Restaurants, commercial kitchens, and food trucks.
Jackson County Health & Human Services, Environmental Public Health (Medford) · 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 Jackson County Health & Human Services, Environmental Public Health (Medford) issues the health permit.
The restaurant market in Jackson County
What the local foodservice landscape looks like — useful whether you’re opening here or sizing up the competition.
563
food & drink establishments
7,826
industry jobs
$191M
annual payroll
$24,413
avg wage / worker
207 full-service restaurants
184 limited-service & fast food
39 bars & drinking places
97 snack & coffee bars
16 mobile food & trucks
▲ 3.1% change in establishments since 2022 (546 → 563).
The average foodservice wage here is $2,178 below the Oregon average ($26,591); Oregon has about 11,223 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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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 (Restaurant) annual license
Jackson County does not publish its restaurant/food service license fee schedule online
the county'
s Food Services page states '
Plan review and license fee information is available by calling our office at 541-774-8206.'
Oregon county-administered programs set their own fees under ORS 624.490
Jackson County Environmental Public Health licenses and inspects restaurants, mobile units, caterers, coffee stands, taphouses, bed & breakfasts and temporary food service; A December 2022 county internal-audit report noted Jackson's food fees run higher than several neighboring counties
Plan review — required
plan review fee is not published online
the county directs applicants to call Environmental Public Health at 541-774-8206 (a dedicated Restaurant &
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
Local food-service market
About 546 food & drinking establishments serve ~220,768 residents in Jackson County — one per ~404 residents, denser than the Oregon average (one per ~443).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Grease trap & FOG requirements
Under UPC, 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 Oregon plumbing specialty 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 Jackson County Health & Human Services, Environmental Public Health (Medford) (contact above).
Fire suppression & backflow
Hood fire suppression (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 hood suppression must meet NFPA 96 and the Oregon fire code enforced 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.
Watch out for
Jackson County runs its own Environmental Public Health program (Medford) under the Oregon food code; annual restaurant/mobile/plan-review fees are quoted by phone rather than posted online
Temporary restaurant licenses ARE published: Benevolent (non-profit) $77; Non-benevolent (for-profit) $256; Jackson County Fair $387; rush processing (received less than 4 days before the event) adds $50
Seasonal/intermittent temporary restaurant licenses are offered but amounts are quoted by phone
License renewals are handled through the myhealthdepartment.com online portal
Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction
Category
Annual fee
Notes
Caterer
Jackson County licenses caterers but does not publish the fee online; call Environmental Public Health at 541-774-8206
Caterer is a licensed food service class in Jackson County
Commissary / central preparation kitchen
commissary/base-of-operation fee is not published online; call 541-774-8206
Required for mobile units; fee quoted by phone
Temporary / seasonal event
Temporary restaurant: Benevolent (non-profit) $77; Non-benevolent (for-profit) $256; Jackson County Fair $387; rush processing (received <4 days before the event) adds $50
Seasonal/intermittent temporary licenses also offered; those amounts are quoted by phone
Pushcart / mobile vending
mobile unit license fee (Class I-IV per OAR 333-162-0020) is not published online; call 541-774-8206
Mobile units are defined in OAR 333-162-0000; commissary required
Equipment your Jackson 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 Jackson 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 Jackson County?
Jackson County does not publish its restaurant/food service license fee schedule online; the county's Food Services page states 'Plan review and license fee information is available by calling our office at 541-774-8206.' Oregon county-administered programs set their own fees under ORS 624.490 These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Jackson County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: plan review fee is not published online; the county directs applicants to call Environmental Public Health at 541-774-8206 (a dedicated Restaurant & Pool Plan Review line is 541-774-7824)
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Jackson County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Mobile units are defined in OAR 333-162-0000; Oregon classifies mobile units Class I-IV by food-handling; A commissary/base of operations is required
Who issues food permits in Jackson County?
Food permits here are issued by Jackson County Health & Human Services, Environmental Public Health (Medford). 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.