Permits
Coffee and cart permits in Montana
To sell coffee in Montana, 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.
56 counties in Montana. 5 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 Montana
In Montana, retail food establishment licenses, including for mobile food units, run through the Dept. of Public Health and Human Services Environmental Health and Food Safety program, with plan reviews and inspections by local county sanitarians; Montana has no state sales tax.
- Food & vending permits
- Montana DPHHS Environmental Health and Food Safety, food establishment and mobile unit licensing
- Sales tax permit
- State sales tax, Montana has no state sales tax.
- Sales tax rate
- No statewide sales taxMontana has no statewide general sales tax; some resort/community local taxes may apply to lodging or resort-area transactions, not a statewide retail sales tax.
- Food safety cards
- No statewide food handler card; a Certified Food Protection Manager is recommended and many county sanitarians require one before issuing a license.
Typical license fees
Montana DPHHS Environmental Health and Food Safety section issues all retail food establishment and mobile food establishment licenses statewide. Under House Bill 853 signed in 2025, fees were reorganized into three size tiers for permanent locations and two tiers for mobile operations.
- Brick and mortar cafe with seats
- $150 to $275 a year
- Counter or kiosk with no seats
- $150 a year
- Mobile cart, trailer, or truck
- $150 to $225 a year
- Catering
- $150 to $225 a year
The three retail food tiers are Food Small at $150, Food Medium at $225, and Food Large at $275 per year. Mobile food is $150 for Small and $225 for Large. Licenses must be renewed before December 31 each year. Prior to HB 853 the annual fee was $85 for establishments with two or fewer employees and $115 for more. Temporary food event permits for farmers markets and pop-ups are issued by local county health departments rather than DPHHS. Montana has no state sales tax so no state seller's permit is required.
Fee schedule, last verified July 14, 2026.
Official links, last verified July 14, 2026. Requirements vary by city and change over time.
Confirm the current steps and fees before you apply.