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How to start a restaurant in Alabama
Brick-and-mortar restaurant, food truck, catering, bakery, or coffee shop.
Recommended structure
LLC
Typical startup cost
$50,000 – $500,000+
State
Alabama
Step-by-step
- 1Form an LLC and get an EIN
- 2Get your local health department permit and food handler certifications
- 3Apply for sales tax permit and liquor license (if needed)
- 4Open a business bank account and merchant account
- 5Set up payroll (Gusto is the easiest)
- 6Get general liability + workers' comp insurance
Licenses & permits you'll likely need
- Food service / health department permit
- Liquor license (if serving alcohol)
- Sign permit
- ServSafe or food handler certification
- Building / occupancy permit
- Sales tax permit
Exact requirements vary by city and county. Confirm locally before you operate.
Insurance
- • General liability
- • Workers' comp
- • Liquor liability (if applicable)
- • Property insurance
Tax notes
Tip reporting and payroll taxes get complex fast. Hire a bookkeeper or use Gusto + a CPA from month one.
Business banking
You'll need merchant services (Square, Toast, Clover) for payment processing — pick one that integrates with your POS.
Official Alabama filing links
File LLC / Corp with Alabama
Alabama Secretary of State
Search business name
Confirm your name is available
Alabama Department of Revenue
State tax registration
Apply for an EIN (IRS)
Free federal tax ID
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