Ketchikan Gateway Borough, AK Food Facility Permits & Fees
Restaurants and food trucks.
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Division of Environmental Health, Food Safety & Sanitation Program — fees set by state regulation 18 AAC 31.050 (Alaska Food Code, 18 AAC 31). · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Ketchikan Gateway Borough food-facility health permits run about $190–$825 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $400–$580. Confirm the exact amount with Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Division of Environmental Health, Food Safety & Sanitation Program — fees set by state regulation 18 AAC 31.050 (Alaska Food Code, 18 AAC 31). 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 Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Division of Environmental Health, Food Safety & Sanitation Program — fees set by state regulation 18 AAC 31.050 (Alaska Food Code, 18 AAC 31). issues the health permit. Alaska sets food-establishment permit fees at the state level; Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Division of Environmental Health, Food Safety & Sanitation Program — fees set by state regulation 18 AAC 31.050 (Alaska Food Code, 18 AAC 31). is the licensing authority. If your city or county runs its own health department, local fees and rules may also apply — confirm for your exact address.
The restaurant market in Ketchikan Gateway Borough
What the local foodservice landscape looks like — useful whether you’re opening here or sizing up the competition.
50
food & drink establishments
338
industry jobs
$13M
annual payroll
$38,053
avg wage / worker
13 full-service restaurants
15 limited-service & fast food
11 bars & drinking places
7 snack & coffee bars
4 mobile food & trucks
▲ 2.0% change in establishments since 2022 (49 → 50).
The average foodservice wage here is $6,752 above the Alaska average ($31,301); Alaska has about 1,715 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: 2026-08-21 — 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 / license (state-set)
Food Service annual permit fee by seating:
$400 if seating 25 or less
$490 if seating 26 to 100
$580 if seating 101 or more
(Related types: Food Service with Wholesale Processing $525/$615/$705
Food Service and Caterer $645/$735/$825
Caterer $430
Limited Food Service $190
Tavern/Bar $280.)
Set at the state level by Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Division of Environmental Health, Food Safety & Sanitation Program; fees set by state regulation 18 AAC 31.050 (Alaska Food Code, 18 AAC 31); a single statewide fee schedule; Effective Current schedule per 18 AAC 31.050 (as published on DEC fees page, observed 2026-08-21); Where a city or county runs its own health department it may set local fees instead
Plan review — check locally
Plan review fee equals the annual permit fee for the same category (Food Service: $400 / $490 / $580 by the same seating tiers)
How inspection results are scored/posted here is pending verification — ask the department.
Food truck / mobile permit
Mobile food establishment (state-set)
Mobile Food Service $215 annual
Mobile Food Service, Self-Contained and Caterer $460 annual
State-set mobile-food fee; confirm commissary and local requirements
How to apply
See the department site above.
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 $805–$1,865 for Ketchikan Gateway Borough:
$190–$825 — food-facility permit
$400–$580 — plan review
$215–$460 — 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 Ketchikan Gateway Borough’s permit cost compares
At about $190/year, Ketchikan Gateway Borough’s restaurant health permit is about the Alaska median ($190) and above the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 74% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 14th-lowest of 30 Alaska 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 49 food & drinking establishments serve ~13,738 residents in Ketchikan Gateway Borough — one per ~280 residents, denser than the Alaska average (one per ~405).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$190 annual health permit + $400 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 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 state 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 Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Division of Environmental Health, Food Safety & Sanitation Program — fees set by state regulation 18 AAC 31.050 (Alaska Food Code, 18 AAC 31). (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 state fire code enforced by the Alaska State Fire Marshal and local fire officials. 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.
Equipment your Ketchikan Gateway Borough 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 Ketchikan Gateway Borough 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 Ketchikan Gateway Borough?
Food Service annual permit fee by seating: $400 if seating 25 or less; $490 if seating 26 to 100; $580 if seating 101 or more; (Related types: Food Service with Wholesale Processing $525/$615/$705; Food Service and Caterer $645/$735/$825; Caterer $430; Limited Food Service $190; Tavern/Bar $280.) These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Ketchikan Gateway Borough?
Plan review may apply; check locally with the department. Typical fees: Plan review fee equals the annual permit fee for the same category (Food Service: $400 / $490 / $580 by the same seating tiers)
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Ketchikan Gateway Borough?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. State-set mobile-food fee; confirm commissary and local requirements
Who issues food permits in Ketchikan Gateway Borough?
Food permits here are issued by Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Division of Environmental Health, Food Safety & Sanitation Program — fees set by state regulation 18 AAC 31.050 (Alaska Food Code, 18 AAC 31).. 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.