Calhoun County Public Health Department (CCPHD), Environmental Public Health Division · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department 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 Calhoun County Public Health Department (CCPHD), Environmental Public Health Division issues the health permit.
The restaurant market in Calhoun County
What the local foodservice landscape looks like — useful whether you’re opening here or sizing up the competition.
222
food & drink establishments
4,256
industry jobs
$86M
annual payroll
$20,310
avg wage / worker
72 full-service restaurants
106 limited-service & fast food
15 bars & drinking places
14 snack & coffee bars
▼ 1.8% change in establishments since 2022 (226 → 222).
The average foodservice wage here is $1,750 below the Michigan average ($22,060); Michigan has about 19,760 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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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
Food Service Establishment License
Calhoun County sets food service license fees locally (Michigan law delegates fee-setting to local health departments), but no dollar fee schedule is published on the county website
fees are shown only inside the login-gated CCPHD Environmental Public Health Portal (Hedgerow Software)
Contact 269-969-6341
In Michigan, restaurants/food service establishments are licensed by the local health department (CCPHD); grocery stores and retail food markets are licensed by the state MDARD, not the county; CCPHD licenses/inspects ~500 food service establishments
Plan review — required
plan review fee not published publicly
obtained via CCPHD Environmental Public Health Portal or by contacting the department
Michigan local health departments inspect under the Michigan Food Law/FDA Food Code (priority/core violations); no letter grade or score. Reports on MDARD's online Food Inspection Postings (MiSafe).
Food truck / mobile permit
Mobile Food Establishment License
mobile food unit fee not published publicly
CCPHD licenses mobile units but the fee is available only via the portal or by contacting the department
CCPHD Environmental Public Health licenses mobile food units within Calhoun County
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
Look up a restaurant’s inspection score
Check the health-inspection history and violation scores for any food establishment in Calhoun County and Michigan. MDARD's MiSafe portal lets the public search state food inspection reports, with reports available from April 2022 forward.
About 226 food & drinking establishments serve ~133,366 residents in Calhoun County — one per ~590 residents, sparser than the Michigan average (one per ~501).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Grease trap & FOG requirements
Under Michigan Plumbing Code (based on 2021 IPC), food establishments here must control fats, oils & grease (FOG) with a grease interceptor or trap, and typically register with the local sewer/wastewater authority. Grease interceptors are required under the Michigan Plumbing Code, with FOG limits set by the local wastewater utility.
Size the interceptor with our grease-trap sizing calculator, compare units in the grease-trap catalog, and confirm the local FOG permit with Calhoun County Public Health Department (CCPHD), Environmental Public Health Division (contact above).
Fire suppression & backflow
Hood fire suppression (Michigan Fire Code (based on 2021 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. Commercial kitchen hood suppression follows NFPA 96 as adopted in the Michigan Fire Code, enforced by the Bureau of Fire Services and local fire departments. See do I need a hood? and the hood CFM calculator.
Backflow prevention: Restaurants must install a testable backflow preventer (typically an RPZ) that is tested annually and reported to the local water utility. A certified backflow assembly (often an RPZ) on the water service, tested annually, is standard — confirm with your water utility.
Watch out for
Fee schedule is login-gated (Hedgerow portal); not publicly listed online
Grocery / retail food markets licensed by state MDARD, not the county
Location: 190 E; Michigan Ave, Battle Creek, MI 49014; 269-969-6341
Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction
Category
Annual fee
Notes
Grocery / market with deli
grocery/retail food markets are licensed by the state MDARD, not Calhoun County; MDARD fees not published on the county site
In Michigan, retail food (grocery) is under MDARD state jurisdiction; the county licenses restaurants/food service only
Temporary / seasonal event
Calhoun County issues temporary/special transitory food unit (STFU) licenses but the fee is available only via the login-gated CCPHD portal, not published online
Contact CCPHD Environmental Public Health, 269-969-6341
Equipment your Calhoun 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.
Calhoun County sets food service license fees locally (Michigan law delegates fee-setting to local health departments), but no dollar fee schedule is published on the county website; fees are shown only inside the login-gated CCPHD Environmental Public Health Portal (Hedgerow Software); Contact 269-969-6341 These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Calhoun County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: plan review fee not published publicly; obtained via CCPHD Environmental Public Health Portal or by contacting the department
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Calhoun County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. CCPHD Environmental Public Health licenses mobile food units within Calhoun County
Who issues food permits in Calhoun County?
Food permits here are issued by Calhoun County Public Health Department (CCPHD), Environmental Public Health Division. 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.