Kanawha-Charleston Health Department (KCHD) - Environmental Health / Food Program · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Kanawha County food-facility health permits run about $125–$325 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $125–$325. Confirm the exact amount with Kanawha-Charleston Health Department (KCHD) - Environmental Health / Food Program 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 Kanawha-Charleston Health Department (KCHD) - Environmental Health / Food Program issues the health permit.
The restaurant market in Kanawha County
What the local foodservice landscape looks like — useful whether you’re opening here or sizing up the competition.
393
food & drink establishments
7,345
industry jobs
$152M
annual payroll
$20,673
avg wage / worker
136 full-service restaurants
183 limited-service & fast food
24 bars & drinking places
24 snack & coffee bars
3 mobile food & trucks
▲ 0.5% change in establishments since 2022 (391 → 393).
The average foodservice wage here is $1,897 above the West Virginia average ($18,776); West Virginia has about 3,269 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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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 Establishment Permit to Operate
KCHD'
s published plan-review fee (a prerequisite to the food permit) is $125 (0-25 seats / B&
B), $225 (26-75 seats), $325 (76+ seats)
Confirm the annual permit fee via KCHD Environmental Health (304-348-8050) or the ENV_HEALTH_FEES fee schedule
Locally administered by the county health department (not state-administered); All food establishments must complete plan review before a permit is issued
Plan review — required
$125 (Food 0-25 seats / Bed and Breakfast)
$225 (Food 26-75 seats / Hotel 0-50 rooms)
$325 (Food 76+ seats / Hotel 51+ rooms)
Turnaround: Submit plans and specifications at least 45 days prior to construction, conversion or remodeling
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 $500–$1,100 for Kanawha County:
$125–$325 — food-facility permit
$125–$325 — plan review
$250–$450 — 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 Kanawha County’s permit cost compares
At about $125/year, Kanawha County’s restaurant health permit is about the West Virginia median ($125) and about the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 57% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 20th-lowest of 55 West Virginia 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 391 food & drinking establishments serve ~174,805 residents in Kanawha County — one per ~447 residents, denser than the West Virginia average (one per ~640).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$125 annual health permit + $125 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 IPC 2018 (adopted by the WV State Fire Commission / State Building Code), 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 West Virginia's adopted plumbing code, with FOG permits from the local 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 Kanawha-Charleston Health Department (KCHD) - Environmental Health / Food Program (contact above).
Fire suppression & backflow
Hood fire suppression (West Virginia State Fire Code (NFPA 1, 2021)): 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 the West Virginia State Fire Code, enforced by the State Fire Marshal. See do I need a hood? and the hood CFM calculator.
Backflow prevention: Annual RPZ backflow assembly 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
Locally administered; KCHD (108 Lee Street, East, Charleston) covers Kanawha County; not a state-run permit program
Plan review is mandatory before any food permit is issued; plans due 45+ days before construction/remodel
KCHD offers an online 'Pay My Invoice' portal for environmental-health fees
City of Charleston separately requires a business license and, for vendors, a Street Vending permit
Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction
Category
Annual fee
Notes
Temporary / seasonal event
Confirm with KCHD Environmental Health (304-348-8050)
KCHD publishes a Temporary Food Application; fee amount to be confirmed
Pushcart / mobile vending
KCHD issues a Mobile Food Unit health permit; Secondary guides cite roughly $250-$450/yr for Charleston operators; the City of Charleston also issues a separate Street Vending permit; Confirm KCHD amount at 304-348-8050
Two layers: KCHD health/food permit plus a City of Charleston street-vending permit
Equipment your Kanawha 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.
KCHD's published plan-review fee (a prerequisite to the food permit) is $125 (0-25 seats / B&B), $225 (26-75 seats), $325 (76+ seats); Confirm the annual permit fee via KCHD Environmental Health (304-348-8050) or the ENV_HEALTH_FEES fee schedule These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Kanawha County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: $125 (Food 0-25 seats / Bed and Breakfast); $225 (Food 26-75 seats / Hotel 0-50 rooms); $325 (Food 76+ seats / Hotel 51+ rooms)
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Kanawha County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Two layers: KCHD health/food permit plus a City of Charleston street-vending permit for operating in the city
Who issues food permits in Kanawha County?
Food permits here are issued by Kanawha-Charleston Health Department (KCHD) - Environmental Health / Food Program. 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.