Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Greene County food-facility health permits run about $28–$1,598 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $400. Confirm the exact amount with Greene County Public Health 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 Greene County Public Health issues the health permit.
The restaurant market in Greene County
What the local foodservice landscape looks like — useful whether you’re opening here or sizing up the competition.
362
food & drink establishments
8,007
industry jobs
$164M
annual payroll
$20,437
avg wage / worker
118 full-service restaurants
154 limited-service & fast food
17 bars & drinking places
45 snack & coffee bars
3 mobile food & trucks
▲ 2.8% change in establishments since 2022 (352 → 362).
The average foodservice wage here is $191 below the Ohio average ($20,628); Ohio has about 24,162 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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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 Operation (FSO) / Retail Food Establishment (RFE) license
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 $456–$2,226 for Greene County:
$28–$1,598 — food-facility permit
$400 — plan review
$28–$228 — 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 Greene County’s permit cost compares
At about $28/year, Greene County’s restaurant health permit is about the Ohio median ($28) and below the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 3% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 13th-lowest of 54 Ohio 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 352 food & drinking establishments serve ~169,691 residents in Greene County — one per ~482 residents, denser than the Ohio average (one per ~574).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$28 annual health permit + $400 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 Ohio 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 Ohio Plumbing Code, with FOG discharge limits enforced by the local sewer authority.
Hood fire suppression (Ohio 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 Ohio Fire Code and is 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.
Watch out for
Fees scale by Ohio risk Level 1-4 AND by square footage (under vs; over 25,000 sq ft)
Temporary Operation license is $53.00 per event; Vending Location $128.00
Commercial plan review fee is a flat $400.00 due with the plan review packet
Mobile food license classed by risk; vending location license is $128.00
Equipment your Greene 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.
Operations under 25,000 sq ft: Level 1 $298.00, Level 2 $333.00, Level 3 $616.00, Level 4 $775.00. Operations over 25,000 sq ft: Level 1 $422.00, Level 2 $442.00, Level 3 $1,508.00, Level 4 $1,598.00 (total fee incl; $28 state fee, License Year 2026) These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Greene County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: $400.00
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Greene County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Risk classified high vs; low; mobiles must operate under a licensed commissary
Who issues food permits in Greene County?
Food permits here are issued by Greene County Public Health. 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.