foodservicenerd
Local permits & fees

Polk County, FL — Commercial Kitchen Permits

Florida Dept. of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR), Division of Hotels & Restaurants (statewide licensing); Florida Dept. of Health in Polk County handles local environmental health matters · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.

Restaurant / food-facility permit

Public Food Service Establishment License (Fixed)
$262 (1-49 seats) / $273 (50-149) / $294 (150-249) / $315 (250-349) / $336 (350-499) / $357 (500+), annual

Statewide DBPR fee per FAC 61C-1.008(4)(b); identical in all FL counties. Renewed annually.

Plan review — required

Fee not published online.

Turnaround: Online apps process within a few business days; plan review approval required before opening inspection

Plan-review details & forms →

Food truck / mobile permit

Mobile Food Dispensing Vehicle (MFDV) License
$347/yr license + $50 application ($178.50 half-year)

Statewide DBPR license; plan review required for newly built/converted/remodeled units or reopening after 18+ months closed.

How to apply

Apply / county portal →Forms & applications

Watch out for

  • FL restaurants/food trucks are DBPR state-licensed — fees identical to Pinellas and Lee counties.
  • Use the DBPR food-fee calculator to confirm the exact seat-based fee for a given establishment.

Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction

CategoryAnnual feeNotes
caterer$263/yrDBPR statewide (Div. of Hotels & Restaurants) full-year fee; $136.50 half-year; +$50 new-license application fee; +$10 HEP fee (not prorated). Any licensed public food service establishment may also cater without a separate license.
theme-park cart$262/yr (1-5 carts)DBPR Theme Park Food Cart license; $136 half-year for 1-5 carts, rising to $357/yr for 26+ carts. For carts operating within a theme park/entertainment complex.
vending (food) machine$21/yrDBPR license for vending machines dispensing prepared/potentially hazardous food; $15.50 half-year.
temporary/special-event vendor$91 (1-3 days) / $105 (4-30 days) / $456 annualDBPR Temporary Food Service Event vendor license; annual covers multiple events. Temporary licensees may not cater.
Florida 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: www2.myfloridalicense.com · www.law.cornell.edu · observed 2026-08-07