Business Licensing (Excise & Licenses) — Denver
Denver restaurants are licensed through the Department of Excise and Licenses; the Retail Food License is the core operating license.
What it is. The City operating license(s) issued through Denver's Department of Excise and Licenses. For a restaurant the core license is the Retail Food Establishment License (see separate article); other endorsements may apply.
Who issues it. City and County of Denver — Department of Excise and Licenses (City layer).
When you need it. Before operating.
How to apply. Apply through Denver Excise and Licenses; DDPHE reviews/inspects the facility.
Fees. Per the Excise & Licenses schedule — see source (⟢ VERIFY).
What SpoonSeal tracks. The document(s) you upload for this requirement, with automatic renewal/expiration tracking (Current, Due Soon, Expired). Where the city publishes health-inspection results (e.g., NYC and Chicago), SpoonSeal syncs them automatically; elsewhere they can be added manually.
References
- City and County of Denver, Business Licenses — https://www.denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Business-Licensing — Official source last checked: 2026-07-02
Stay ahead of this requirement
SpoonSeal stores your documents, tracks expirations, and reminds you before anything lapses — so you are always inspection-ready.
Get started free →This guide is informational and not legal advice. Always confirm current requirements with the official agency linked above.