Local permits & fees

Lorain County, OH — Commercial Kitchen Permits

Lorain County Public Health (LCPH) - Environmental Health Division · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.

Restaurant / food-facility permit

Food Service Operation (FSO) / Retail Food Establishment (RFE) license - risk-based (Risk Level 1-4)
Commercial under 25,000 sq ft (TOTAL, incl. $28 state fee): $198.00 (Risk 1), $218.00 (Risk 2), $388.00 (Risk 3), $482.00 (Risk 4). Commercial over 25,000 sq ft: $270.00 (Risk 1), $284.00 (Risk 2), $918.00 (Risk 3), $972.00 (Risk 4). (2026 schedule, effective 1/1/2026, revised 1/21/2026.)

Locally administered by Lorain County Public Health (Elyria; Cleveland metro / west side). Ohio licenses restaurants as FSO and grocery/markets as RFE, both priced identically on the county risk-based schedule. Totals shown include the $28.00 State of Ohio fee ($14.00 for non-commercial). A full-service restaurant is typically Risk 3 or 4. LCPH licenses over 1,600 food operations.

Plan review — required

$100.00 (Under 25,000 sq ft); $200.00 (Over 25,000 sq ft)

Plan-review details & forms →

Food truck / mobile permit

Mobile Food License (High Risk / Low Risk)
$130.00 (Mobile - High Risk, incl. $28 state fee); $79.00 (Mobile - Low Risk, incl. $28 state fee). (2026 schedule.)

Ohio statewide Mobile FSO/RFE framework; LCPH issues and inspects the local license. A commissary/servicing base is required.

Watch out for

  • Locally administered - Lorain County Public Health issues food licenses for Elyria, Lorain and Lorain County (not state-administered).
  • License fee is a matrix of commercial/non-commercial x under/over 25,000 sq ft x Risk Level 1-4; totals include the State of Ohio fee ($28 commercial / $14 non-commercial).
  • Restaurant full-service commercial under 25,000 sq ft: Risk 3 $388.00, Risk 4 $482.00 (2026 total).
  • Mobile High Risk $130.00 / Low Risk $79.00; Vending $16.80; Micro Market $198.00 (RFE, Risk 1).
  • Temporary Commercial $45.00/day; Temporary Non-Commercial $22.50/day. Late fee = 25% of local fee. Effective 1/1/2026 (revised 1/21/2026).

Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction

CategoryAnnual feeNotes
Grocery / market with deliRetail Food Establishment (RFE) on the same risk-based schedule as restaurants: commercial under 25,000 sq ft $198.00 (Risk 1), $218.00 (Risk 2), $388.00 (Risk 3), $482.00 (Risk 4); over 25,000 sq ft $270.00-$972.00 by risk. Micro Market $198.00 (RFE, Risk 1). (2026 totals incl. $28 state fee)Ohio licenses grocery/markets as RFE; deli/prep raises the risk level. Micro Market is broken out separately.
Temporary / seasonal event$45.00/day (Temporary - Commercial); $22.50/day (Temporary - Non-Commercial)Temporary FSO/RFE license priced per day on the 2026 schedule.
Pushcart / mobile vending$130.00 (Mobile - High Risk); $79.00 (Mobile - Low Risk) - totals incl. $28 state feeMobile FSO/RFE license priced by risk; a commissary/servicing base is required. (Vending machines a separate $16.80 line.)
Sources: www.loraincountyhealth.com · drive.google.com · observed 2026-08-07