How much does it cost to open a coffee shop in Minnesota?

$44,255 in state fees the agencies state, across 4 of the 9 licenses, permits and registrations; 2 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 coffee shop in Minnesota

Drafted from the agencies’ own pages; some rows still wait to be confirmed. Open the official page before you pay anything.

Stated state fees
$44,255initial fees across 4 of 9 items
Free items
2no 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 renewalMinnesota Secretary of StatePremium only
    Certificate of assumed name (DBA)Minnesota Secretary of StatePremium only
    Employer Identification Number (EIN)Internal Revenue ServiceFree
  2. Register for tax

    ItemAgencyFee
    Minnesota tax ID number: sales and use tax account, withholding taxMinnesota Department of RevenueFree
    City business license, where the city requires oneYour city clerk or licensing officePremium only
  3. Approve the space

    ItemAgencyFee
    Zoning approval and certificate of occupancyYour city’s planning and building departmentsPremium only
  4. Get the permits for your kind of business

    ItemAgencyFee
    Food and beverage service establishment licenseMinnesota Department of HealthPremium only
    Certified food protection managerMinnesota Department of HealthPremium only
  5. Before the first hire

    ItemAgencyFee
    Unemployment insurance account, Paid Leave premiums, new hire reporting and workers’ compensationMinnesota Unemployment InsurancePremium 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 articles of organization form and fee notes (Minn. Stat. 322C.0201 and 5.14 expedited service); Secretary of State certificate of assumed name form (Minn. Stat. 333.01 to 333.06); IRS EIN page; Department of Revenue Minnesota tax ID and sales and use tax registration pages; Minnesota eLicense directory of state licenses; city ordinances (Minneapolis Licenses and Consumer Services, 612-673-2080); Department of Labor and Industry state building code pages; city ordinances; Minn. Stat. 157.16 (license fees); Department of Health Food, Pools and Lodging Services license pages; Minn. Rules chapter 4626 (food code); Minnesota food code certified food protection manager requirement; Department of Health CFPM pages; Minnesota Unemployment Insurance tax rate page (2026 taxable wage base); Minnesota Paid Leave premium rate page; Department of Labor and Industry workers’ compensation pages (Minn. Stat. 176.021 and 176.181). Fees are as published by each agency on the date checked; cities and counties add their own.

Questions about the cost.