The agencies state $1,890 in initial fees across 6 of the 11 items; 3 are free; 2 are set by the city, the county or a provider. Rent, build-out and equipment come on top and depend on the space.
How much does it cost to open a cocktail bar in Georgia?
$1,890 in state fees the agencies state, across 6 of the 11 licenses, permits and registrations; 3 are free; 2 are set by the city, the county or a provider. Rent, build-out and equipment come on top.
What the state publishes for a cocktail bar in Georgia
Drafted from the agencies’ own pages; some rows still wait to be confirmed. Open the official page before you pay anything.
- Stated state fees
- $1,890initial fees across 6 of 11 items
- Free items
- 3no fee as the agency publishes it
- Set elsewhere
- 2by the city, the county or a provider
- Items in all
- 11in 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.
Set up the business
Item Agency Fee Articles of organization (LLC) and the annual registration Georgia Secretary of State Premium only Trade name registration (DBA) Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where the business sits Premium only Employer Identification Number (EIN) Internal Revenue Service Free Register for tax
Item Agency Fee Georgia Tax Center registration (sales and use tax, withholding) Georgia Department of Revenue Free Occupation tax certificate (the local business license) The city where the address is inside one Premium only Approve the space
Item Agency Fee Zoning approval and certificate of occupancy Your city or county planning and building department Premium only Get the permits for your kind of business
Item Agency Fee Food service permit The county health department’s environmental health office Premium only Certified food safety manager County health department Premium only Alcohol permits
Item Agency Fee Local alcohol license The city or county where the address sits Premium only State retail alcohol license Georgia Department of Revenue Premium only Before the first hire
Item Agency Fee Georgia Department of Labor tax account, new hire reporting and workers’ compensation Georgia Department of Labor Free
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 how-to guide for registering a domestic entity; annual registration page; O.C.G.A. section 10-1-490; DeKalb County Superior Court Clerk trade name fee sheet; IRS EIN page; Department of Revenue tax registration page and “How to register a new Georgia business” guide; City of Atlanta Office of Revenue business licensing page; Gwinnett County business occupation tax page; City of Atlanta Office of Buildings; Department of Public Health food service page; Fulton County Board of Health environmental health fee schedule and food service application; Georgia Food Service Rules and Regulations, Chapter 511-6-1 (revised February 2025); City of Fayetteville and Town of Tyrone alcohol license fee schedules; Department of Revenue alcohol licensing pages; Department of Revenue alcohol license fees page; rules chapter 560-2; Department of Labor employer FAQs (form DOL-1A); State Board of Workers’ Compensation FAQs. Fees are as published by each agency on the date checked; cities and counties add their own.