Denver Waiving Restaurant Licensing Renewal Fees For 2021

DENVER (CBS4) - The City and County of Denver will waive restaurant renewal licensing fees for 2021. The fees can range between $125 and $400 for each establishment.

The fees help fund food safety inspections, licensing and regulation enforcement. The city says they received $774,000 in renewal fees for 2020.

(credit: CBS)

Businesses which have paid their 2021 fees can ask for a reimbursement from the Department of Excise and Licenses by calling 311. Licensing is still required.

Last month, the state legislature passed a bill allowing for the fees to be waived through December 2021.

In order for the fees to be waived, the city had to ask the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to be reimbursed with state funding.

City officials say the number of licensed restaurants is down 36% compared to February 28, 2020 before the pandemic. They add applications for new restaurants dropped 58% in 2020 compared to 2019.