Restaurant Business

All restaurants pay a tax on their gross receipts from food, other sales and non-alcoholic beverages. Each restaurant must file a report based on their gross receipts quarterly. Currently this tax is set at 1.5%.

Established restaurants that need to report their gross receipts may download a copy of the Gross Receipts Tax Report form (L416902) or proceed to the Online Business License Renewals, Returns, and Payments page.

To apply for a Restaurant Business License follow the steps below.

If you still have questions about your business type, please contact our office at 314-622-4528 to find out the appropriate steps that you will need to follow to obtain a business license for the City of St. Louis.

Step 2: Register the Restaurant

Visit the License Collector’s office in Room 104 of City Hall in person to register your restaurant.

For your convenience, you may download the Restaurant Registration form and complete it before coming to our office.

Step 3: Obtain Statement of Clearance

In addition to visiting the License Collector’s office, you will also need to obtain a clearance from the Collector of Revenue’s office at the location below:

City Hall Room 410
1200 Market St.
St. Louis, MO 63103
(314) 622-3291

St. Louis City Ordinance 63454
St. Louis City Revised Code Chapter 8.02.010 - Statement of Clearance requirement

Step 4: Obtain Occupancy Permit

You must also obtain an Occupancy Permit from the Building Division at the location below:

Building Division
Department of Public Safety
City Hall Room 425
1200 Market St.
St. Louis, MO 63103
(314) 622-3313

Step 5: Obtain Health Permit

Finally, obtain a health permit from the Health Department. The Health Department requires a copy of your paid receipt for a Graduated Business License. Their location is listed below.

Health Department
City of St. Louis
1520 Market St.
Saint Louis, MO 63103
(314) 657-1539

Step 6: Register with the Comptroller's Office

After obtaining Health Permit you will need to register with the Comptroller’s Office Accounting Services at the location below:

Central Business Index
City Hall, Room 311
1200 Market St.
St. Louis, MO 63103
(314)622-3373

Once all clearances and payments are received, you will be able to obtain your license to do business in the City of St. Louis.

If you pay by check, the license application may be held for several working days until the check clears.

A separate Graduated Business License is required for each business location or trade name (St. Louis City Ordinance 52030).

Please visit our general information page to get more important information that you will need to know before obtaining your business license.

For more information about the License Collector's Office other resources and services, please visit our office home page. Once you are there, you will find a list of links to the various other resources and services provided by our office.