Which formalities, and with whom?
The table lists the formalities from the service-public.fr fact sheet “Opening a restaurant” (“Ouvrir un restaurant”). Not all of them apply to every restaurant: a terrace, alcohol or building work depend on your project.
| Formality | With | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Register the restaurant | Guichet des formalités des entreprises, online | Declares that the restaurant exists and what your business does |
| Declare the restaurant | The town hall where the restaurant is located | At least 15 days before opening |
| Declare that you handle food of animal origin | The DDPP of the département | Before opening; only vegan restaurants are exempt |
| Train one person in hygiene | A training organisation | At least one person, training of about 14 hours |
| Obtain the operating permit | A training organisation | If you serve alcohol on the premises; training of at least 20 hours |
| Declare the licence | The town hall, or the prefecture in Paris and Alsace-Moselle | Cerfa No 11542, at least 15 days before opening |
| Set up a terrace | Depends on the location | A temporary occupation permit (AOT) is mandatory |
| Declare the business premises | The business tax office (SIE) | Form No 6660-REV, in the event of a change |
What hygiene training?
At least one person in the restaurant must have completed the mandatory food hygiene training; service-public.fr states that it lasts about 14 hours.
If you serve alcohol: permit and licence
To serve alcohol on the premises, you need an operating permit (permis d’exploitation), obtained after mandatory training of at least 20 hours. It is valid for 10 years, then renewed through further training of at least 6 hours.
You then declare the licence with cerfa form No 11542, at least 15 days before opening, at the town hall or prefecture where the business is located, with proof of identity and the permit certificate. Keep the receipt (cerfa No 11543). Restaurant licences cost nothing; the permit training has to be paid for.
| Licence | What it allows |
|---|---|
| Petite licence restaurant (small restaurant licence) | Serving drinks of 18° or less (beer, wine…) at mealtimes and with food |
| Licence restaurant (restaurant licence) | Serving all drinks, including those over 18°, at mealtimes and with food |
What must be displayed?
Service-public.fr lists two prohibitions to display very visibly: the sale of alcohol to minors and the smoking ban. On top of these comes information on products (wine names, origin of meat, the “fait maison” home-made label…), on services (service included or not, meal vouchers accepted…) and on prices.
Allergens also require written information: our guide on displaying allergens explains the rule.
What other formalities should you plan for?
Depending on your project, other formalities apply.
- Meal vouchers: you do not have to accept them; to be reimbursed, register with the Commission nationale des titres-restaurant (CNTR), and show on your shopfront that you accept them.
- Building work and shopfront: an authorisation from the town hall before you start. Sign: an authorisation, in all cases.
- Selling alcohol to take away: breathalysers must be offered for sale.
- Opening between 10 pm and 8 am: specific rules govern the sale of alcohol at night.
Sources
Service-public.fr, “Opening a restaurant” (“Ouvrir un restaurant”, fact sheet F33794, checked on 13 July 2026).
Service-public.fr, “Drinks licences” (“Licences de débits de boissons”, fact sheet F22379, checked on 27 November 2025).
Formalities vary with your situation — taking over an existing business or starting from scratch, terrace, alcohol: the official fact sheets cover each case in detail.
And at 3E Tech?
3E Tech takes care of the digital side: your restaurant’s website, online and table ordering, the POS. The rules specific to POS software are explained on the MyCaisse website, www.my-caisse.fr.