Local permits & fees

San Luis Obispo County, CA — Commercial Kitchen Permits

County of San Luis Obispo, Public Health Department, Environmental Health Services · department site →

Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.

Restaurant / food-facility permit

Restaurant (annual, by seating and prep level)

Seating under 11: $663 (min) / $683 (mod) / $727 (full); 11-50 seats: $769 / $792 / $876; over 50 seats: $881 / $889 / $926; Bar/Pub no prep $545

ENV Health Services Division Fee Schedule FY2026/2027. Permit fee due with application.

Plan review — required

Retail Food New Construction: $1,275 (<501 SF); $1,500 (501-5,000); $1,910 (5,001-10,000); $2,056 (>10,000). Major remodel $1,293; minor remodel $1,035; hourly $165. Mobile new construction $908 (limited/mod) / $1,195 (full)

Plan-review details & forms →

Food truck / mobile permit

Mobile Food Facility

$716 full prep; $539 limited prep; $539 prepackaged; Mobile Support Unit $487; CMFO (prepackaged or PHF/unpackaged) $539

Annual. Separate construction/plan review required before permitting.

How to apply

Forms & applications

Watch out for

Failure to obtain an initial permit adds 50% to the fee; late fees 15%-30%.
Contact EHS at (805) 781-5544; office at 2156 Sierra Way Suite B, San Luis Obispo.

Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction

Category	Annual fee	Notes
caterer	$526-$661	Caterer - Minimal Prep $526 / Moderate $595 / Full Prep $661
commissary/shared/central kitchen	$526-$661	Commissary - Tier 2 $526 / Tier 3 $595 / Tier 4 $661; Shared Permanent Food Facility (SPFF) same tiers; Host Facility $570
market/grocery with deli	$463-$975	Retail Mkt by sq ft + prep level: Under 150 SF $463-$496; 150-5,000 SF $560-$645; 5,001-10,000 SF $825-$893; Above 10,000 SF $937-$975
bar/tavern	$545	Bar / Pub - No Prep
temporary/seasonal/special-event	$181-$372	Temporary Food Event Organizer $372; TFF Single Event - Prepackaged $181 / Food Prep $281; Multiple Events $372; Swap Meets $319-$355; Produce Vehicle Seasonal $206
pushcart/limited or low-risk operation	$463	No pushcart category; lowest-risk retail: Retail Mkt Under 150 SF Minimal Prep $463; CMFO commercially prepackaged only $539

California 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.slocounty.ca.gov · www.slocounty.ca.gov · www.slocounty.ca.gov · observed 2026-08-07