Restaurants, commercial kitchens, and food trucks.
Onslow County Health Department, Environmental Health Division (Consolidated Human Services) · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department 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 Onslow County Health Department, Environmental Health Division (Consolidated Human Services) issues the health permit.
The restaurant market in Onslow County
What the local foodservice landscape looks like — useful whether you’re opening here or sizing up the competition.
398
food & drink establishments
8,154
industry jobs
$166M
annual payroll
$20,378
avg wage / worker
129 full-service restaurants
175 limited-service & fast food
29 bars & drinking places
35 snack & coffee bars
8 mobile food & trucks
▲ 5.0% change in establishments since 2022 (379 → 398).
The average foodservice wage here is $1,468 below the North Carolina average ($21,846); North Carolina has about 21,985 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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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 Service Establishment Permit
North Carolina does not charge an annual food service establishment permit fee
the state permit is issued at no cost once the facility passes plan review and inspection
Counties charge only the one-time plan review fee
Permit issued per rules adopted under the NC Food Code; The cost to open is the plan review fee below
Sanitation score converts to a required grade card — A 90-100, B 80-89, C 70-79 (below 70 cannot operate) — posted at the establishment and available online.
Food truck / mobile permit
Mobile Food Unit & Commissary (plan review)
$75 (mobile food unit &
commissary plan review)
Mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; the annual permit itself is free per NC law
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 $200–$325 for Onslow County:
$125–$250 — plan review
$75 — 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.
Look up a restaurant’s inspection score
Check the health-inspection history and violation scores for any food establishment in Onslow County and North Carolina. County health departments conduct inspections while NCDHHS aggregates food establishment sanitation scores in a statewide data portal.
About 379 food & drinking establishments serve ~213,676 residents in Onslow County — one per ~564 residents, denser than the North Carolina average (one per ~598).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Grease trap & FOG requirements
Under 2018 North Carolina State Plumbing Code (IPC 2015 base), food establishments here must control fats, oils & grease (FOG) with a grease interceptor or trap, and typically register with the local sewer/wastewater authority. Grease interceptors are required under the North Carolina Plumbing Code, with FOG permits from the local sewer authority.
Size the interceptor with our grease-trap sizing calculator, compare units in the grease-trap catalog, and confirm the local FOG permit with Onslow County Health Department, Environmental Health Division (Consolidated Human Services) (contact above).
Fire suppression & backflow
Hood fire suppression (2018 North Carolina Fire Prevention Code (IFC 2015 base)): commercial cooking under a Type I hood needs a wet-chemical suppression system to NFPA 96, permitted and inspected by the local fire marshal. Kitchen hood suppression follows NFPA 96 under the North Carolina Fire Prevention Code, enforced by the local fire marshal. See do I need a hood? and the hood CFM calculator.
Backflow prevention: Annual RPZ backflow testing is required by the local water system's cross-connection control program. A certified backflow assembly (often an RPZ) on the water service, tested annually, is standard — confirm with your water utility.
Watch out for
Fees taken from the Onslow County Environmental Health Fee Schedule FY 2026-2027
Plan review required for new or remodeled facilities; application must include menu, scaled plans, and equipment spec sheets
Other food application fees: Temporary Food Establishments $75; Limited Food Service Establishments $75
One-time plan review fee; annual permit is free under NC law; Source: Onslow EH Fee Schedule FY 2026-2027
Bar / limited food service
$75 (Limited Food Service Establishments)
Application/plan review fee from the Onslow EH fee schedule
Temporary / seasonal event
$75 (Temporary Food Establishments)
Application fee; add 3.75% if paid by credit card
Pushcart / mobile vending
$75 (Mobile Food Unit & Commissary plan review)
NC issues the operating permit at no cost; only the plan review fee applies
Equipment your Onslow 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.
North Carolina does not charge an annual food service establishment permit fee; the state permit is issued at no cost once the facility passes plan review and inspection; Counties charge only the one-time plan review fee These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Onslow County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: $250 (Food Service Establishments); Food Service & Lodging remodel of existing facility $125; add 3.75% if paid by credit card
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Onslow County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; the annual permit itself is free per NC law
Who issues food permits in Onslow County?
Food permits here are issued by Onslow County Health Department, Environmental Health Division (Consolidated Human Services). 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.