To start a coffee business in Utah, lock in a compliant location first: confirm zoning (and drive‑thru stacking counts) with the city, then negotiate a lease with tenant‑improvement allowances. Before build‑out, submit your floor plan and equipment list to the county health department for plan review; you’ll need NSF equipment, a hand‑wash sink at each work area, a 3‑compartment sink, backflow protection, and often a small grease interceptor. Form an LLC with the Utah Division of Corporations, get an EIN, file TC‑69 to obtain a Utah Sales & Use Tax License, and secure the local business license; expect separate fire marshal and sign permits. Every food worker needs a Utah food handler permit; designate at least one certified manager. If roasting, apply to the Utah Department of Agriculture & Food for a food manufacturing license, register your scale with Weights & Measures, and coordinate roaster venting and afterburner needs with the fire code official. Build for Utah’s hard water—install filtration/softening to protect espresso equipment and meet manufacturer warranty. Budget ranges: $150k–$400k for a 1,200–1,600 sf shop; $80k–$150k for a truck; $20k–$60k for a cart. Open with tight SOPs (milk TPHC logs, calibration, cleaning schedules), tip‑enabled POS, and workers’ comp coverage.
