foodservicenerd
Local permits & fees

Ramsey County, MN — Commercial Kitchen Permits

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.

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. (Fee-schedule PDF is not machine-readable via automated fetch; figures carried from the official 2026-2027 schedule captured 2026-08-06.)

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)

Plan-review details & forms →

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.

How to apply

Apply / county portal →Forms & applications

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

CategoryAnnual feeNotes
Catering kitchen / commissary—Listed as a licensed/inspected establishment type; specific fee amount not itemized in the machine-readable content of the county fee schedule.
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.
Minnesota 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: www.ramseycountymn.gov · assets.ramseycountymn.gov · www.ramseycountymn.gov · www.stpaul.gov · observed 2026-08-10