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Local permits & fees

Lane County, OR Food Facility Permits & Fees

Restaurants, commercial kitchens, and food trucks.

Lane County Public Health - Environmental Health (Restaurant/Pool/Hotel/Campground inspection) · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.

Lane County food-facility health permits run about $751–$1,618 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $123–$578. Confirm the exact amount with Lane County Public Health - Environmental Health (Restaurant/Pool/Hotel/Campground inspection) 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 Lane County Public Health - Environmental Health (Restaurant/Pool/Hotel/Campground inspection) issues the health permit.

The restaurant market in Lane County

What the local foodservice landscape looks like — useful whether you’re opening here or sizing up the competition.

931
food & drink establishments
13,677
industry jobs
$335M
annual payroll
$24,482
avg wage / worker
  • 328 full-service restaurants
  • 310 limited-service & fast food
  • 65 bars & drinking places
  • 150 snack & coffee bars
  • 47 mobile food & trucks

▲ 2.6% change in establishments since 2022 (907 → 931).

The average foodservice wage here is $2,109 below the Oregon average ($26,591); Oregon has about 11,223 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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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

Restaurant license (annual, by seating capacity)
  • $1,040 (0-15 seats)
  • $1,185 (16-50 seats)
  • $1,329 (51-150 seats)
  • $1,618 (150+ seats)
  • Limited-Service restaurant $751. (Lane County 2026 rate sheet
  • half-year rates from Oct 1 are roughly half these.)

Oregon restaurant licensing is delegated to counties; Lane County adopts its OWN annual rate sheet (well above the ORS 624.490 statutory state minimums of $530-$770), so the county figures above govern; Licenses are due each Dec 31; late-payment penalty is one-half the license fee per month

Plan review — required

  • $578 (Plan Review, Mobile Units &
  • Restaurants
  • one-time, new or remodeled facility)
  • $285 (Bed &
  • Breakfast kitchen plan review)
  • $123 (Temporary Event Seasonal plan review)

Plan-review details & forms →

Reach the department

Office151 W. 7th Ave, Room 430, Eugene, OR 97401

Inspection grading

Numeric score

Oregon 100-point sanitation score (pass at 70); results posted online.

Food truck / mobile permit

Mobile Unit license (food cart/food truck)
  • $471 (Mobile Unit, annual)
  • $25 (Out of County Mobile Unit)
  • one-time plan review $578 (Mobile Units &
  • Restaurants)

Lane County 2026 rate sheet; Mobile units must operate from a licensed Commissary ($665); Out-of-county units already licensed elsewhere pay a reduced $25

How to apply

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 $899–$2,774 for Lane County:

  • $751–$1,618 — food-facility permit
  • $123–$578 — plan review
  • $25–$578 — 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 Lane County’s permit cost compares

At about $751/year, Lane County’s restaurant health permit is above the Oregon median ($180) and above the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 100% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 33rd-lowest of 35 Oregon 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 907 food & drinking establishments serve ~381,181 residents in Lane County — one per ~420 residents, denser than the Oregon average (one per ~443).

U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).

Budget the permit stack

Start with ~$751 annual health permit + $123 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 Oregon plumbing specialty 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 Lane County Public Health - Environmental Health (Restaurant/Pool/Hotel/Campground inspection) (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 Oregon 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

  • Delegated to the county; Oregon sets statutory maximums (ORS 624.490) but Lane County adopts its own higher rate sheet; the county figures are what applicants actually pay
  • Commissary license $665; Warehouse $455; Bed & Breakfast Restaurant $318
  • Temporary restaurants: Full Price Single/Seasonal/Intermittent $346; Discounted (early) $271; Benevolent (non-profit) $54; Exempt Foods Agreement $54
  • Grocery/retail food markets are licensed by the Oregon Dept of Agriculture, not county Environmental Health
  • Licenses renew Dec 31 annually; late penalty accrues monthly at half the license fee

Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction

CategoryAnnual feeNotes
CatererOregon/Lane County has no separate caterer license; caterers are licensed as a Restaurant (by seating) or from a licensed Commissary ($665); Confirm classification with Lane County EH (541-682-4051)No stand-alone caterer line on the Lane County rate sheet
Commissary / central preparation kitchen$665 (Commissary)Lane County licenses a Commissary at $665 annual; mobile units must operate from one
Bakery / food processinga retail bakery is licensed as a Restaurant or Limited-Service restaurant ($751); wholesale food processing/manufacturing is regulated by the Oregon Dept of Agriculture, not county EH; Confirm applicable licenseRetail vs; wholesale determines the path in Oregon
Bar / limited food service$751 (Limited-Service restaurant)A bar with limited food service is licensed as a Limited-Service restaurant; a full-menu bar uses the restaurant seating tiers ($1,040-$1,618)
Grocery / market with deligrocery/retail food markets are licensed by the Oregon Dept of Agriculture (ODA), not Lane County Environmental Health; an in-store deli/food-prep area may require a county food license; Confirm store license with ODAGrocery/retail food = ODA jurisdiction in Oregon
Temporary / seasonal event$346 (Full Price Single/Seasonal/Intermittent temporary restaurant); $271 (Discounted/early); $54 (Benevolent/non-profit); Temporary Event Seasonal plan review $123Lane County 2026 rate sheet; benevolent-organization events are heavily discounted
Pushcart / mobile vending$471 (Mobile Unit, annual); $25 (Out of County Mobile Unit); one-time plan review $578Mobile units/food carts must operate from a licensed Commissary ($665)

Equipment your Lane 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.

Nearby counties

Permit costs and rules change at the county line — compare Lane County with its neighbors.

How to open: typical permitting sequence

This is a typical sequence — confirm the exact sequence with your authority having jurisdiction.

  1. Confirm whether Lane County or another local jurisdiction (city/district) handles your exact address.
  2. Confirm zoning and permitted use.
  3. Prepare your menu and scaled plans.
  4. Include an equipment schedule with ANSI/NSF spec sheets.
  5. Submit water-heater and hood documentation.
  6. Pay plan-review fees.
  7. Respond to plan-check corrections.
  8. Obtain Environmental Health plan approval.
  9. Obtain building, plumbing, mechanical and fire approvals.
  10. Schedule rough-plumbing, pre-final and final health inspections.
  11. Pay the operating-permit / application fees.
  12. Receive approval before storing or preparing food.

Official plan-check requirements: plan-check guide →

Frequently asked questions

How much is a food permit in Lane County?

$1,040 (0-15 seats); $1,185 (16-50 seats); $1,329 (51-150 seats); $1,618 (150+ seats); Limited-Service restaurant $751. (Lane County 2026 rate sheet; half-year rates from Oct 1 are roughly half these.) These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.

Is plan review required in Lane County?

Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: $578 (Plan Review, Mobile Units & Restaurants; one-time, new or remodeled facility); $285 (Bed & Breakfast kitchen plan review); $123 (Temporary Event Seasonal plan review)

Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Lane County?

In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Lane County 2026 rate sheet; Mobile units must operate from a licensed Commissary ($665); Out-of-county units already licensed elsewhere pay a reduced $25

Who issues food permits in Lane County?

Food permits here are issued by Lane County Public Health - Environmental Health (Restaurant/Pool/Hotel/Campground inspection). 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.
Sources: www.lanecountyor.gov · cdnsm5-hosted.civiclive.com · oregon.public.law · observed 2026-08-07