Prince George's County, MD Food Facility Permits & Fees
Restaurants and food trucks.
Prince George's County Health Department, Food Protection Program; food service facility permits are issued/collected through the County Department of Permitting, Inspections & Enforcement (DPIE) · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Prince George's County food-facility health permits run about $66–$1,002.10 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $66–$594. Confirm the exact amount with Prince George's County Health Department, Food Protection Program; food service facility permits are issued/collected through the County Department of Permitting, Inspections & Enforcement (DPIE) 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 Prince George's County Health Department, Food Protection Program; food service facility permits are issued/collected through the County Department of Permitting, Inspections & Enforcement (DPIE) issues the health permit.
The restaurant market in Prince George's County
What the local foodservice landscape looks like — useful whether you’re opening here or sizing up the competition.
1,474
food & drink establishments
28,004
industry jobs
$667M
annual payroll
$23,809
avg wage / worker
355 full-service restaurants
875 limited-service & fast food
19 bars & drinking places
88 snack & coffee bars
19 mobile food & trucks
▲ 1.4% change in establishments since 2022 (1,454 → 1,474).
The average foodservice wage here is $1,519 below the Maryland average ($25,328); Maryland has about 11,930 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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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 Facility permit (annual, by HACCP priority)
Health fee:
High HACCP Priority $845
Moderate HACCP Priority $660
Low HACCP Priority $449
Non-Profit $330. Each is then Total = $66 Administrative fee + health fee + 10% Technology fee (e.g., High = ($66+$845) x 1.10 = $1,002.10)
HACCP priority: High = full-service restaurants, buffets, hospitals, nursing homes; Moderate = fast-food (cook-and-immediately-serve); Low = minimal prep; All fees carry a $66 admin fee + 10% technology fee; Amounts confirmed 2026-08-10 against the codified DPIE Table of Fees (County Code Subtitle 2, Div 14C, Sec 2-253.63, Attachment A, dated 8-15-2024, reflecting the CR-087-2024 20% increase + Technology Fee)
County health departments license and inspect to the Maryland food code; no statewide letter grade; inspection reports are public and posted online by this jurisdiction.
Food truck / mobile permit
Mobile Vendor - Food Truck (Food Service Facility mobile unit)
Out-of-county unit: Mobile Unit Reciprocity $360 (+ $66 admin + 10% tech)
Confirmed 2026-08-10 from the codified DPIE Table of Fees: a distinct 'Mobile Vendor; Food Truck' line at $396. Applied for online in the Momentum portal; a commissary/base-of-operations depot letter is required; 'Mobile Unit Reciprocity' ($360) covers an out-of-county unit
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 $198–$2,104.30 for Prince George's County:
$66–$1,002.10 — food-facility permit
$66–$594 — plan review
$66–$508.20 — 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.
Grease trap & FOG requirements
Under IPC (adopted via Maryland Building Performance Standards), 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 Maryland's adopted plumbing code, with FOG permits issued by the local sewer/wastewater authority.
Size the interceptor with our grease-trap sizing calculator, compare units in the grease-trap catalog, and confirm the local FOG permit with Prince George's County Health Department, Food Protection Program; food service facility permits are issued/collected through the County Department of Permitting, Inspections & Enforcement (DPIE) (contact above).
Fire suppression & backflow
Hood fire suppression (Maryland State Fire Prevention Code (NFPA 1 / NFPA 101)): 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 Maryland State Fire Prevention Code, enforced by the State Fire Marshal and local AHJ. See do I need a hood? and the hood CFM calculator.
Backflow prevention: Annual RPZ backflow assembly testing is required by the local water utility'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
All health fees are structured as $66 Administrative fee + health fee + 10% Technology fee (per the DPIE Table of Fees, Attachment A)
Vending Machine $264. Farmers Market: single-day license $99, Samplers license $33, up-to-2-markets $231 (if applied on/before April 30) or $330 (after April 30)
Operating without a permit $1,200; Operating without a Certified Food Service Manager $600; Food Service Facility permit late fee $24/day; Chronic Offender $600-$1,200
Fees sourced from the county's codified DPIE Table of Fees (County Code Subtitle 2, Division 14C, Sec 2-253.63, Attachment A) and the DPIE Fee Schedule PDF; cross-referenced to County Code Subtitle 12
Equipment your Prince George's 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.
How much is a food permit in Prince George's County?
Health fee: High HACCP Priority $845; Moderate HACCP Priority $660; Low HACCP Priority $449; Non-Profit $330. Each is then Total = $66 Administrative fee + health fee + 10% Technology fee (e.g., High = ($66+$845) x 1.10 = $1,002.10) These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Prince George's County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: Plan Review FSF; New $594; Plan Review FSF; Remodel $396; 2nd Resubmittal FSF $99; Plan Review New Facilities Non-FSF $264; FPP (Food Protection Program) Pre-settlement Inspection $495; FPP Prospective Inspection $198 (each + $66 admin + 10% technology fee)
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Prince George's County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Confirmed 2026-08-10 from the codified DPIE Table of Fees: a distinct 'Mobile Vendor; Food Truck' line at $396. Applied for online in the Momentum portal; a commissary/base-of-operations depot letter is required; 'Mobile Unit Reciprocity' ($360) covers an out-of-county unit
Who issues food permits in Prince George's County?
Food permits here are issued by Prince George's County Health Department, Food Protection Program; food service facility permits are issued/collected through the County Department of Permitting, Inspections & Enforcement (DPIE). 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.