To start a coffee business in Virginia, lock down the legal steps in this order: choose a zoned location (shop, roastery, or mobile unit), register your entity with the Virginia SCC, file any fictitious name, get an EIN, and register with Virginia Tax for sales/use tax. Secure your locality's BPOL/business license, meals-tax account, and zoning approval; buildout requires permits and a Certificate of Occupancy. For serving beverages/food, submit a plan review to your local Virginia Department of Health (menus, floor plan, equipment spec sheets, plumbing/ventilation, finish schedule) and obtain a Food Establishment Permit; designate a Certified Food Protection Manager and set up temperature control, sanitizer, and logs before final inspection. Packaging roasted beans for retail triggers VDACS Food Safety oversight and compliant labels (business name/address, net weight in US/metric, ingredients: "coffee") and Weights & Measures accuracy; confirm DEQ air-emissions requirements if installing a roaster. Mobile coffee units need a VDH-approved commissary, fire marshal approval, and parking compliance. If serving beer/wine, apply to Virginia ABC. Set up payroll with Virginia Tax and VEC, follow wage/tip rules, and carry workers' comp for at least 2 employees. Use an ST-10 resale certificate for wholesale inputs, and bind insurance before signing the lease agreement.
