Catering Business Permit Requirements in Des Moines, IA

Complete permit and license guide for starting a catering business in Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa.

Verified 2026-09-03 5 stops $500–$1,500 est. 4–8 weeks
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Not legal advice. Requirements may change — always verify with your local government authority before applying. Key agencies and fees on this page were re-checked against official government sources on .

Federal — start here

1 stop

  1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

    Required if you have employees or operate as an LLC or corporation. Free from the IRS.

    Official government source

    FreeImmediate (online application)

State of Iowa

2 stops

  1. Iowa Department of Revenue — Sales Tax Permit

    Required for businesses selling taxable goods or services in Iowa. The state rate is 6%, and local option sales tax of up to 1% may apply. Iowa taxes about 75 enumerated services, so check whether your service is taxable before assuming you need a permit. Register with the Iowa Department of Revenue online.

    Official government source

    Free — no fee to register for a sales tax permitRegister online through GovConnectIowa, the state's tax portal

  2. Certified Food Protection Manager (Iowa DIAL)

    Iowa follows FDA Food Code 2-102.12: the person in charge of a food establishment must be a certified food protection manager who has passed a test from an accredited program. Certification is earned through ANSI-accredited providers such as ServSafe (offered through the Iowa Restaurant Association) and other approved online or in-person courses; the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing lists the accepted programs but does not itself run the training.

    Official government source

    No state fee — course and exam prices are set by the private ANSI-accredited providersMost providers run the course and exam in one or two days

City of Des Moines / Polk County

2 stops

  1. Iowa DIAL — Food Service Establishment License (catering)

    A catering operation in Des Moines needs a Food Service Establishment license, the category that covers restaurants, caterers, and commissaries. Polk County is not one of the ten local health departments contracted to license food establishments in Iowa, so the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing Food Safety Bureau licenses and inspects Des Moines caterers directly. A licensed commercial kitchen, a plan review, and a pre-opening inspection are required, and the license covers only the premises it was issued for.

    Official government source

    Tiered by annual gross sales, $150 to $400; applicants without prior sales figures pay the $400 maximumApply at least 30 days before your intended operating date; the license must be issued before you open

  2. No Des Moines General Business License Required

    Des Moines has no general or blanket business license, and the Development Services Department does not issue one. The City Clerk's Office licenses only specific regulated activities - alcohol, tobacco, transient merchants, mobile food vendors, peddlers, pawnbrokers, theaters, coin-operated machines, solid waste haulers and similar categories. Most businesses need nothing from the Clerk. What a commercial tenant does need is a Certificate of Occupancy for the space, issued by the Permit and Development Center, and home-based businesses go through home occupation review with Zoning Enforcement.

    Official government source

    Nothing - there is no such license. A commercial Certificate of Occupancy is $51.50Not applicable

Terminus

Open for business — est. $500–$1,500 · 4–8 weeks

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