How much permits cost to open in Rockville

In Rockville, the fixed government fees add up to about $100, 8 fees are set by the space or the business and 7 filings are free. Build-out, insurance and adviser costs are on top.

Updated October 21, 202616 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
LLC formation (Articles of Organization)	Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT)	$100	Standard review takes 6 to 8 weeks.	Not listed
Maryland sales and use tax, withholding and unemployment insurance registration	Comptroller of Maryland, Central Registration	Free	Not listed	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.
Certified food service manager	Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services	Varies	Not listed	Not listed
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.
Food service plan review	Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, Licensure & Regulatory Services	Varies	Not listed	Not listed
Product safety certificate, filed electronically at entry	U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission	Free	Not listed	Not listed
Trader's license	Clerk of the Circuit Court (your county)	Varies	Not listed	Every year, by May 1.
Hazardous materials registration	Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (DOT)	Varies	Not listed	Every year by June 30.
Commercial occupancy permit	City of Rockville Inspection Services	Varies	Not listed	Not listed
Building permit for the build-out	City of Rockville Inspection Services	Varies	Not listed	Not listed
Montgomery County food service facility license	Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, Licensure & Regulatory Services	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
LLC formation (Articles of Organization)

Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT)Maryland

File online in Maryland Business Express, or mail the signed Articles with a $100 check to SDAT's Charter Division in Baltimore. The resident agent signs too.

Fee
$100
Filed
Filed online
Takes
Standard review takes 6 to 8 weeks.

File on the agency's site How to fill it
Maryland sales and use tax, withholding and unemployment insurance registration

Comptroller of Maryland, Central RegistrationMaryland

One application opens the sales and use tax license, employer withholding and the unemployment insurance account: online, by fax (410-260-7908) or by mail to Central Registration in Annapolis.

Fee
Free
Filed
Filed online

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
Certified food service manager

Montgomery County Department of Health and Human ServicesMOCO

The facility must be under the immediate control of a Certified Food Service Manager, licensed by the county.

Fee
Varies
Filed
Filed online

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
Food service plan review

Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, Licensure & Regulatory ServicesMOCO

Health and Human Services reviews the plans of any place that sells or prepares food before a building permit issues. The plans go in with the building permit to the office for the address: the county's Department of Permitting Services (restaurant interior alteration permit), or the City of Rockville's or Gaithersburg's own permitting office.

Fee
Varies
Filed
Filed on the agency's portal

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
Trader's license

Clerk of the Circuit Court (your county)Maryland

Anyone who sells goods in Maryland, other than a grower or manufacturer, gets this from the county's Circuit Court clerk before selling, after opening a sales tax account and registering the entity with SDAT.

Fee
Varies
Filed
Filed in person
Renews
Every year, by May 1.

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
Commercial occupancy permit

City of Rockville Inspection ServicesRockville

A commercial tenant applies through MGO Connect; the city inspects before the permit issues.

Fee
Varies
Filed
Filed on the agency's portal

File on the agency's site How to fill it
Building permit for the build-out

City of Rockville Inspection ServicesRockville

Apply through MGO Connect before construction; most permits need inspections before the work is final.

Fee
Varies
Filed
Filed on the agency's portal

File on the agency's site How to fill it
Montgomery County food service facility license

Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, Licensure & Regulatory ServicesMOCO

A license is needed before opening: apply and pay on the county's CivicGov portal, or mail or fax the application to Licensure & Regulatory Services in Wheaton. The county answers in 10 to 14 business days and mails the license.

Fee
Varies
Filed
Paper form, mailed

File on the agency's site How to fill it

Guides for each business in Rockville

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 Rockville

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