href="https://www.placetta.com/guides/fort-lee/coffee-shop.html">Placetta license guide</a></p></div>Copy the code

More on opening in Fort Lee

• How much permits cost to open in Fort Lee
• How long permits take in Fort Lee
• Opening in Fort Lee as a foreign company
• Build-out and occupancy permits in Fort Lee
• Importing goods into Fort Lee
• Renewals and annual filings in Fort Lee

Questions people ask

• How do I get an EIN without an SSN or ITIN?
• How long does it take to get an EIN?
• Does a foreign-owned single-member LLC have to file Form 5472?
• How do I become an importer of record in the US?
• How does a foreign owner get an ITIN?
• Does a single-member LLC with no employees need an EIN?

Other businesses in Fort Lee

• Milk tea and bubble tea shops
• Restaurants
• Hot pot restaurants
• Bakeries
• Dessert shops
• Grocery stores
• Retail stores
• Cosmetics stores
• Toy stores
• Importers and online sellers
• Warehouses and 3PLs
• Coffee shops in other cities

Every filing links to the agency's own page, and every fact comes from an official form or agency page. Agency requirements change; check the agency's page before you file. How we source and check these guides