To set up a coffee shop in Lithuania fast and compliant, decide your vehicle first: UAB (limited liability; €2,500 share capital; investor‑friendly) or MB (small partnership; no minimum capital; founder‑operated), then register at the Centre of Registers and obtain tax numbers with VMI; opt into VAT early if your fit‑out/equipment spend is high or if you’ll exceed the ~€45,000 turnover threshold. Secure a lease explicitly allowing “public catering,” and design the layout to meet NVSC hygiene and VMVT food safety rules; prepare a concise HACCP plan, equipment list, and flow diagram, then obtain the Hygiene Passport from NVSC and register/approve the food business with VMVT before opening. File fire safety and occupational safety documentation, contract municipal waste (incl. fats/oils if you use a grease trap), and apply to the municipality for signage and any outdoor terrace; add an alcohol retail permit only if serving wine/beer. Hire staff under written contracts, register them in Sodra before day one, and complete mandatory health checks for food handlers; license background music with LATGA/AGATA. Use a certified POS/cash register compliant with VMI and display prices with 21% VAT. Typical timeline is 4–8 weeks; sequence tasks to overlap fit‑out with permits, and front‑load VAT registration to reclaim input VAT on renovations and machines.
