Nevada Department of Agriculture - Food Safety Program (statewide; formerly NV Division of Public & Behavioral Health, transferred July 1, 2025 per SB 466) · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Elko County food-facility health permits run about $125–$200 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $332–$498. Confirm the exact amount with Nevada Department of Agriculture - Food Safety Program (statewide; formerly NV Division of Public & Behavioral Health, transferred July 1, 2025 per SB 466) 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 Nevada Department of Agriculture - Food Safety Program (statewide; formerly NV Division of Public & Behavioral Health, transferred July 1, 2025 per SB 466) issues the health permit.
The restaurant market in Elko County
What the local foodservice landscape looks like — useful whether you’re opening here or sizing up the competition.
116
food & drink establishments
1,431
industry jobs
$38M
annual payroll
$26,365
avg wage / worker
29 full-service restaurants
42 limited-service & fast food
22 bars & drinking places
15 snack & coffee bars
5 mobile food & trucks
▲ 4.5% change in establishments since 2022 (111 → 116).
The average foodservice wage here is $981 below the Nevada average ($27,346); Nevada has about 7,337 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: 2026-08-21 — 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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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 Establishment Permit
$200 for first 40 seats + $1.50 each additional seat (restaurant)
take-out restaurant $125 for first 40 seats + $1.50/seat
UNIFORM STATEWIDE schedule under NAC 446.830, now administered by the Nevada Dept of Agriculture for all counties without a local health authority; Same fee applies across all NDA-served NV rural counties; Elko has an NDA field office (1020 Ruby Vista Dr, Ste 103, Elko)
How inspection results are scored/posted here is pending verification — ask the department.
Food truck / mobile permit
Mobile Unit Permit
$166 per mobile unit annually (NAC 446.840)
Statewide NAC schedule
How to apply
See the department site above.
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 $499.50–$864 for Elko County:
$1.50–$200 — food-facility permit
$332–$498 — plan review
$166 — 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 Elko County’s permit cost compares
At about $125/year, Elko County’s restaurant health permit is about the Nevada median ($125) and about the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 57% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 1st-lowest of 11 Nevada 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 111 food & drinking establishments serve ~54,293 residents in Elko County — one per ~489 residents, sparser than the Nevada average (one per ~447).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$125 annual health permit + $332 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
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 locally adopted 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 Nevada Department of Agriculture - Food Safety Program (statewide; formerly NV Division of Public & Behavioral Health, transferred July 1, 2025 per SB 466) (contact above).
Fire suppression & backflow
Hood fire suppression: 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 fire code adopted 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.
Equipment your Elko 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.
This is a typical sequence — confirm the exact sequence with your authority having jurisdiction.
Confirm whether Elko County or another local jurisdiction (city/district) handles your exact address.
Confirm zoning and permitted use.
Prepare your menu and scaled plans.
Include an equipment schedule with ANSI/NSF spec sheets.
Submit water-heater and hood documentation.
Pay plan-review fees.
Respond to plan-check corrections.
Obtain Environmental Health plan approval.
Obtain building, plumbing, mechanical and fire approvals.
Schedule rough-plumbing, pre-final and final health inspections.
Pay the operating-permit / application fees.
Receive approval before storing or preparing food.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a food permit in Elko County?
$200 for first 40 seats + $1.50 each additional seat (restaurant); take-out restaurant $125 for first 40 seats + $1.50/seat These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Elko County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: $498 (new establishment) + annual permit fee; remodel $332 + one-half annual permit fee (NAC 446.835)
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Elko County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Statewide NAC schedule
Who issues food permits in Elko County?
Food permits here are issued by Nevada Department of Agriculture - Food Safety Program (statewide; formerly NV Division of Public & Behavioral Health, transferred July 1, 2025 per SB 466). 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.