PermitDueHow Long Does It Take to Get a Business License? [By State]
March 26, 2026 · Daniel Amar·Last updated: March 26, 2026
It depends on the license
Quick answer: A general business license takes 1 to 14 days. A liquor license takes 45 days to over a year. A health permit takes 4 to 12 weeks. A contractor license takes 6 to 18 weeks. Start with the slowest one.
When people ask "how long does it take to get a business license?" they're usually asking about the general city business license. That one is fast. But if you need a liquor license, a contractor license, or a health permit, you're looking at weeks to months. The mistake most people make is starting with the fast ones and leaving the slow ones for last.
General business license: 1 to 14 days
California: 1 to 5 business days. Texas: same day to 2 weeks. Florida: 1 to 2 weeks. NYC doesn't require one. This is almost never the bottleneck.
Liquor license: 45 days to over a year
California (ABC): 60 to 120 days, longer with public hearings. Texas (TABC): 45 to 60 days. Florida (DBPR): 60 to 90 days for non-quota. New York (SLA): 60 to 120 days plus community board notification. If your business plan includes alcohol, file this the day you sign your lease.
Health department permit: 4 to 12 weeks
Plan review takes 2 to 6 weeks. Inspection scheduling adds 1 to 4 weeks. Fail the inspection and add another 1 to 4 weeks for corrections and re-inspection.
Contractor license: 6 to 18 weeks
California (CSLB): 12 to 18 weeks. Florida (CILB): 6 to 12 weeks state, 2 to 6 weeks county. Texas specialty trades: 4 to 8 weeks.
Other permits
Cosmetology establishment license: 2 to 8 weeks. Fire inspection: 1 to 3 weeks. Sign permit: 1 to 4 weeks. Certificate of Occupancy: 2 to 4 weeks without construction, months with.
The strategy: start with the longest lead time
Order of applications, from slowest to fastest: liquor license, contractor license, health department plan review, building permit, fire inspection, health inspection, then business license, sales tax permit, sign permit, and CO.
Don't fly blind
Run the free permit checker before you sign a lease to see every permit, fee, and agency for your business type and location. Check the full list for bars in Los Angeles or restaurants in Austin. Then track every deadline with a permit tracker.