Local permits & fees

Cuyahoga County, OH — Commercial Kitchen Permits

Cleveland Department of Public Health (city); Cuyahoga County Board of Health (CCBH) for suburbs · department site →

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

Restaurant / food-facility permit

Food Service Operation / Retail Food Establishment license (City of Cleveland)

Commercial by risk level (<25,000 sq ft): L1 $252, L2 $274, L3 $468, L4 $576. (>=25,000 sq ft): L1 $334, L2 $350, L3 $1,076, L4 $1,138. Non-commercial L1 approx $126 to L4 $569.

Confirmed 2026-08-10 from Cleveland 2026 License Fee Schedule. Commercial fees shown are total (local + $28 state); non-commercial state portion is $14. Late fee (application not postmarked by March 1, 2026) adds approximately $4.57-$277.50 depending on class.

Plan review — required

Cleveland: New operations $500 commercial / $250 non-commercial; Extensive alteration $250 commercial / $125 non-commercial. CCBH (suburbs): $345 (Class 1-2) or $425 (Class 3-4); optional expedite +$500 for action within 3 business days.

Turnaround: CCBH expedite option = 3 business days for a complete plan set

Plan-review details & forms →

Food truck / mobile permit

Mobile Food Truck license (City of Cleveland)

High risk $428; Low risk $228

Confirmed 2026-08-10 from Cleveland 2026 License Fee Schedule.

How to apply

Apply / county portal →Forms & applications

Watch out for

Cleveland charges dramatically more for large high-risk operations: a Level 3 commercial FSO jumps from $468 (<25,000 sq ft) to $1,076 (>=25,000 sq ft).
Cleveland imposes an escalating late fee (approx $4.57-$277.50) if the license is not postmarked by March 1.

Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction

Category	Annual fee	Notes
temporary/seasonal/special-event	$130 commercial / $65 non-commercial	Temporary FSO/RFE, City of Cleveland Dept of Public Health. Confirmed 2026 fee schedule.
pushcart/limited operation	$24.30	Vending (vending machine) license. Confirmed 2026 fee schedule.
caterer	—	Ohio uses statewide risk-level FSO/RFE classification (Risk Level 1-4 by size); no separate caterer/bakery/grocery-deli/bar license - all licensed as commercial FSO/RFE by risk level
food processing/wholesale	—	Food manufacturing/wholesale licensed by Ohio Dept of Agriculture, not the local health district

Ohio 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.clevelandohio.gov · ccbh.net · ccbh.net · observed 2026-08-10