Local permits & fees

King County, WA — Commercial Kitchen Permits

Public Health - Seattle & King County (Environmental Health, Food & Facilities Program) · department site →

Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.

Restaurant / food-facility permit

Permanent Food Service Business Permit

Risk-based annual permit (permit year Apr 1-Mar 31). General Food Service 0-12 seats: Risk1 $441 / Risk2 $693 / Risk3 $945; 13-50 seats: $441 / $756 / $1,008; 51-150 seats: $441 / $756 / $1,134; 151-250 seats: $441 / $882 / $1,260; over 250 seats: $441 / $945 / $1,386

Fee set by risk category (complexity of food handling). Bakery no-seating $567/$630; Grocery no-seating $441/$819; Nonprofit institution $441/$693/$1,260. Verified against official 2026 fee PDF.

Plan review — required

4-hour base fee $1,008 + $252/hr after 4 hours; resubmitted plan review 2-hour base $504 + $252/hr after 2 hrs; changes to mobile/limited food service $504 + $252/hr after 2 hrs; multiple plan review in one facility $252/hr; commissary change $35

Turnaround: Must be approved BEFORE any construction begins; one preoperational inspection included; fees non-refundable

Plan-review details & forms →

Food truck / mobile permit

Mobile Food Unit Permit (mobile food business permit)

Mobile Food Unit annual: Risk1 $630 / Risk2 $1,008 (official 2026 fee PDF)

Mobile units also require a mobile food plan review before operating; changes to mobile units billed at $504 + $252/hr after 2 hrs.

How to apply

Apply / county portal →Forms & applications

Watch out for

Annual permit year runs April 1 - March 31 (not calendar year).
Plan review must be approved before construction starts; one preoperational inspection is bundled into the plan review fee, and plan review fees are non-refundable.

Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction

Category	Annual fee	Notes
caterer	—	Catering and Home-Based Food Business permit; fee on separate service-fees page (not published here)
commissary/central kitchen	—	Commercial Commissary Kitchens permit; fee not published on page
bar/tavern	—	Beverage-Related Business (wine, beer, and distillery tasting rooms); fee not published
temporary/seasonal/special-event	—	Temporary Event Food Business (<21 days at one location); Farmers Market permit also offered; fee not published
market/grocery with deli	—	Micro-Market (Unattended Retail) permit; fee not published

Washington statewide rules

Who licenses you, reciprocity, and the state regime.

What equipment you need

Build a tailored equipment checklist for your concept.

Permits & plan review, explained

The stack of approvals before you open.

Sources: kingcounty.gov · cdn.kingcounty.gov · kingcounty.gov · observed 2026-08-06