Local permits & fees

Niagara County, NY — Commercial Kitchen Permits

Niagara County Department of Health - Environmental Health Division (Lockport; serves Niagara Falls) · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.

Restaurant / food-facility permit

Food Service Establishment - Inspection & Permit (annual, risk-based)
Risk-based (annual): Low Risk $155; Medium Risk $260; High Risk $365 (Niagara County DOH Fee Schedule for Environmental Health Services, effective Aug 15, 2025). A full-service restaurant is typically High Risk ($365).

Locally administered by the Niagara County Department of Health, Environmental Health Division, under NY State Sanitary Code Subpart 14-1. Permit fees scale by risk level. Retail groceries/markets/bakeries selling packaged food are licensed by the NY State Dept of Agriculture & Markets, not the county DOH.

Plan review — required

$185 - Food Service Plan Review (Niagara County DOH fee schedule eff. 8-15-2025).

Plan-review details & forms →

Food truck / mobile permit

Mobile Food Vendor permit (annual)
$210 (annual) - Mobile Food Vendor.

Locally administered by Niagara County DOH Environmental Health; a commissary/base of operations is required. Frozen Dessert operations are a separate permit line ($25 annual; $15 temporary frozen dessert).

Watch out for

  • Locally administered - Niagara County Department of Health, Environmental Health Division (Lockport) under NY State Sanitary Code Subpart 14-1.
  • Annual food service permit is RISK-BASED: Low Risk $155 / Medium Risk $260 / High Risk $365 (eff. Aug 15, 2025).
  • Mobile Food Vendor $210/yr; Food Service Plan Review $185.
  • Temporary permits: Temporary (<15 consecutive days) $50; Multiple Temporary (180 consecutive days) $155; Temporary Frozen Dessert $15. Temporary applications due 15 days prior or a 50% late fee applies.
  • Retail groceries, markets and bakeries (packaged retail food) are regulated by the NY State Dept of Agriculture & Markets, not the county DOH.

Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction

CategoryAnnual feeNotes
Bakery / food processingnull - retail bakeries and food processors selling packaged food are licensed by the NY State Dept of Agriculture & Markets, not the Niagara County DOH. A bakery with on-site food service would be a risk-based Food Service Establishment ($155-$365/yr by risk level).NY splits retail food (state Ag & Markets) from food service (county DOH).
Grocery / market with delinull - groceries and markets (retail food stores) are licensed by the NY State Dept of Agriculture & Markets, not the Niagara County DOH. An in-store deli/hot-food area may require a risk-based county Food Service Establishment permit ($155-$365/yr); confirm with Environmental Health (716-439-7444).Retail food (grocery) = NY State Ag & Markets jurisdiction.
Temporary / seasonal eventTemporary (less than 15 consecutive days) $50; Multiple Temporary (180 consecutive days) $155; Temporary Frozen Dessert (<15 days) $15. Applications due 15 days prior or a 50% late fee applies. (Niagara County DOH fee schedule eff. 8-15-2025.)Niagara breaks out single Temporary, Multiple Temporary (seasonal, 180 days), and a Temporary Frozen Dessert line.
Pushcart / mobile vending$210 - Mobile Food Vendor (annual).A commissary/base of operations is required. Frozen Dessert operations are a separate $25/yr permit line.
Sources: www.niagaracounty.gov · www.niagaracounty.gov · www.niagaracounty.gov · observed 2026-08-07