Anyone opening a shop usually focuses on the stock, the shelves and the rent — and rightly so, because those are the visible decisions. By comparison, sorting out permits looks like grey paperwork that will somehow get done. Yet this is exactly the area where the wrong order can push the opening back by months, or make a signed lease unusable.
The good news is that although the specific rules change from place to place, the questions are almost the same everywhere. Everywhere you have to clarify what form you operate in, how you pay tax, whether the premises can be used as a shop, whether food needs a separate registration, how you issue receipts, and what the position is on fire safety. If you ask these questions in time and in the right place, the answers are usually not complicated.
So this article is not a collection of laws but a planning map: which areas you need to go through, where it is typically worth asking, and in what order. We cover the costs of opening in a separate article (What does it cost to open a small shop?) — this piece covers the other half, which is not money but time and paper.
The big picture: what needs sorting out
The table below goes through the areas that come up almost everywhere when opening a small grocery, a bakery or a corner shop. Not all of them apply to every shop, and the names of the authorities vary from place to place — but the question stays the same.
| Area | What needs clarifying | Where to ask, typically | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business form and registration | Sole trader or company, and how you get onto the register | Accountant, the company register or the local business registration office | First of all, before anything else |
| Tax registration and VAT | Tax number, VAT status, filing schedule | Tax authority, accountant | Together with registration |
| Permitted use of the premises and the lease | Whether the premises may be used for retail and food, and what the lease allows | The town hall's planning or building office, the landlord | BEFORE signing the lease |
| Notifying the retail activity | Whether a notification or trading licence is needed, and for which product range | Local municipality, town hall | As soon as you have the premises |
| Food business and hygiene | Official registration, hygiene self-check procedure, cold chain, staff health certificates where required | Food safety authority | When planning the fit-out, before opening |
| Products needing a separate licence | Alcohol, tobacco, lottery, over-the-counter medicines, pet food or live animals — whether a separate licence is needed, and whether it is allowed at all | Town hall, tax or customs authority, the relevant specialist authority | Before planning your range |
| Till and receipts | Whether a certified cash register or other receipt device is required, and how it must be registered | Tax authority, accountant, an approved till supplier | Weeks before opening |
| Card payments | Terminal, contract with the provider, fees, how quickly money is credited | Bank or payment provider | A month before opening |
| Registering employees | Employment contract, social insurance registration, working-time records | Accountant, the labour and social insurance body | Before the first working day |
| Fire safety and escape route | Fire extinguisher, clear emergency exit, signage, possibly a fire safety plan | Fire authority or a fire safety professional | Before the fit-out, so nothing has to be moved |
| Waste, packaging, deposit return | Waste collection contract, packaging obligations, deposit-return scheme if there is one | Town hall, waste contractor, accountant | Before opening |
| Signage and opening hours | Whether the shop sign needs a permit, and whether there are local rules on opening hours | Town hall, the building's manager | Before ordering the sign |
| Background music | Whether playing music in public needs a licence from a collecting society | The national music licensing organisation | Before you first switch the music on |
| Price display and consumer information | Price labels, unit prices, complaint book or complaints procedure where required, opening hours on the door | Consumer protection authority, town hall | In the last week, while stocking the shelves |
| Insurance | Property, liability and possibly business interruption cover | Insurance broker or insurer | When you get the keys, not when you open |
If the list looks long, it is worth knowing that most rows can be settled in a single conversation. An experienced accountant will go through business form, tax, the till and staff with you in an hour, and one visit to the town hall's front desk will settle the questions of the premises and the retail notification. The difficulty is not the quantity but the fact that the order matters.
The premises first — before the lease
The most common and most expensive mistake is finding the perfect spot, signing the lease, and only then asking whether a grocery can operate there. The unit might be registered as an office or a warehouse, the building's rules might forbid food retail, or it might lack something the authority expects for food — a hand-wash basin, proper ventilation or a separate storeroom, for example. Before signing, that is one question; after signing, it is months and money.
- What use are the premises registered for, and may retail and food activity be carried on there? Ask the town hall, not just the landlord.
- Does the lease allow the product range you have in mind, including alcohol, baking on site or chilled goods?
- Is there a hand-wash basin, a toilet, ventilation, and a separate place for stock? For food, missing these is the most common reason for later alterations.
- Whose job and whose cost is it to make alterations if the authority requires something — the landlord's or yours?
- Is there a clear emergency exit, and where does it lead? If there isn't one, it is very hard to add later.
- What do the building or its owners say about the shop sign, outdoor fridge units and opening hours?
- Does the landlord have the necessary paperwork for the premises, and will they hand it over for your applications?
Food and hygiene
If you sell food, almost everywhere there is a separate authority responsible for food safety, and the business has to get onto its register in some form. The exact name and process vary, but the authority wants to know roughly the same things everywhere: where the goods come from, how you store them, how you keep them cold, and how you check all this yourself.
- Official registration or notification of the food business — ask about it when planning the fit-out, not in the last week.
- A hygiene self-check procedure: a simple written system of what the hazards might be and how you monitor them. In many places this is a HACCP-type document.
- Cold chain: a thermometer in every fridge, and a daily temperature record. This is the simplest and most frequently checked point.
- Supplier traceability: keeping delivery notes and invoices, so you know where every product came from.
- A cleaning plan: what you clean, how often, with what, and who signs it off.
- Staff health certificates where they are required — mandatory in some places, not in others, so ask.
- Managing use-by dates: a visible routine for what moves to the front and what comes off the shelf.
If you bake, cook or slice on site — for example baking off bread, making sandwiches or slicing cold meats — that is usually no longer simple retail but food production or handling, and it typically comes with stricter conditions. Ask about it separately, because the requirements for the premises may be different too.
Products needing a separate licence
There are a few product categories that almost every country regulates separately. In some places a notification is enough, elsewhere a separate licence is needed, and in some they are tied to a state concession or a designated type of shop. The key point: clarify this BEFORE you plan your range, because it can fundamentally change your shop's revenue plan.
| Category | Why it's sensitive | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol | In many places a separate licence, restricted selling hours or age checks | Is a licence needed, are there time or local restrictions, how do you verify age |
| Tobacco and similar products | In some countries only sold in designated shops or under a concession | Can you sell it at all, and if so, on what terms |
| Lottery and gambling | Typically tied to a contract with and approval by the operator | Who the operator is, and on what terms they take on a new retailer |
| Over-the-counter medicines | In many places only pharmacies may sell them, elsewhere a narrow range is allowed | Can they be in your range at all, and which products |
| Pet food, live animals | Pet food is usually simple, but live animals fall under separate animal welfare and official rules | What counts as ordinary goods, and what needs a separate licence |
Fire safety, staff, music
Some areas are not about products but about the premises and the people. They are easy to leave for the last week, yet some of them affect the fit-out: if you planned the stockroom shelving in front of the emergency exit, it has to be taken apart before opening.
- A fire extinguisher of the right type in the right place, with a valid inspection — the fire authority or a professional will tell you the exact requirement.
- A clear escape route and emergency exit, with visible signage. This is the one it is most tempting, and most wrong, to turn into storage.
- Electrical wiring that can carry the fridges; in many places a valid inspection of it is required.
- Staff: employment contract, registration before the first working day, working-time records. Your accountant knows the local routine.
- Health and safety basics: a first-aid kit, a non-slip floor, a safe step ladder for the top shelves.
- Background music: in a public place, even the radio or a playlist may be subject to licensing fees. Ask the music licensing organisation what applies to your shop.
The order of steps
The timeline below is a planning suggestion, not a requirement. The actual duration depends on where you open, with what range, and how quickly the authorities respond. The proportions, though, are similar almost everywhere: the first weeks go on asking, the middle on waiting, and the end on everything at once.
- 13–4 months before opening: ask before you signTalk to an accountant about business form and tax, and go to the town hall in person with the premises you have in mind: can it be used as a shop, and what does the retail notification require? If you sell food, ask the food safety authority too. Only sign the lease after that.
- 22 months before: registration and planningComplete business registration and tax registration. Plan the fit-out so that the emergency exit stays clear, and there is a hand-wash basin and room for stock. If you want to sell products needing a separate licence, start the application now.
- 31 month before: till, card, staffSort out the till and receipts according to local rules, sign the card payment contract, and arrange waste collection. If you will have staff, agree the contract now, and the registration with your accountant.
- 4In the last week: check, don't buyA thermometer in every fridge, the fire extinguisher in place, price labels on the shelves, opening hours on the door. Put the folder together with every document. In the last week, don't start new things; go through what you have already sorted out.
- 5On opening day: the receipt and the fridgeA receipt for every sale as local rules require, and the first temperature record in the morning. If something is still missing, write it down, and don't open any section for which the paperwork isn't in place.
- 6In the first month: routine is the real permitThe daily temperature list, the cleaning plan and keeping delivery notes are only worth something if they happen day after day. If the routine settles in during the first month, a later inspection only sees what you do anyway.
The most common costly mistakes
| Mistake | What happens | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Lease first, questions later | It turns out the premises can't be used as a shop, or expensive alterations are needed | Ask the town hall before signing, and ask for a conditional clause |
| A range without licences | Alcohol or tobacco can't go on the shelf, and the planned revenue is missing | Clarify products needing a separate licence before planning the range |
| Storage in front of the emergency exit | It has to be cleared before opening, or an inspection finds it | Mark out the clear route when planning the fit-out |
| Till left to the last day | Buying or registering the device drags on, and you can't issue proper receipts | Sort it out weeks before opening, together with your accountant |
| Staff without registration, "just for a few days" | It can have serious consequences, and the worker isn't protected either | Register before the first working day, even for a trial day |
| No written hygiene routine | At an inspection you can't show what you actually do | A simple one-page list for the fridge and the cleaning, signed daily |
„The most expensive permit is the one you find out you won't get after you have signed the lease.”
In the week before opening
- Every necessary notification, registration and licence is in place, or you know exactly what is missing and when it will come.
- The till or receipt device works, is registered according to local rules, and you have tested it with a trial sale.
- The card terminal works, and you know when the money arrives in your account.
- Every fridge has a thermometer, and you have started the daily record.
- The fire extinguisher is in place, the emergency exit is clear and marked.
- Price labels are on the shelves, with unit prices where required.
- Opening hours and the shop's details are on the door, and where needed the complaint book or complaints procedure is available.
- Staff are registered, and everyone knows where the folder is.
What to keep in the folder for an inspection
An inspection is much shorter and calmer if every document is in one place and nobody has to chase the accountant on the phone. It is worth keeping a ring binder under the counter, holding whatever local rules say may be requested. These typically come up:
- Proof of the business's registration and tax registration.
- The retail activity notification or trading licence, and any licences for products needing one.
- The lease, and if there is one, the document on the permitted use of the premises.
- For food: the official registration, the hygiene self-check procedure, temperature records and the cleaning plan.
- Supplier invoices and delivery notes from the recent period.
- Documentation for the till or receipt device, where this is required.
- Proof of inspection for the fire extinguisher and the electrical wiring.
- Staff contracts and — where required — health certificates.
What not to do
- Don't sign the lease until you have asked the town hall whether the premises can be used as a shop.
- Don't trust a list on the internet — this article included — without local confirmation. Rules change and differ from place to place.
- Don't plan products needing a separate licence into your range until you know whether you can get the licence.
- Don't leave the till and receipts to the last day. From opening day, this has to be done properly on every single sale.
- Don't employ anyone without registering them, not even "just for a few days".
- Don't block the emergency exit, neither at opening nor later because you are short of storage.
- Don't settle anything important verbally. Ask for a written answer, or at least note down who you spoke to, when, and what was said.
Summary
- The list of permits varies by place, but the questions are the same — this article is a map, and the answers have to be confirmed locally.
- Order matters most: ask whether the premises can be used before you sign the lease.
- For food, registration, the cold chain and a written hygiene routine are the foundation.
- Clarify products needing a separate licence before planning your range.
- Sort out the till, card payments and staff registration weeks before opening, not on the last day.
- Keep a folder with every document, and a daily routine that stands up to an inspection.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to open a shop?
It depends heavily on where you open and with what range, so nobody can give you an exact figure. For planning, it is worth assuming that several months typically pass between the first question and opening day, and part of that is waiting for the authorities to respond. If you sell food or products needing a separate licence, or the premises need alterations, expect it to take longer. The people who save the most time are those who ask everywhere at the start rather than leaving the paperwork to the last week.
What should I ask before signing the lease?
First and foremost, whether the premises can be used for retail and, if needed, for food — ask the town hall, not just the landlord. Then whether the lease allows the range you have in mind, whether there is a hand-wash basin, ventilation and a clear emergency exit, and who pays for alterations if the authority requires something. If possible, ask for a conditional clause covering the case where you don't obtain the notification or permit needed to open a shop. It is worth having the exact wording checked by a professional.
Do I need a separate licence to sell alcohol?
In many places, yes, and it often comes with further rules: restricted selling hours, age checks, or in some places an outright ban. In some places a notification is enough; in others a separate licence or fee is required. It is worth asking the town hall or the tax or customs authority, before you plan your range. If a large part of your revenue plan rests on alcohol, make this the first question, not the last.
Do I need a cash register?
In many countries you must issue a proper receipt for cash and card sales, and that requires a certified cash register or another approved device; elsewhere the rules are looser. What you need is for the tax authority or your accountant to tell you — sort it out weeks before opening, because buying and registering the device can take time. Where one is required, Boltom App works alongside the certified till, not instead of it: it is for the work behind the counter, not for issuing receipts. The legally valid receipt always comes from the required device.
What do I need if I also bake bread on site?
If you only sell ready-bought, packaged goods, that is typically simple retail. But if you bake off frozen dough, slice or make sandwiches on site, in many places that already counts as food handling or production, with stricter conditions. The premises may then face more requirements as well: a separate work area, a hand-wash basin, ventilation, where the oven goes. It is worth asking the food safety authority, before you plan the fit-out.
Do I need a licence for background music?
In many countries, yes: if music plays publicly in a shop, whether from the radio or your own playlist, it may be subject to licensing fees. This is typically handled by a national music licensing organisation, which you can ask what applies to your shop and what it costs. There are royalty-free music services too, but it is worth checking that they are really valid for business use. Clarify this before you first switch the music on.
What does an inspection look at?
It depends on which authority comes, but a few things come up almost every time. For food: fridge temperatures and the records, use-by dates, cleanliness, supplier paperwork and the written hygiene routine. A tax inspection looks at receipts and the till, consumer protection at price labels and customer information, fire safety at the extinguisher and the clear exit. If every document is in one folder and the daily routine really happens, an inspection is usually short and calm.
Do I need an accountant from the start?
It is worth talking to one before opening, because business form, tax, the till and staff registration are all decisions that are hard or expensive to change later. An experienced accountant will go through them with you in one conversation, and knows the local routine too. The daily shop work — what is selling, what is left over, how much is wasted — is not something they will watch, though, because that isn't their job. The two complement each other.
Do I need a permit for the shop sign?
In many places, yes, especially if the sign goes on the façade, is illuminated, or projects over public space. The rules of the building or its owners may also restrict it. It is worth asking the town hall and the building's manager before ordering the sign, because altering or removing a finished sign is expensive. Opening hours and the shop's details on the door are mandatory in most places anyway.
What insurance does a shop need?
In many places insurance is not mandatory, but for a shop it is almost always justified. Typically property insurance (fittings, stock), liability insurance (if a customer is injured) and possibly business interruption cover come into question. The lease may also require insurance, so check it. It is worth taking out when you get the keys, not when you open, because the fittings are already in the premises by then.
Do I have to register someone who only helps for a few days?
Almost everywhere, yes: employment typically has to be registered before the first working day, even for a short period or a trial day. Undeclared work can have serious consequences, and the worker isn't protected if an accident happens. The exact form — employment contract, simplified employment or something else — is set by local rules, so discuss it with your accountant. Rules may also apply to help from family members, so ask about that too.
Where do I start if I know nothing about all this?
With two conversations. One with an accountant, who will go through business form, tax, the till and staff with you. The other in person at the town hall, with the address of the premises you have in mind: can it be used as a shop, and what does notifying the retail activity require? If you sell food, the third question is for the food safety authority. These three conversations cover most of the full list, and afterwards you know what really applies to you.
Say the product's name and it's there on the till.
Boltom App takes the work behind the counter off your hands. You find a product by looking at its photo or saying its name out loud — no codes, no scraps of paper. Whatever leaves the shelf or goes in the bin is recorded right there, not in a notebook. It works alongside your existing till, not instead of it.
- A quick code with a photo — or just say the product's name and the till finds it.
- Staff consumption in three taps, recorded under the person's name.
- Daily waste with its reason: expired, broken, unsellable — totalled up in money.
No card needed · 2 minutes
