Local permits & fees

Mobile County, AL — Commercial Kitchen Permits

Mobile County Health Department (MCHD) - Environmental Health / Food & Lodging · department site →

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

Restaurant / food-facility permit

Food Service Establishment Annual Permit

$410/yr (up to 1,000 sq ft); $615/yr (over 1,000 sq ft); Limited Food Service $480; Limited Retail Food Service $270

From MCHD Schedule of Fees v01/07/2026, authorized by the Mobile County Commission. Fees auto-increase every 3 years by CPI. Food/Lodging Pre/Re-Inspection Fee $80.

Plan review — required

$410 (up to 1,000 sq ft); $615 (over 1,000 sq ft); $1,380 (multiplex)

Plan-review details & forms →

Food truck / mobile permit

Commissary/Mobile Unit permit

$240 (0-3 days); $270 (4-14 days); $550 (>14 days)

Mobile-unit annual/operational fee tiered by number of operating days, per MCHD Schedule of Fees v01/07/2026.

How to apply

Forms & applications

Watch out for

Full published fee schedule: plan-review resubmission $200, rush $410, plans submitted after construction begins = 2x applicable fee.
Fees automatically increase every 3 years based on U.S. CPI.

Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction

Category	Annual fee	Notes
food processing/wholesale	$410.00 (gross receipts $0-99,999.99); $685.00 ($100k-249,999.99); $965.00 ($250k-999,999.99); $1,380.00 ($1M+)	"Food Service Processors" - tiered by gross receipts.
pushcart/limited operation	Limited Food Service $480.00; Limited Retail Food Service $270.00; Cottage Food Registration $80.00; Ice cream truck $80.00	Multiple limited-operation categories published; no separate caterer/commissary/bakery/market-deli/bar categories listed.

Alabama 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: mchd.org · mchd.org · observed 2026-08-07