Restaurants, commercial kitchens, and food trucks.
Benton-Franklin Health District (BFHD), Food Safety / Environmental Health (serves both Benton and Franklin counties, incl. Kennewick, Richland and West Richland in Benton County - the Tri-Cities) · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Benton County food-facility health permits run about $200–$700 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $250–$800. Confirm the exact amount with Benton-Franklin Health District (BFHD), Food Safety / Environmental Health (serves both Benton and Franklin counties, incl. Kennewick, Richland and West Richland in Benton County - the Tri-Cities) before you budget.
Confirm the authority for your exact address. Some cities run their own health division, and building, planning, fire, sewer/grease and business-license approvals are separate even when Benton-Franklin Health District (BFHD), Food Safety / Environmental Health (serves both Benton and Franklin counties, incl. Kennewick, Richland and West Richland in Benton County - the Tri-Cities) issues the health permit.
The restaurant market in Benton County
What the local foodservice landscape looks like — useful whether you’re opening here or sizing up the competition.
465
food & drink establishments
7,604
industry jobs
$206M
annual payroll
$27,139
avg wage / worker
154 full-service restaurants
148 limited-service & fast food
31 bars & drinking places
91 snack & coffee bars
24 mobile food & trucks
▲ 5.9% change in establishments since 2022 (439 → 465).
The average foodservice wage here is $3,533 below the Washington average ($30,672); Washington has about 17,386 food & drink establishments statewide.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023 (NAICS 722, food services & drinking places) — establishments with paid employees. Some small-county payroll figures are withheld by Census for confidentiality.
Last verified: 2026-08-17 — we re-confirmed the serving authority, its contact, and that the fees below match the current published schedule. Fee schedules may carry an earlier effective date (shown per fee); local ordinances & amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date? Report an update →
Restaurant / food-facility permit
Annual Health Permit - Food Service (Restaurant), by seating capacity and risk level
Risk Level 1 / 2 / 3 by seats:
0-20 seats $200 / $300 / $400
21-50 seats $300 / $400 / $500
51-100 seats $400 / $500 / $600
101+ seats $500 / $600 / $700 per year (Effective 01/01/2024)
Risk Level (1-3) is assigned by menu/process complexity; Change of Ownership $250; Remodel/Menu Review/Pre-Op $150; Plan Approval with less than 3 weeks notice $200; Risk Level increase $100 per level
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
What it costs in permit fees to open here
The government permit & plan-review fees below total roughly $650–$2,000 for Benton County:
$200–$700 — food-facility permit
$250–$800 — plan review
$200–$500 — food-truck permit
That’s the paperwork only. Add buildout, equipment, deposits and licenses with the cost-to-open calculator. Fees change — confirm current amounts with the department.
How Benton County’s permit cost compares
At about $200/year, Benton County’s restaurant health permit is below the Washington median ($292) and above the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 77% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 7th-lowest of 30 Washington counties by permit cost.
Comparison uses the lowest published annual restaurant-permit figure in each county; confirm your exact tier with the department.
Local food-service market
About 439 food & drinking establishments serve ~215,219 residents in Benton County — one per ~490 residents, denser than the Washington average (one per ~521).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$200 annual health permit + $250 plan review.
Plus building, fire, and business-license fees that vary locally — use the cost calculators and the checklist below to budget the full stack.
Grease trap & FOG requirements
Under UPC, food establishments here must control fats, oils & grease (FOG) with a grease interceptor or trap, and typically register with the local sewer/wastewater authority. A grease interceptor sized to the state plumbing code is required, with a municipal sewer-authority FOG discharge permit.
Size the interceptor with our grease-trap sizing calculator, compare units in the grease-trap catalog, and confirm the local FOG permit with Benton-Franklin Health District (BFHD), Food Safety / Environmental Health (serves both Benton and Franklin counties, incl. Kennewick, Richland and West Richland in Benton County - the Tri-Cities) (contact above).
Fire suppression & backflow
Hood fire suppression (IFC): commercial cooking under a Type I hood needs a wet-chemical suppression system to NFPA 96, permitted and inspected by the local fire marshal. Type I hood fire suppression must meet NFPA 96 and the state fire code enforced by the local fire authority. See do I need a hood? and the hood CFM calculator.
Backflow prevention: An approved backflow preventer with a certified annual test is required by the local water purveyor. A certified backflow assembly (often an RPZ) on the water service, tested annually, is standard — confirm with your water utility.
Watch out for
Benton-Franklin Health District is a bi-county district covering both Benton and Franklin counties (the Tri-Cities), so the same fee schedule applies across Benton County
Fees are set on a seating x risk-level (1/2/3) grid for restaurants and mobiles; the plan review fee is a separate column of the same grid
Qualified Operator at a temporary event $30 / $45 / $60 by hazard
Pushcart / mobile vending
Mobile Unit (per unit) by risk: Risk 1 $200; Risk 2 $300; Risk 3 $400 (plan review $500); Concessions (Seasonal) $200 / $300 / $400
Commissary required (Commissary Use add-on $100)
Equipment your Benton County plan review will check
Health-department plan review looks for specific, code-compliant fixtures. Compare spec-filtered options, then confirm counts and sizes with your local requirements. See the full list in what equipment a commercial kitchen requires.
Risk Level 1 / 2 / 3 by seats: 0-20 seats $200 / $300 / $400; 21-50 seats $300 / $400 / $500; 51-100 seats $400 / $500 / $600; 101+ seats $500 / $600 / $700 per year (Effective 01/01/2024); source https://www.bfhd.wa.gov/UserFiles/Servers/Server_10765972/File/FOOD%20SAFETY/2024%20BFHD%20Food%20Establishment%20Fee%20Schedule.pdf These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Benton County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: Plan Review by seating: Food Service 0-20 seats $500; 21-50 seats $600; 51-100 seats $700; 101+ seats $800. Mobile Unit plan review $500; Caterer $350; Commissary Kitchen $250; Cocktail Lounge/Bar $300; source https://www.bfhd.wa.gov/UserFiles/Servers/Server_10765972/File/FOOD%20SAFETY/2024%20BFHD%20Food%20Establishment%20Fee%20Schedule.pdf
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Benton County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Commissary is required (Commissary Use add-on $100); Concessions (Seasonal) are a distinct class at $200 / $300 / $400 by risk
Who issues food permits in Benton County?
Food permits here are issued by Benton-Franklin Health District (BFHD), Food Safety / Environmental Health (serves both Benton and Franklin counties, incl. Kennewick, Richland and West Richland in Benton County - the Tri-Cities). See the department site for current details.
Are city building and fire approvals separate?
Yes — building, plumbing, mechanical and fire approvals are always separate from the health permit and are often handled by different offices.