The licenses & permits, equipment, space and timeline to open a deli / sandwich shop — a practical checklist you can act on. Sized to your seats and menu.
Planning checklist, not legal or code advice — your local authority (AHJ) sets the final requirements.
Reviewed monthly · last reviewed 2026-08-10. Fees and rules vary by area — confirm current requirements with your local authority.
Get this tailored to you. Use the opening planner to enter your size and ZIP and get your exact local permit office, fees and a scaled equipment list, or read how to open a deli / sandwich shop for the full step-by-step.
Licenses & permits
The typical set for a deli / sandwich shop — about 10. Some depend on your build-out, staffing and whether you serve alcohol. Fees and steps vary by city and county.
Foundational
Employer Identification Number (EIN) — Free federal tax ID from the IRS; needed to hire staff, open a business bank account and file taxes.
Business entity / registration — Register your LLC, corporation, or sole-proprietor DBA with your state so the business legally exists.
General business license — The basic license to operate, issued by your city or county.
Sales-tax permit / seller's permit — Register to collect and remit sales tax; it also lets you buy inventory wholesale for resale.
Food safety
Food service establishment permit — The core health-department permit to run a food business; issued after your inspection passes.
Food handler cards & manager certification — Food-handler training for staff plus at least one Certified Food Protection Manager (e.g. ServSafe Manager).
Plan review / kitchen approval — Submit kitchen plans to the health department before you build or open; they review layout, finishes and equipment.
Pre-opening health inspection — An on-site inspection that must pass before your operating permit is issued.
Facility
Certificate of Occupancy — Confirms the space is legal to occupy for your use; usually required before you can open.
Legal & insurance
General liability & property insurance — Protects the business; landlords and lenders usually require a certificate of insurance (COI). Add liquor liability if you serve alcohol.
Undercounter refrigerationEssential Cold at the line where space is tight.
Refrigerated prep tableEssential Cold rail + work surface for assembly.
Ice machineEssential Sized by covers + drink program; water is the constraint.
Sandwich / salad prep tableEssential Cold rail for made-to-order sandwiches and salads.
Reach-in freezerRecommended Frozen storage; low duty for most concepts.
Refrigerated display caseRecommended Grab-and-go, pastry and deli display.
Warewashing & sanitation
3-compartment sinkEssential Wash / rinse / sanitize — required in nearly every kitchen.
Hand sink(s)Essential Dedicated hand-washing; count grows with stations.
Mop / service sinkEssential Required for cleaning water disposal.
Commercial dish machineRecommended High- or low-temp; sized by racks/hour.
Food prep
Stainless work tablesEssential Prep and staging; 304 near water, 430 for dry.
Meat / deli slicerEssential Consistent slicing for deli and sandwich lines.
Storage
Wire / dry shelvingEssential Dry-goods and smallware storage; epoxy or poly in humidity.
Ventilation & safety
Type I exhaust hood + suppressionEssential Required over grease/smoke; the largest single build line.
Class K + ABC extinguishersEssential Class K wherever there's hot oil; annual cert.
Commercial water heaterEssential Sized to peak simultaneous demand; goes into plan review.
Holding & service
Heat lamps / passRecommended Keeps plated/expo food hot to the window.
Beverage & front
POS + paymentEssential Offline queueing is the spec that matters.
Build a tailored, scaled list with the equipment configurator, and confirm each item is NSF listed and whether your cook line needs a Type I hood.
Space & sizing
Plan roughly 15 sq ft per seat for the dining room and another 5–7 per seat for kitchen and support space — so a 60-seat dining room needs about 900 sq ft of dining plus 300–450 sq ft of kitchen. Confirm occupancy limits, restrooms and exits with your building and fire officials.
Estimated time to open: typically 4–9 months. Typical phases and durations:
Concept & business plan2–8 weeks
Register the business1–2 weeks
Site & lease3–10 weeks
Design & plan review3–10 weeks
Building & construction permits2–8 weeks
Build-out & construction6–16 weeks
Order & install equipment2–10 weeks
Food permits & certifications2–6 weeks
Inspections & Certificate of Occupancy2–6 weeks
Hire & train2–6 weeks
Soft open & launch1–3 weeks
See the full sequence and long-pole items in the opening timeline.
Cost & staffing
Two more planning steps once you know what you need:
Budget — the cost-to-open calculator gives an itemized startup budget with your county’s real permit fees.
Staffing — the staffing planner suggests a roster and labor-cost target.
Frequently asked
What do you need to open a deli / sandwich shop?
At a high level: the licenses and permits your jurisdiction requires (typically around 10 for this business), the right commercial equipment for your menu, enough space laid out to code, and the time and budget to build it out. This page lists the permits and equipment; use the opening planner to tailor it to your size and location, and see <a href="../../guides/how-to-open-a-deli/">how to open a deli / sandwich shop</a> for the step-by-step.
How much does it cost to open a deli / sandwich shop?
It varies widely by size, location and whether you take over an existing space or build from a raw shell. Use the cost-to-open calculator to get an itemized budget with a low-to-high range on every line, adjusted for your region and linked to your county's real permit fees.
Are these the exact requirements for my area?
No — permits, fees and code details are set locally and change. Treat this as a planning checklist, enter your ZIP in the opening planner to pull your county's actual permit office and fees, and confirm everything with your local building, fire and health departments.