Permits
Coffee and cart permits in New Mexico
To sell coffee in New Mexico, 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.
33 counties in New Mexico. 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 New Mexico
In New Mexico, the Environment Department Food Safety Program issues food service and mobile food unit permits statewide; Bernalillo County and the City of Albuquerque run their own food safety programs.
- Food & vending permits
- NMED Food Safety Program, food establishment permit applications
- Sales tax permit
- Gross Receipts Tax (GRT), New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Dept.
- Sales tax rate
- 4.875% state base rateTypical combined range: 4.875%-9.4375%Counties, cities, and special or transit districts add local sales tax on top, so your combined rate depends on your exact address.New Mexico TRD gross receipts rate map
Typical license fees
The New Mexico Environment Department Food Program issues food establishment permits for most of the state under NMAC 7.6.2. Bernalillo County and the City of Albuquerque operate entirely separate food safety programs with their own fees and do not fall under NMED jurisdiction.
- Most food businesses
- $200 a year
NMED does not publish its fee schedule prominently online. The $200 annual permit fee is the current amount under NMAC 7.6.2 and applies to food establishments and mobile food establishments outside Bernalillo County and the City of Albuquerque. A rulemaking process (EIB 25-32) is underway that would significantly increase fees, with proposed changes expected to take effect in late 2026. After submitting a permit application, NMED staff provide the exact fee amount and instructions for payment. The temporary food event permit fee could not be confirmed from an official online source. Sales tax registration through the New Mexico Combined Reporting System is free.
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.