The agencies state $67,020 in initial fees across 6 of the 10 items; 2 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 restaurant in Hawaii?
$67,020 in state fees the agencies state, across 6 of the 10 licenses, permits and registrations; 2 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 restaurant in Hawaii
Every row checked against its agency’s page; the latest on Oct 21, 2026.
- Stated state fees
- $67,020initial fees across 6 of 10 items
- Free items
- 2no fee as the agency publishes it
- Set elsewhere
- 2by the city, the county or a provider
- Items in all
- 10in 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 report Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Premium only Trade name registration (DBA) Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Premium only Employer Identification Number (EIN) Internal Revenue Service Free Register for tax
Item Agency Fee General excise tax license and employer withholding (form BB-1) Hawaii Department of Taxation Premium only General business license None Free Approve the space
Item Agency Fee Zoning confirmation, building permit and certificate of occupancy Your county planning and permitting department Premium only Get the permits for your kind of business
Item Agency Fee Food establishment permit Hawaii Department of Health Premium only Food safety certification for the person in charge Hawaii Department of Health Premium only Alcohol permits
Item Agency Fee Restaurant general license (class 2) or dispenser general license (class 5) Your county liquor commission: Honolulu Liquor Commission Premium only Before the first hire
Item Agency Fee Unemployment insurance account, temporary disability insurance, prepaid health care, new hire reporting and workers’ compensation Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Premium 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
Business Registration Division domestic LLC page and fee schedule; annual report filing pages (HRS chapter 428); Business Registration Division form T-1 (application for registration of trade name, revised November 2025); HRS chapter 482; IRS EIN page; Department of Taxation general excise tax pages and licensing information; Basic Business Application (BB-1); Department of Taxation licensing information; county permitting pages; Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting pages; county land use ordinances and building codes; HAR chapter 11-50 (Food Safety Code), section 11-50-7 (fees) and table 7-1; Food Safety Branch food establishment permit application; HAR 11-50-20 (supervision and certification); Department of Health news release on food handler certification enforcement (2018); HRS chapter 281 (281-31 license classes, 281-59 protests); Honolulu Liquor Commission fee schedule (effective 2018, revised 2021) and January 2024 licensing presentation; Maui renewal form DLC-029; Hawaii County liquor permit portal; Unemployment Insurance Division 2026 contribution rate table; Disability Compensation Division 2026 maximum weekly wage base notice; HRS chapters 386, 392, 393 and 576D. Fees are as published by each agency on the date checked; cities and counties add their own.