Permits
Coffee and cart permits in Massachusetts
To sell coffee in Massachusetts, you work with your county health department for food and mobile vending permits, then add a business license and state tax registration. Pick your county below for the department that handles your area and the steps to open.
14 counties in Massachusetts. 11 have a detailed permit page below. For any other county, check your ZIP and we will point you to the right health department.
Statewide rules in Massachusetts
In Massachusetts, local Boards of Health issue food establishment permits under the state food code (105 CMR 590), with standards set by the DPH Division of Food Protection; mobile vendors need a permit from each municipality where they operate.
- Food & vending permits
- Mass. DPH, retail food code standards for mobile food establishments (permits issued by local Boards of Health)
- Sales tax permit
- Sales tax vendor registration, Mass. DOR via MassTaxConnect
- Sales tax rate
- 6.25% statewide sales tax rateThis is a single statewide rate with no county or city sales tax added on top.Massachusetts DOR sales and use tax
- Food safety cards
- A Certified Food Protection Manager is required per 105 CMR 590, plus allergen awareness certification for at least one employee per establishment.
Typical license fees
Massachusetts issues retail food permits through your local Board of Health, not a state agency, so the permit fee is set by your city or town and varies across the state.
Each city or town sets its own annual food permit fee and its own risk tiers under the state food code, so amounts differ from one community to the next. Larger cities publish their fee schedules online. Contact your local Board of Health for the current fee before you apply.
Official links, last verified July 14, 2026. Requirements vary by city and change over time.
Confirm the current steps and fees before you apply.