To get a coffee shop license in Arizona, you need a county Food Establishment Permit and an Arizona Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT) license; everything else builds around those two approvals. Start by registering for a TPT license with AZDOR (per-location license; expect $12 state fee plus any city add-on) and your city business license. For the health permit, submit a plan review to your county environmental services (e.g., Maricopa, Pima, Pinal): scaled floor plan, menu, equipment spec sheets (NSF/ANSI-listed), plumbing/finish schedule, and HACCP or procedures if using time as control. Espresso machines must have backflow prevention and indirect waste; provide dedicated hand sink(s), dish machine or 3-comp sink with drainboards, and cold holding at 41°F. At least one Certified Food Protection Manager is required on staff; all food workers need accredited food handler cards. Build out under a building permit, obtain a Certificate of Occupancy, and install any required grease interceptor per the local sewer authority; hoods aren’t needed for coffee-only operations without grease-laden vapors. Typical county plan review runs 10–20 business days; permit fees range ~$300–$1,200. Roasting may trigger air-quality permitting. If serving beer/wine, add a DLLC Series 12 or 7 license. Expect 30–90 days from plans to opening.
