To start a coffee shop in Washington, lock down your site and health approvals before buying equipment—your timeline will be driven by county plan review and building permits. Form your entity, then apply for a Washington Business License/UBI via DOR (add a city license), obtain a reseller permit, and set up B&O and retail sales tax accounts. Submit a food service plan review to your local health authority (e.g., Public Health—Seattle & King County): menu, scaled floor plan, finish schedule, NSF equipment spec sheets, plumbing (3‑comp sink, handwash, mop sink, indirect drains), ventilation, and water filtration/backflow. Pull building, plumbing, electrical, and fire permits; confirm occupancy load, restroom count, grease interceptor needs, and ADA access. Hire early and comply: WA Food Worker Cards within 14 days, one Certified Food Protection Manager, L&I workers’ comp, ESD unemployment, Paid Sick Leave, and PFML. If serving beer/wine, apply to WSLCB. Engineer power for espresso, grinders, and batch brew; treat water for hardness; budget quarterly descaling. Configure your POS with correct WA tax rates; Seattle may add local taxes and compostable-foodware rules. Drive‑thru? Show vehicle stacking and traffic safety. Build a budget with 15–20% contingency; target COGS 25–30%, labor 25–35%, ticket times under 3 minutes.
