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How to start a restaurant in Missouri

Brick-and-mortar restaurant, food truck, catering, bakery, or coffee shop.

Recommended structure

LLC

Typical startup cost

$50,000 – $500,000+

State

Missouri

Step-by-step

1
Form an LLC and get an EIN
2
Get your local health department permit and food handler certifications
3
Apply for sales tax permit and liquor license (if needed)
4
Open a business bank account and merchant account
5
Set up payroll (Gusto is the easiest)
6
Get 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 Missouri filing links

File LLC / Corp with Missouri

Missouri Secretary of State

Search business name

Confirm your name is available

Apply for an EIN (IRS)

Free federal tax ID

See full Missouri resource page

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