How much permits cost to open in Fort Lee

In Fort Lee, none of them has a fixed government fee, 7 fees are set by the space or the business and 6 filings are free. Build-out, insurance and adviser costs are on top.

Updated October 21, 202613 filingsSources: the agencies' own sitesSources checked October 21, 2026

Fees and timelines at a glance

Filing	Agency	Government fee	How long	Renews
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.	Not listed
Business formation and tax registration	NJ Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services	Varies	Not listed	Not listed
New Jersey tax and employer registration (NJ-REG)	NJ Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services	Varies	File at least 15 business days before opening.	Not listed
Create/Update Importer Identity Form	U.S. Customs and Border Protection	Free	Up to 5 business days.	Not listed
Customs Bond	U.S. Customs and Border Protection	Varies	At least 5 business days for review.	Continuous bonds renew yearly.
ACE Secure Data Portal account for importers	U.S. Customs and Border Protection	Free	Not listed	Not listed
Cosmetic product facility registration (MoCRA)	U.S. Food and Drug Administration	Free	Not listed	Every two years.
Cosmetic product listing (MoCRA)	U.S. Food and Drug Administration	Free	Not listed	Update every year.
Product safety certificate, filed electronically at entry	U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission	Free	Not listed	Not listed
Hazardous materials registration	Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (DOT)	Varies	Not listed	Every year by June 30.
Food establishment plan review	Borough of Fort Lee Health Department	Varies	Not listed	Not listed
Construction permit for the build-out	Borough of Fort Lee Building Department	Varies	Not listed	Not listed
Fort Lee retail food establishment license	Borough of Fort Lee Health Department	Varies	Not listed	Not listed

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 site How to fill it
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 site How to fill it
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 site How to fill it
Create/Update Importer Identity Form

U.S. Customs and Border ProtectionUS federal

Sent to CBP (usually through your customs broker), or created in the ACE portal. Needed before your first entry as importer of record.

Fee
Free
Filed
Paper form, mailed
Takes
Up to 5 business days.

File on the agency's site How to fill it
Customs Bond

U.S. Customs and Border ProtectionUS federal

Bought from a CBP-approved surety, usually through your customs broker, who files it electronically. A continuous bond covers a year of entries.

Fee
Varies
Filed
Filed on the agency's portal
Takes
At least 5 business days for review.
Renews
Continuous bonds renew yearly.

File on the agency's site How to fill it
ACE Secure Data Portal account for importers

U.S. Customs and Border ProtectionUS federal

Applied for online in ACE. Lets you see your entries, duties and bond.

Fee
Free
Filed
Filed online

File on the agency's site How to fill it
Cosmetic product facility registration (MoCRA)

U.S. Food and Drug AdministrationUS federal

Filed online in Cosmetics Direct by the facility that makes or processes the cosmetics.

Fee
Free
Filed
Filed online
Renews
Every two years.

File on the agency's site How to fill it
Cosmetic product listing (MoCRA)

U.S. Food and Drug AdministrationUS federal

Filed online in Cosmetics Direct by the brand (the responsible person on the label), one listing per product.

Fee
Free
Filed
Filed online
Renews
Update every year.

File on the agency's site How to fill it
Product safety certificate, filed electronically at entry

U.S. Consumer Product Safety CommissionUS federal

The importer issues the certificate itself (there is no government form) and, under the eFiling rule, files the certificate data with CBP at entry.

Fee
Free
Filed
Filed online

File on the agency's site How to fill it
Hazardous materials registration

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (DOT)US federal

Filed online when you ship or offer certain hazardous materials in bulk, such as large lithium battery shipments.

Fee
Varies
Filed
Filed online
Renews
Every year by June 30.

File on the agency's site How to fill it
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 site How to fill it
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 site How to fill it
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 site How to fill it

Guides for each business in Fort Lee

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

Get the plan for your business in Fort Lee

This guide covers the city. Your exact address decides the county, the health district and the zoning. Placetta maps every filing for it, fills the official forms from your details, adds the deadlines and puts them up for your approval.

The full list for your address, in filing order
The official forms, filled line by line
Renewal and inspection reminders