Local permits & fees

Berrien County, MI — Commercial Kitchen Permits

Berrien County Health Department, Environmental Health Division · department site →

Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.

Restaurant / food-facility permit

Fixed Food Service Establishment License

Food Service Establishment 0-100 seats $510.00; 101-200 seats $560.00; 201+ seats $610.00 (2026 Environmental Health fee schedule)

Berrien County licenses restaurants/food service establishments only. Grocery stores and other retail food establishments are licensed by the Michigan Dept. of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD), not the county. Change of owner during a license year is pro-rated.

Plan review — required

$100/hour, pre-paid, 2-hour minimum (i.e. $200 minimum); Restaurant start-up packet $25.00; Construction without plan review submission $300.00

Plan-review details & forms →

Food truck / mobile permit

Mobile / Seasonal Food Service (STFU / Transitory Food Unit)

Seasonal/Mobile (Limited) $255.00; Mobile Food Service Commissary License $255.00; Transitory Food Unit (TFU) $330.00 (2026 fee schedule)

In Michigan mobile/temporary units are Special Transitory Food Units (STFU); a licensed commissary is required for mobile operations.

How to apply

See the department site above.

Watch out for

2026 Environmental Health fee schedule figures (published PDF).
Temporary Food Service License $145.00; with application received <48 hrs before event $220.00; issued at event $290.00; non-profit $105.00.
Inspection fee beyond 2nd follow-up $100.00; enforcement re-inspections $300.00.
Restaurants = county health dept; grocery/retail food = MDARD (state).

Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction

Category	Annual fee	Notes
Commissary / central preparation kitchen	$255.00	Mobile Food Service Commissary License (2026 EH fee schedule); required for mobile/STFU operations.
Temporary / seasonal event	$145.00	Temporary Food Service License; $220.00 if application received <48 hrs before event; $290.00 issued at event; $105.00 non-profit.
Pushcart / mobile vending	$255.00	Seasonal/Mobile (Limited) license; Transitory Food Unit (TFU) $330.00. Michigan classifies these as Special Transitory Food Units (STFU).
Grocery / market with deli	null - grocery/retail food establishments are licensed by the Michigan Dept. of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD, state), not Berrien County	Berrien County licenses restaurants/food service only; retail food (grocery) = MDARD.

Michigan statewide rules

Who licenses you, reciprocity, and the state regime.

What equipment you need

Build a tailored equipment checklist for your concept.

Permits & plan review, explained

The stack of approvals before you open.

Sources: www.berriencounty.org · www.berriencounty.org · www.michigan.gov · observed 2026-08-07