Restaurants, commercial kitchens, and food trucks.
Merced County Department of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Merced County food-facility health permits run about $442–$760 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $295–$826. Confirm the exact amount with Merced County Department of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health 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 Merced County Department of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health issues the health permit.
The restaurant market in Merced County
What the local foodservice landscape looks like — useful whether you’re opening here or sizing up the competition.
372
food & drink establishments
6,133
industry jobs
$139M
annual payroll
$22,624
avg wage / worker
117 full-service restaurants
169 limited-service & fast food
13 bars & drinking places
47 snack & coffee bars
14 mobile food & trucks
▼ 1.6% change in establishments since 2022 (378 → 372).
The average foodservice wage here is $6,278 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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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 Facility annual permit (food preparation, e.g. restaurant), by seating capacity
0-49 seats $442
50-149 seats $619
150+ seats $760 per year (fees include a 2.3% increase effective July 1, 2025)
source https://ecode360.com/43016570
Each vendor is reviewed via a High/Low Risk assessment based on foods'/beverages' potential to cause foodborne illness; Other prepared-food facility types are $475/yr each (bar, bakery, cafeteria, commissary)
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 $870–$2,061 for Merced County:
$442–$760 — food-facility permit
$295–$826 — plan review
$133–$475 — 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 Merced County’s permit cost compares
At about $442/year, Merced County’s restaurant health permit is below the California median ($491) and above the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 97% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 19th-lowest of 40 California 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 378 food & drinking establishments serve ~291,920 residents in Merced County — one per ~772 residents, sparser than the California average (one per ~491).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$442 annual health permit + $295 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 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 Merced County Department of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health (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
Restaurant fees are tiered by seating capacity (0-49 / 50-149 / 150+)
Retail grocery stores are tiered by size: from $33/yr (under 300 sq ft) up to $1,174/yr (over 30,001 sq ft)
Temporary food: low-risk single event $34; high-risk single event $99; annual temporary permits $173-$493 by risk
Farmers market (certified) $239; produce stand $239; farm stand $264; hotel/motel continental breakfast $256
Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction
Category
Annual fee
Notes
Commissary / central preparation kitchen
$475/yr
Merced County Environmental Health service fees (incl; 2.3% increase eff; 7/1/2025)
Bakery / food processing
$475/yr (bakery)
Priced with other prepared-food facility types
Bar / limited food service
$475/yr (bar)
Same tier as bakery/cafeteria/commissary
Grocery / market with deli
Retail grocery tiered by size: from $33/yr (under 300 sq ft) up to $1,174/yr (over 30,001 sq ft)
Grocery stores are priced by square footage
Temporary / seasonal event
Low-risk single event $34; high-risk single event $99; annual temporary permits $173-$493 by risk level
Cart tiers by food-handling complexity; single-site operations $133-$199
Equipment your Merced 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.
0-49 seats $442; 50-149 seats $619; 150+ seats $760 per year (fees include a 2.3% increase effective July 1, 2025); source https://ecode360.com/43016570 These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Merced County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: Prepackaged food / equipment remodel $295 (2.5-hour minimum); Unpackaged food / food preparation $826 (7-hour minimum); source https://ecode360.com/43016570
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Merced County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Carts tiered by food-handling complexity; a commissary is required
Who issues food permits in Merced County?
Food permits here are issued by Merced County Department of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health. 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.