Who needs a food service establishment permit in Tennessee?
Issued by Your county health department (Tennessee Department of Health environmental health), or the metro health department in Davidson, Hamilton, Knox, Madison, Shelby and Sullivan counties, at step 4 of 6 in the opening sequence: get the permits for your kind of business.
Submit the plan review before building out or converting a space, pass the opening inspection, then post the permit. Restaurants, bars, coffee shops, bakeries and ice cream shops are all food service establishments under the rule; a shop selling only packaged food is a retail food store under the Department of Agriculture instead. Seats in an auxiliary area count toward the primary permit’s seating.
Checked Oct 21, 2026 against the agency’s page.
Step 4 of 6: Get the permits for your kind of business
1Set up the business
2Register for tax
3Approve the space
4Get the permits for your kind of business
5Alcohol permits
6Before the first hire
Issued by Your county health department (Tennessee Department of Health environmental health), or the metro health department in Davidson, Hamilton, Knox, Madison, Shelby and Sullivan counties.
Sources and dates
Department of Health rule 1200-23-01-.09 (permit fees, adopted to match Tennessee Code 68-14-713); Department of Health food service establishment rules. Checked against the agency’s page on the date shown; cities add their own fees.
Questions about opening here.
Yes. Submit the plan review before building out or converting a space, pass the opening inspection, then post the permit.
Yes. Submit the plan review before building out or converting a space, pass the opening inspection, then post the permit.
Yes. Submit the plan review before building out or converting a space, pass the opening inspection, then post the permit.
Yes. Submit the plan review before building out or converting a space, pass the opening inspection, then post the permit.
Yes. Submit the plan review before building out or converting a space, pass the opening inspection, then post the permit.
Yes. Submit the plan review before building out or converting a space, pass the opening inspection, then post the permit.
Yes. Submit the plan review before building out or converting a space, pass the opening inspection, then post the permit.
Yes. Submit the plan review before building out or converting a space, pass the opening inspection, then post the permit.
Yes. Submit the plan review before building out or converting a space, pass the opening inspection, then post the permit.
No. In Tennessee it is listed for coffee shops, bakeries, restaurants, pizza shops, bars, wine bars and 3 more.
No. In Tennessee it is listed for coffee shops, bakeries, restaurants, pizza shops, bars, wine bars and 3 more.
No. In Tennessee it is listed for coffee shops, bakeries, restaurants, pizza shops, bars, wine bars and 3 more.
No. In Tennessee it is listed for coffee shops, bakeries, restaurants, pizza shops, bars, wine bars and 3 more.
No. In Tennessee it is listed for coffee shops, bakeries, restaurants, pizza shops, bars, wine bars and 3 more.
No. In Tennessee it is listed for coffee shops, bakeries, restaurants, pizza shops, bars, wine bars and 3 more.
No. In Tennessee it is listed for coffee shops, bakeries, restaurants, pizza shops, bars, wine bars and 3 more.
No. In Tennessee it is listed for coffee shops, bakeries, restaurants, pizza shops, bars, wine bars and 3 more.
No. In Tennessee it is listed for coffee shops, bakeries, restaurants, pizza shops, bars, wine bars and 3 more.
No. In Tennessee it is listed for coffee shops, bakeries, restaurants, pizza shops, bars, wine bars and 3 more.
No. In Tennessee it is listed for coffee shops, bakeries, restaurants, pizza shops, bars, wine bars and 3 more.
Your county health department (Tennessee Department of Health environmental health), or the metro health department in Davidson, Hamilton, Knox, Madison, Shelby and Sullivan counties.
Step 4 of 6, get the permits for your kind of business. The steps before it: set up the business, register for tax and approve the space.
Who needs a food service establishment permit in Tennessee?
