Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Food Establishment License food-facility health permits run about $165 annually. Confirm the exact amount with Southwest Health and Human Services (SWHHS) 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 Southwest Health and Human Services (SWHHS) issues the health permit.
The restaurant market in Food Establishment License
What the local foodservice landscape looks like — useful whether you’re opening here or sizing up the competition.
29
food & drink establishments
311
industry jobs
$5M
annual payroll
$17,322
avg wage / worker
12 full-service restaurants
4 limited-service & fast food
9 bars & drinking places
▼ 3.3% change in establishments since 2022 (30 → 29).
The average foodservice wage here is $5,978 below 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: 2026-08-18 — 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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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 Establishment License
Base Fee $165 (all establishments) plus category: Limited Food $60, Small Establishment $115, Medium (51-175 seats) $265, Large (>
175 seats) $415
SWHHS is the delegated agency for Pipestone, Redwood and Rock counties (sets its own fees); Alcohol Service $160. Late penalty $150. From 2024 Food/Beverage/Lodging application
Base Fee $165 applies; Seasonal Food Stand $85. MFU-specific category fee not itemized in the published application
How to apply
See the department site above.
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 $60–$415 for Food Establishment License:
$60–$415 — food-facility 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 Food Establishment License’s permit cost compares
At about $165/year, Food Establishment License’s restaurant health permit is above the Minnesota median ($50) and above the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 67% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 70th-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 30 food & drinking establishments serve ~15,288 residents in Food Establishment License — one per ~510 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 ~$165 annual health permit.
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 Southwest Health and Human Services (SWHHS) (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.
Equipment your Food Establishment License 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.
This is a typical sequence — confirm the exact sequence with your authority having jurisdiction.
Confirm whether Food Establishment License or another local jurisdiction (city/district) handles your exact address.
Confirm zoning and permitted use.
Prepare your menu and scaled plans.
Include an equipment schedule with ANSI/NSF spec sheets.
Submit water-heater and hood documentation.
Pay plan-review fees.
Respond to plan-check corrections.
Obtain Environmental Health plan approval.
Obtain building, plumbing, mechanical and fire approvals.
Schedule rough-plumbing, pre-final and final health inspections.
Pay the operating-permit / application fees.
Receive approval before storing or preparing food.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a food permit in Food Establishment License?
Base Fee $165 (all establishments) plus category: Limited Food $60, Small Establishment $115, Medium (51-175 seats) $265, Large (>175 seats) $415 These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Food Establishment License?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility.
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Food Establishment License?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Base Fee $165 applies; Seasonal Food Stand $85. MFU-specific category fee not itemized in the published application
Who issues food permits in Food Establishment License?
Food permits here are issued by Southwest Health and Human Services (SWHHS). 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.