Kenosha County Public Health (Environmental Health Services) · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Kenosha County food-facility health permits run about $263–$796 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $164–$437. Confirm the exact amount with Kenosha County Public Health (Environmental Health Services) 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 Kenosha County Public Health (Environmental Health Services) issues the health permit.
The restaurant market in Kenosha County
What the local foodservice landscape looks like — useful whether you’re opening here or sizing up the competition.
381
food & drink establishments
6,471
industry jobs
$125M
annual payroll
$19,327
avg wage / worker
111 full-service restaurants
134 limited-service & fast food
76 bars & drinking places
25 snack & coffee bars
8 mobile food & trucks
▲ 0.8% change in establishments since 2022 (378 → 381).
The average foodservice wage here is $1,013 below the Wisconsin average ($20,340); Wisconsin has about 13,939 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: 2026-08-18 — 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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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
Retail Food Establishment - Serving Meals License
Retail Serving Meals total license fee (eff; 4/1/2026):
Pre-packaged $263, Simple $613, Moderate $680, High Complexity $796
Fees set by complexity categorization; Retail Not Serving Meals: Simple $281, Moderate $698, High Complexity $1,424. Late fee $100 (failure to renew before July 1); Change-of-operator pre-inspection $82-$273
Plan review — required
Pre-inspection / plan review $164-$437 for new establishments
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 $527–$1,333 for Kenosha County:
$263–$796 — food-facility permit
$164–$437 — plan review
$100 — 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 Kenosha County’s permit cost compares
At about $263/year, Kenosha County’s restaurant health permit is above the Wisconsin median ($159) and above the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 91% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 14th-lowest of 18 Wisconsin 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 378 food & drinking establishments serve ~167,488 residents in Kenosha County — one per ~443 residents, sparser than the Wisconsin average (one per ~430).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$263 annual health permit + $164 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 Wisconsin Plumbing Code (SPS 382), 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 Wisconsin plumbing code, with FOG limits set by the municipal 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 Kenosha County Public Health (Environmental Health Services) (contact above).
Fire suppression & backflow
Hood fire suppression (Wisconsin adopts the IFC via SPS 314): 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 through Wisconsin's fire and building codes, 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.
Equipment your Kenosha 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 Kenosha 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 Kenosha County?
Retail Serving Meals total license fee (eff; 4/1/2026): Pre-packaged $263, Simple $613, Moderate $680, High Complexity $796 These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Kenosha County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: Pre-inspection / plan review $164-$437 for new establishments
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Kenosha County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Transient TCS Food $177; Inspection fee (all retail temporary/transient) $30
Who issues food permits in Kenosha County?
Food permits here are issued by Kenosha County Public Health (Environmental Health Services). 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.