Restaurants, commercial kitchens, and food trucks.
Kern County food-facility health permits run about $155–$1,075 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $865. Confirm the exact amount with Kern County Public Health Services Department - Environmental Health Division (Food & Consumer Protection 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 Kern County Public Health Services Department - Environmental Health Division (Food & Consumer Protection Program) issues the health permit.
What the local foodservice landscape looks like — useful whether you’re opening here or sizing up the competition.
▲ 1.3% change in establishments since 2022 (1,440 → 1,459).
The average foodservice wage here is $4,665 below the California average ($28,902); California has about 88,778 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.
Every food facility pays a $155 application fee plus a risk-tiered permit fee (totals shown); Fees set by the Board of Supervisors (County Code Ch; 8.04); Verified from Kern EH Food Fees schedule
Turnaround: Not published; Plan Review must be completed before applying for the health permit
Kern posts A/B/C letter-grade cards (100-point deduction scale; red placard/closure below 75) — one of the CA letter-grade counties since 2007.
Most MFFs must use a commissary; a signed Commissary Use Agreement is required before the permit is issued; Single-event mobile/TFF tiers (MF18-20) run $65-$120
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
The government permit & plan-review fees below total roughly $1,175–$3,100 for Kern County:
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.
Comparison uses the lowest published annual restaurant-permit figure in each county; confirm your exact tier with the department.
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Plus building, fire, and business-license fees that vary locally — use the cost calculators and the checklist below to budget the full stack.
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 California Plumbing 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 Kern County Public Health Services Department - Environmental Health Division (Food & Consumer Protection Program) (contact above).
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. Type I hood fire suppression must meet NFPA 96 and the California 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.
| Category | Annual fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| caterer | — | No distinct caterer permit line; caterers permitted as a Food Facility (by risk) with a commissary; Fee schedule is risk-based, not type-named |
| commissary/central kitchen | $945 | Non-Dedicated Commissary (MC01): Permit Fee $945 (Total new $1,100 incl; $155 application; renewal total $627.50) |
| bakery | — | No separate bakery permit; per Kern ordinance definition, bakeries are permitted under 'Food Facility; Market' risk categories (see market/grocery entry) |
| market/grocery with deli | $265 | Food Facility; Market Permit Fee: Low Risk $265 (total $420), Moderate $520 (total $675), High $795 (total $950); Certified Farmer's Market $395 (total $550); Definition of Market includes markets, bakeries, and food processors |
| temporary/seasonal/special-event | $205 | Temporary Food Facility Permit Fee: Low $205, Moderate $240, High $295 (add $155 application); Single Event: Low $65 / Moderate $90 / High $120. Community event organizer: Small (1-5 vendors) $360, Medium (6-15) $465, Large (16+) $630 (permit fee) |
| pushcart/limited operation | $155 | Limited Prepackaged; Non PHF (FL01): Permit Fee $155 (total $310); Push carts are permitted as Mobile Food Facility low risk (permit fee $175) |
| food processing/wholesale | — | No separate wholesale/food-processing permit; per ordinance definition food processors are permitted under 'Food Facility; Market' risk categories (see market/grocery entry) |
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.
Permit costs and rules change at the county line — compare Kern County with its neighbors.
This is a typical sequence — confirm the exact sequence with your authority having jurisdiction.
Official plan-check requirements: plan-check guide →