Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Fond du Lac County food-facility health permits run about $100–$608 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $115–$770. Confirm the exact amount with Fond du Lac County Health 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 Fond du Lac County Health Department issues the health permit.
The restaurant market in Fond du Lac County
What the local foodservice landscape looks like — useful whether you’re opening here or sizing up the competition.
216
food & drink establishments
3,485
industry jobs
$62M
annual payroll
$17,809
avg wage / worker
76 full-service restaurants
68 limited-service & fast food
42 bars & drinking places
18 snack & coffee bars
▲ 0.9% change in establishments since 2022 (214 → 216).
The average foodservice wage here is $2,531 below the Wisconsin average ($20,340); Wisconsin has about 13,939 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: 2026-08-18 — 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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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 →
Mobiles licensed under the same serving-meals / not-serving-meals complexity categories; a separate Mobile Food Establishment Application is used; Transient (serving & not serving) license $100
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 $215–$1,378 for Fond du Lac County:
$100–$608 — food-facility permit
$115–$770 — plan review
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 Fond du Lac County’s permit cost compares
At about $100/year, Fond du Lac County’s restaurant health permit is below the Wisconsin median ($159) and below the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 45% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 2nd-lowest of 18 Wisconsin 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 214 food & drinking establishments serve ~103,948 residents in Fond du Lac County — one per ~486 residents, sparser than the Wisconsin average (one per ~430).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$100 annual health permit + $115 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 Wisconsin Plumbing Code (SPS 382), 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 Wisconsin plumbing code, with FOG limits set by the municipal sewer utility.
Size the interceptor with our grease-trap sizing calculator, compare units in the grease-trap catalog, and confirm the local FOG permit with Fond du Lac County Health Department (contact above).
Fire suppression & backflow
Hood fire suppression (Wisconsin adopts the IFC via SPS 314): 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 through Wisconsin's fire and building codes, inspected by the local fire authority. 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.
Equipment your Fond du Lac 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 Fond du Lac 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 Fond du Lac County?
Annual license: Beverage Only/Tavern $163, Pre-packaged $200, Simple $394, Moderate $487, Complex $608 (Transient $100) These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Fond du Lac County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: One-time pre-inspection fee (new establishment or change of ownership): Tavern $115, Prepackaged $130, Simple $320, Moderate $470, Complex $770
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Fond du Lac County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Mobiles licensed under the same serving-meals / not-serving-meals complexity categories; a separate Mobile Food Establishment Application is used; Transient (serving & not serving) license $100
Who issues food permits in Fond du Lac County?
Food permits here are issued by Fond du Lac County Health Department. 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.