To open a coffee shop in Uruguay, secure the municipal “habilitación” and sanitary clearance for the premises, then align tax, labor, and safety obligations in the right order to pass inspections fast. Start by registering your business with DGI (obtain RUT), enrolling as employer with BPS, and taking workers’ compensation at BSE; request DGI authorization to issue fiscal receipts (CFE/e-invoice or fiscal printer, depending on turnover). For the location, file with your department’s Intendencia for land-use conformity, Habilitación Comercial, and Habilitación Bromatológica; attach approved floor plans, equipment layout, and a hygiene plan. Bomberos certification is mandatory: extinguishers sized to risk, emergency lighting/signage, clear egress, capacity signs, and certified electrical installation. Fit-out to food-safety standards: potable water, grease trap, ventilated hood with grease filters, washable non-absorbent surfaces, handwashing stations, cold chain with thermometers, pest-control contract, and waste segregation. Staff must hold Carné de Salud and Food Handler cards; keep temperature and cleaning logs. If you play music, obtain public-performance licenses (AGADU/SUDEI); for signage or sidewalk tables, request municipal permits for advertising and public-space use. Sequence inspections (Bomberos before Bromatología) to avoid rework. Roasting on-site triggers extra environmental and emissions permits. Maintain records; renew habilitaciones per Intendencia schedules. Post required compliance notices.
