foodservicenerd
Local permits & fees

Gwinnett County, GA — Commercial Kitchen Permits

Gwinnett, Newton & Rockdale (GNR) Public Health - Environmental Health (Gwinnett Environmental Health Department) · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.

Restaurant / food-facility permit

Food Service Permit (annual)
Annual permit set by risk type + seating: Risk Type 1 & <30 seats (1 yearly inspection) $500; Risk Type 2 & >=30 seats (2 yearly inspections) $700; Risk Type 3 & <30 seats (3 inspections) $750; Risk Type 3 & >=30 seats (3 inspections) $1,050. Additional routine inspection $250 (<30 seats) / $350 (>=30 seats); reinspection $250; 20% late-payment penalty. Fees from GNR/Gwinnett EH fee schedule (Effective 2020, rev. 2023-10-25); a Jan 1 2026 revision is referenced but exact 2026 figures were not machine-readable - treat as unverified for 2026.

Georgia switched to the 2025 Georgia Food Code effective 2026-01-01. At least one certified food safety manager (e.g. ServSafe) is required per establishment.

Plan review — required

$350 plan review fee for new construction / change of ownership (<30 seats tier; the >=30 seat figure was cut off in the fee schedule and is unverified). Plans must be reviewed and approved before construction.

Plan-review details & forms →

Food truck / mobile permit

Mobile Food Service Permit (mobile/base)
Fee not published online — contact the department.

Mobile units use the Mobile/Base Food Service Permit application and must operate from an approved base of operation/commissary; a specific mobile permit dollar amount was not isolated on the GNR fee schedule in reviewed sources - null.

How to apply

Apply / county portal →Forms & applications

Watch out for

  • Annual food service permit fee is tiered by RISK TYPE (1-3, driven by inspection frequency) and seating (<30 vs >=30 seats), ranging $500-$1,050.
  • Gwinnett EH began enforcing the 2025 Georgia Food Code on 2026-01-01 for facilities permitted before Feb 2025.

Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction

CategoryAnnual feeNotes
temporary/special-event food service1-4 day $150; 5-14 day $375GNR Health (Gwinnett/Newton/Rockdale) Fee Schedule temporary food service permit
pop-up food service$150Pop-up facilitator plan review $150; pop-up vendor authorization $150
caterer—Georgia regulates catering as a food service establishment (GA DPH Ch. 511-6-1); no separate caterer permit/fee line published
Georgia 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.gnrhealth.com · www.gnrhealth.com · www.gnrhealth.com · www.gnrhealth.com · observed 2026-08-06