Restaurants, commercial kitchens, and food trucks.
Kings County Department of Public Health - Environmental Health Services (EHS) · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department 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 Kings County Department of Public Health - Environmental Health Services (EHS) issues the health permit.
The restaurant market in Kings County
What the local foodservice landscape looks like — useful whether you’re opening here or sizing up the competition.
209
food & drink establishments
3,414
industry jobs
$76M
annual payroll
$22,158
avg wage / worker
46 full-service restaurants
113 limited-service & fast food
8 bars & drinking places
31 snack & coffee bars
5 mobile food & trucks
▲ 3.5% change in establishments since 2022 (202 → 209).
The average foodservice wage here is $6,744 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.
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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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 Vending Facility Permit (CalCode)
Kings County DPH lists permit applications online but does not publish a food-facility fee schedule on its website
no dollar figure available from a published source
CalCode retail food program covering restaurants, bars, markets, school cafeterias, bakeries, produce stands and vending; Contact EHS (559) 584-1401 for current fees
Plan review — required
a Plan Check application is required but no plan check fee is published on the county site
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
Local food-service market
About 202 food & drinking establishments serve ~152,682 residents in Kings County — one per ~756 residents, sparser than the California average (one per ~491).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
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 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 Kings County Department of Public Health - Environmental Health Services (EHS) (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. 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.
Watch out for
CalCode jurisdiction administered by Kings County DPH Environmental Health Services in Hanford
Website enumerates permit types (Food Vending Facility, Non-Profit/School, Plan Check, Temporary Event, Mobile Food Vending, Commissary, Cottage Food) but publishes no fee amounts
City of Hanford separately regulates mobile food vendors (Municipal Code Ch; 5.64), which requires a valid Kings County DPH food vending permit
Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction
Category
Annual fee
Notes
Commissary / central preparation kitchen
Commissary permit application provided by Kings County DPH but no fee published online
Required for mobile food vendors
Temporary / seasonal event
Temporary Events Food Vendor and Coordinator applications provided but fees not published online
Separate vendor and event-coordinator permits
Pushcart / mobile vending
Mobile Food Vending permit application provided but fee not published online
CalCode mobile food facility
Equipment your Kings 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.
Kings County DPH lists permit applications online but does not publish a food-facility fee schedule on its website; no dollar figure available from a published source These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Kings County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: a Plan Check application is required but no plan check fee is published on the county site
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Kings County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Separate Commissary permit application also required for mobile operators
Who issues food permits in Kings County?
Food permits here are issued by Kings County Department of Public Health - Environmental Health Services (EHS). 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.