Restaurants, commercial kitchens, and food trucks.
Ramsey County Public Health - Environmental Health (Licenses & Inspections). NOTE: Ramsey County licenses all establishments EXCEPT those in Saint Paul and Maplewood; establishments in the City of Saint Paul are licensed by St. Paul Dept. of Safety & Inspections (DSI), delegated from MDH. · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Ramsey County food-facility health permits run about $270–$1,598 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $139–$737. Confirm the exact amount with Ramsey County Public Health - Environmental Health (Licenses & Inspections). NOTE: Ramsey County licenses all establishments EXCEPT those in Saint Paul and Maplewood; establishments in the City of Saint Paul are licensed by St. Paul Dept. of Safety & Inspections (DSI), delegated from MDH. 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 Ramsey County Public Health - Environmental Health (Licenses & Inspections). NOTE: Ramsey County licenses all establishments EXCEPT those in Saint Paul and Maplewood; establishments in the City of Saint Paul are licensed by St. Paul Dept. of Safety & Inspections (DSI), delegated from MDH. issues the health permit.
The restaurant market in Ramsey County
What the local foodservice landscape looks like — useful whether you’re opening here or sizing up the competition.
1,204
food & drink establishments
21,815
industry jobs
$540M
annual payroll
$24,771
avg wage / worker
399 full-service restaurants
427 limited-service & fast food
60 bars & drinking places
127 snack & coffee bars
37 mobile food & trucks
▲ 1.9% change in establishments since 2022 (1,182 → 1,204).
The average foodservice wage here is $1,471 above the Minnesota average ($23,300); Minnesota has about 10,937 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 License (annual, calendar-year, class-based)
Class A Food Service:
$1,598
Class B: $1,125
Class C: $941
Class D High Risk: $757
Class D Med/Low Risk: $630
Limited Food Service: $432
Limited School Food Service: $270 (totals shown, incl
small state surcharge
add ~2% late fee)
Combined food &
retail classes are priced separately
Fees per Ramsey County 2026-2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule (effective/approved 1/27/2026); License is calendar-year (Jan 1-Dec 31) and non-transferable; A food-waste-diversion program discount is available
Plan review — required
Required for new construction/remodel/added equipment
Food establishment plan review base ~$737 (varies by class)
Mobile Food Unit or Food Cart plan review: $304
a $139 plan-review tier also listed for certain categories
Turnaround: Plan review must be completed before construction; a final inspection is required before the county issues a license (specific business-day turnaround not published)
Ramsey County (and City of St. Paul) inspect under the Minnesota Food Code; no letter grade. Reports not posted online — available on request.
Food truck / mobile permit
Mobile Food Unit / Food Cart License (annual)
Mobile Food Unit:
$173
Food Cart: $173 (both totals incl
state surcharge)
Mobile/Food Cart plan review: $304
Seasonal Temporary Food Stand $232; Special Event Food Stand w/ TCS food $88 (1 day) / $136 (2-10 days); St; Paul food trucks use a St; Paul DSI Mobile Food Vehicle license instead
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 $582–$2,639 for Ramsey County:
$270–$1,598 — food-facility permit
$139–$737 — plan review
$173–$304 — 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.
How Ramsey County’s permit cost compares
At about $270/year, Ramsey County’s restaurant health permit is above the Minnesota median ($50) and above the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 91% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 77th-lowest of 81 Minnesota counties by permit cost.
Comparison uses the lowest published annual restaurant-permit figure in each county; confirm your exact tier with the department.
Local food-service market
About 1,182 food & drinking establishments serve ~536,075 residents in Ramsey County — one per ~454 residents, denser than the Minnesota average (one per ~519).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$270 annual health permit + $139 plan review.
Plus building, fire, and business-license fees that vary locally — use the cost calculators and the checklist below to budget the full stack.
Grease trap & FOG requirements
Under Minnesota Plumbing Code (Ch. 4714, based on 2018 UPC), 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 Minnesota Plumbing Code, with FOG limits set by the local sewer utility.
Size the interceptor with our grease-trap sizing calculator, compare units in the grease-trap catalog, and confirm the local FOG permit with Ramsey County Public Health - Environmental Health (Licenses & Inspections). NOTE: Ramsey County licenses all establishments EXCEPT those in Saint Paul and Maplewood; establishments in the City of Saint Paul are licensed by St. Paul Dept. of Safety & Inspections (DSI), delegated from MDH. (contact above).
Fire suppression & backflow
Hood fire suppression (Minnesota State Fire Code (Ch. 7511, based on IFC)): commercial cooking under a Type I hood needs a wet-chemical suppression system to NFPA 96, permitted and inspected by the local fire marshal. Commercial kitchen hood suppression follows NFPA 96 as adopted in the Minnesota State Fire Code and is inspected by the local fire authority. See do I need a hood? and the hood CFM calculator.
Backflow prevention: Restaurants must install a testable backflow preventer (typically an RPZ) that is tested annually and reported to the local water utility. A certified backflow assembly (often an RPZ) on the water service, tested annually, is standard — confirm with your water utility.
Watch out for
Jurisdiction split: Ramsey County covers the county EXCEPT Saint Paul and Maplewood (each licensed by their own city programs)
MN moved to a simplified retail 'Food Handler' license structure (MDA) effective Aug 1, 2025
Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction
Category
Annual fee
Notes
Catering kitchen / commissary
—
Listed as a licensed/inspected establishment type
Grocery store / convenience store / delicatessen
—
Market/grocery-with-deli licensed type (combined food & retail class); specific fee not extractable from the fee-schedule PDF
Temporary food stand (events)
Seasonal Temporary Food Stand $232; Special Event Food Stand w/ TCS food $88 (1 day) / $136 (2-10 days)
Ramsey County 2026-2027 Approved Fee Schedule
Equipment your Ramsey 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.
Class A Food Service: $1,598; Class B: $1,125; Class C: $941; Class D High Risk: $757; Class D Med/Low Risk: $630; Limited Food Service: $432; Limited School Food Service: $270 (totals shown, incl; small state surcharge; add ~2% late fee); Combined food & retail classes are priced separately These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Ramsey County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: Required for new construction/remodel/added equipment; Food establishment plan review base ~$737 (varies by class); Mobile Food Unit or Food Cart plan review: $304; a $139 plan-review tier also listed for certain categories
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Ramsey County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Seasonal Temporary Food Stand $232; Special Event Food Stand w/ TCS food $88 (1 day) / $136 (2-10 days); St; Paul food trucks use a St; Paul DSI Mobile Food Vehicle license instead
Who issues food permits in Ramsey County?
Food permits here are issued by Ramsey County Public Health - Environmental Health (Licenses & Inspections). NOTE: Ramsey County licenses all establishments EXCEPT those in Saint Paul and Maplewood; establishments in the City of Saint Paul are licensed by St. Paul Dept. of Safety & Inspections (DSI), delegated from MDH.. 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.