Georgia DPH District 4 Public Health - Henry County Environmental Health (county board of health) · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the 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 Georgia DPH District 4 Public Health - Henry County Environmental Health (county board of health) issues the health permit.
The restaurant market in Henry County
What the local foodservice landscape looks like — useful whether you’re opening here or sizing up the competition.
430
food & drink establishments
8,370
industry jobs
$157M
annual payroll
$18,781
avg wage / worker
147 full-service restaurants
211 limited-service & fast food
8 bars & drinking places
37 snack & coffee bars
▲ 1.4% change in establishments since 2022 (424 → 430).
The average foodservice wage here is $3,320 below the Georgia average ($22,101); Georgia has about 21,984 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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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 Establishment permit (Georgia Food Code, Ch. 511-6-1)
Georgia food service establishment permit fees are set by each County Board of Health (and approved by the County Commission), not by the state
The Henry County Board of Health adopts its own fee schedule, which is not published in an accessible online source
Contact Henry County Environmental Health / District 4 Public Health (Henry Co
govt: 770-288-6000)
Permits are valid for one year from date of issuance and 'fees shall be paid in accordance with the current fee schedule adopted by the Henry County Board of Health.' Statewide, GA county food-service permit fees typically run about $100-$500/yr, but the specific Henry County amount is not published online
Plan review — required
plan review is required for new construction/remodeling under the Georgia Food Code, but the Henry County Board of Health plan-review fee is not published in an accessible online source
State DPH posts a 0-100 score and corresponding letter grade (A 90-100, B 80-89, C 70-79, U <70) displayed at the establishment plus available online.
Food truck / mobile permit
Mobile Food Service Unit permit (Georgia Food Code)
mobile food service units are permitted by the county health department with a permitted base of operation/commissary
the Henry County Board of Health mobile-unit fee is not published in an accessible online source
Georgia mobile food units must operate from a permitted base of operation and are permitted like fixed food service establishments; the fee amount is set locally and not posted
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
Look up a restaurant’s inspection score
Check the health-inspection history and violation scores for any food establishment in Henry County and Georgia. Georgia DPH publishes food service inspection scores statewide in a searchable online portal.
About 424 food & drinking establishments serve ~254,613 residents in Henry County — one per ~601 residents, denser than the Georgia average (one per ~680).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Grease trap & FOG requirements
Under Georgia State Minimum Standard Plumbing Code (IPC 2018 base), 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 Georgia State Minimum Standard Plumbing Code, with local sewer-authority FOG permits.
Size the interceptor with our grease-trap sizing calculator, compare units in the grease-trap catalog, and confirm the local FOG permit with Georgia DPH District 4 Public Health - Henry County Environmental Health (county board of health) (contact above).
Fire suppression & backflow
Hood fire suppression (Georgia State Minimum Standard Fire Prevention Code (IFC 2018 base)): commercial cooking under a Type I hood needs a wet-chemical suppression system to NFPA 96, permitted and inspected by the local fire marshal. Kitchen hood suppression follows NFPA 96 under Georgia's fire code, enforced by the State Fire Marshal and local AHJ. See do I need a hood? and the hood CFM calculator.
Backflow prevention: Annual RPZ backflow testing is required by the local water utility's cross-connection control program. A certified backflow assembly (often an RPZ) on the water service, tested annually, is standard — confirm with your water utility.
Watch out for
Administering authority: county board of health under Georgia DPH (District 4 Public Health serves 12 counties including Henry); Decatur-area note does not apply; county seat is McDonough, Atlanta metro
Georgia sets food-safety RULES statewide (Ch; 511-6-1) but delegates FEE-SETTING to each county board of health; District 4 does not publish per-county fee schedules online
No published Henry County dollar figures were found; all fees marked null accordingly
Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction
Category
Annual fee
Notes
Temporary / seasonal event
Georgia breaks out a Temporary Food Service Establishment permit, but the fee is set by the Henry County Board of Health and is not published in an accessible online source
Contact Henry County Environmental Health / District 4 Public Health (Henry Co; govt 770-288-6000)
Pushcart / mobile vending
mobile food units / carts are permitted by the county with a permitted base of operation, but the Henry County Board of Health fee is not published online
Georgia mobile food service units are permitted like fixed establishments; fee set locally and not posted
Equipment your Henry 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.
Georgia food service establishment permit fees are set by each County Board of Health (and approved by the County Commission), not by the state; The Henry County Board of Health adopts its own fee schedule, which is not published in an accessible online source; Contact Henry County Environmental Health / District 4 Public Health (Henry Co; govt: 770-288-6000) These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Henry County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: plan review is required for new construction/remodeling under the Georgia Food Code, but the Henry County Board of Health plan-review fee is not published in an accessible online source
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Henry County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Georgia mobile food units must operate from a permitted base of operation and are permitted like fixed food service establishments; the fee amount is set locally and not posted
Who issues food permits in Henry County?
Food permits here are issued by Georgia DPH District 4 Public Health - Henry County Environmental Health (county board of 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.