How much does it cost to open a bakery in North Dakota?

$46,760 in state fees the agencies state, across 3 of the 9 licenses, permits and registrations; 3 are free; 3 are set by the city, the county or a provider. Rent, build-out and equipment come on top.

What the state publishes for a bakery in North Dakota

Every row checked against its agency’s page; the latest on Oct 21, 2026.

Stated state fees
$46,760initial fees across 3 of 9 items
Free items
3no fee as the agency publishes it
Set elsewhere
3by the city, the county or a provider
Items in all
9in the order to get them

Initial fees as each agency states them, summed; renewals are not included. Where a fee depends on size or sales the range is the lowest to the highest stated. Members see each row’s fee, its renewal and the official page.

  1. Set up the business

    ItemAgencyFee
    Articles of organization (LLC) and the annual reportNorth Dakota Secretary of StatePremium only
    Trade name registration (DBA)North Dakota Secretary of StatePremium only
    Employer Identification Number (EIN)Internal Revenue ServiceFree
  2. Register for tax

    ItemAgencyFee
    Sales and use tax permit and income tax withholding accountNorth Dakota Office of State Tax CommissionerFree
    City business or occupational licenseYour city auditor’s officePremium only
  3. Approve the space

    ItemAgencyFee
    Zoning approval, building permits and certificate of occupancyYour city or county planning and building inspections departmentsPremium only
  4. Get the permits for your kind of business

    ItemAgencyFee
    Food establishment licenseNorth Dakota Health and Human ServicesPremium only
    Person in charge; certified food protection manager where the city requires oneHealth and Human Services or your local public health unitFree
  5. Before the first hire

    ItemAgencyFee
    Unemployment insurance account, new hire reporting and workers’ compensation (WSI)Job Service North DakotaPremium only

What comes on top of the fees

The state publishes its fees; the space sets the rest. These work it out from your own numbers.

  • Rent the business can carryMonthly sales, or seats and average check, to the base rent that fits a healthy occupancy share.Rent-to-sales calculator
  • The real cost of a NNN leaseBase rent plus CAM, property taxes and insurance, each month.NNN lease calculator
  • The steps in orderThe same items as a walk-through you tick off, with progress saved to your account.How to open

Fees are shown to members as published. Create an account.

Sources and dates

Secretary of State FirstStop business filing pages; N.D.C.C. 10-32.1-92 (fees); Secretary of State trade name registration pages; N.D.C.C. 47-25; IRS EIN page; Office of State Tax Commissioner business registration pages (North Dakota Taxpayer Access Point, ND TAP); City of Fargo business and occupational licensing pages; city ordinances; Department of Commerce, Division of Community Services (State Building Code adoption); city ordinances; Health and Human Services food and beverage establishment pages; N.D.A.C. 33-33-08 (food establishment license fees); N.D.C.C. 23-09-02; HHS memo on the North Dakota Food Code adoption (exclusion of Food Code 2-102.12); North Dakota Food Code guide for food handlers; Job Service North Dakota 2026 unemployment insurance tax rate schedule; Workforce Safety and Insurance employer account pages; Child Support new hire reporting fact sheet (N.D.C.C. 34-15). Fees are as published by each agency on the date checked; cities and counties add their own.

Questions about the cost.