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Common Victualler License

The Common Victualler License is a food service license that lets you operate a restaurant or food service establishment in Boston.

You must get this license before you can open to the public or receive a Food Service Permit from Inspectional Services (ISD). The Boston Licensing Board issues this license.

Renew your license by the end of October every year. If you don’t, you will need to pay a late fee and we may take your license away.

Who Can Apply

Any person or business that wants to sell food at a fixed location in the City of Boston must get a Common Victualler license (CV). This includes:

  • Sit-down restaurants
  • Cafes
  • Takeout-only establishments

You don’t need a CV if you’re opening one of these kinds of food businesses:

  • Mobile carts and buses
  • Taverns
  • Bakeries with no seating
  • Convenience stores with no seating, or where the amount of money made from prepared foods isn't more than 10 percent of the annual revenue

Before You Apply

The Common Victualler license is tied to a physical address, not just a business.

If your location doesn’t already have a Licensing Board-approved Common Victualler license, you must attend a public hearing before the Board. If your business address already has a Licensing Board approved food establishment, you may not have to hold a hearing.

Contact your neighborhood liaison to figure out whether any community process (such as flyering, an abutter’s meeting, or a presentation to a civic or neighborhood organization) will be required as part of the application.

Required Documents

Required Documents

Have the following documents ready before you apply. We can’t accept incomplete applications.

  • A completed Common Victualler (CV) application form
  • A signed copy of your lease agreement in your business entity's name
    • Or an agreement to lease signed by both the landlord and tenant
    • Or a deed
  • An 8½-inch by 11-inch floor plan showing the basic layout of your space
  • A completed Personal Information Form for every owner, shareholder, officer, manager, and person with a financial interest in the business
  • A Wage Theft Prevention form

If your restaurant has more than 49 seats:

  • A valid Inspection Certificate from the Inspectional Services Department (ISD)

If you are takeout only (no seats):

If your capacity is 50 or more people:

If your business is not a sole proprietorship:

For outdoor seating:

  • On private property: An updated Inspection Certificate listing the patio capacity, or a Use of Premises permit from ISD
  • On public property: An Outdoor Dining Permit

Fees

Establishment Type Annual Fee
Restaurant with seats $100 base fee, plus $1 per seat
Takeout only (no seats) $210

Do not submit payment until Licensing Board staff asks you to.

Accepted payment methods:

  • Online: Credit card, debit card, or electronic check (EFT)
  • By mail: Check payable to "City of Boston" (include your license name and number in the memo)
  • In person: Cash (by appointment only)

There is a 2.75% fee for credit and debit card transactions. There is no fee for electronic check payments. Rejected online payments will incur an additional fee.

Application

Submit your application at least four weeks before you plan to open or make changes to your location. This gives us enough time to review everything and have a vote.

Online

We only process applications through our online portal.

Licensing Board Online Portal

What to Expect After Applying

Hearing and Vote

After we process your application, you will either be scheduled for a hearing before the Board, or, in the case of a previously-licensed location, your application will move straight to a vote.

Licensing Board transactional hearings are typically held twice a month on Wednesdays, and voting hearings typically held twice a month on Thursdays. We will contact you with the date and time and let you know whether you need to appear. 

Review the Licensing Board hearing schedule.

You can submit the Inspection Certificate and Place of Assembly Permit after your hearing.

What to Expect After Approval

If the Board approves your license, you must submit updated copies of your Inspection Certificate and Place of Assembly Permit (if applicable) before you can pick up your license.

Post Your License

Once you receive your license, post it in a visible location at your establishment.

Keep in mind: You must get your Common Victualler License before you can receive a Food Service Health Permit from the ISD Health Division.

Renewals

Renewals

You have to renew your license by the end of October every year. If you don't, you will be charged a late fee and we may take your license away. The renewal window opens on October 1.

The late fee is double the fee of your Common Victualler license.

The Board mails renewal packets in late September. If you don’t get yours by October 1, contact the Board at 617-635-4170 or RenewCV@boston.gov.

Tip: Use your smartphone to submit the renewal application. You can take a photo of the completed forms and permits and then upload them in our portal.

  1. Complete the renewal application included in your packet.
  2. Upload the application and required documents through the Licensing Board renewals portal. Don’t email the renewal application. We won’t accept it.
  3. You’ll get an automated confirmation email from Google Forms with a copy of your application.
  4. Submit payment online, by mail, or in person.
  5. Watch for a status update email from Licensing Board staff, usually within 7 days. Reply directly if they ask for additional documents. Do not submit a new application.
  6. Once your renewal is complete, you will receive a confirmation email. Save this as a receipt and be prepared to present it when you pick up your license.
  7. Pick up your physical license at City Hall Room 809 starting the second week of December. We will not email licenses.

Filing and paying the renewal fee online doesn’t mean your renewal application is complete. A member of the Board’s staff will review the submission. They will let you know if your application is complete, or if they need more information or documents.

Sending separate emails or submitting another renewal application on the Google Form will delay the review of your application.

Only an officer or manager listed on the license renewal (Board approved) may sign the renewal application. If you need to change a manager or corporate office, please complete the correct form and submit it on the Licensing Board portal.

Note: You need a Google account to submit the online renewal form. If you don’t have one, you can create a free Google account. 

You may also renew in person at City Hall kiosks in Room 809.

  • Completed renewal application (included in your renewal packet)
  • A three-tiered invoice or bill
  • Wage Theft Prevention form
  • Inspection Certificate (not required if your capacity is under 50)
  • Place of Assembly Permit or proof of payment (required if your capacity is 50 or more)    
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