foodservicenerd
Local permits & fees

Santa Clara County, CA — Commercial Kitchen Permits

County of Santa Clara Dept. of Environmental Health (DEH), Retail Food Program · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.

Restaurant / food-facility permit

Food Service Operation annual health permit
By employees x risk (FY2026): 0-5 emp $664/$1,377/$2,281 (RC1/2/3); 6-25 $848/$1,453/$2,478; 26+ $909/$1,549/$2,839. Plus one-time $423 facility-evaluation fee.

Risk category (1-3) assigned by DEH. Small businesses (<=25 employees) may qualify for fee relief.

Plan review — required

Fixed-facility plan check with food prep: RC1 $2,394-$2,676, RC2-3 $3,661-$4,365 by sq ft; hood system $705; revision $563. Expedited surcharge applies.

Turnaround: Up to 20 business days after payment; unpaid plans discarded after 10 days.

Plan-review details & forms →

Food truck / mobile permit

Mobile Food Facility (MFF) annual permit
No prep $493; limited prep $795; full prep $1,026; mobile support unit $457. MFF plan check $845-$2,113.

Non-transferable, annual renewal + inspection; new-to-CA MFF requires plan review first.

How to apply

Apply / county portal →Forms & applications

Watch out for

  • Every MFF must report DAILY to a permitted commissary (or approved mobile support unit) - using an unapproved facility triggers immediate suspension.
  • Each additional food operation in a facility (deli, coffee bar, kiosk) needs its own plan-check application + fee, so one build-out can incur multiple fees.

Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction

CategoryAnnual feeNotes
Caterer$648Caterer / Kitchen Rental Food Prep Op Risk Cat 1 $648 (FP18); Risk Cat 2 $930 (FP19). Catering Op at Host Facility: out-of-county $282 (FP53), in-county $0 (FP54)
Commissary / shared kitchen$563Commissary / Approved Facility $563 (FP30); Facilities Held in Common (shared) $566 (FP29)
Bakery—No standalone bakery permit; permitted as Food Prep/Food Service Operation by risk category, or No Food Prep
Bar / tavern—No standalone bar/tavern permit; permitted as Food Prep/Food Service Operation by risk category
Market / grocery (no food prep)$735No Food Prep <5,000 sq ft $735 (FP06); 5,000-20,000 $1,001 (FP07); >20,000 $1,104 (FP08)
Temporary / special event$121Temporary/special event (TST OPS) Cat 1 $121, Cat 2 $225, Cat 3 $282 (TE07-09; annual versions TE11-13 same fees); coordinator permit 2-10 booths $451, 11-20 $705, 21-40 $986, >40 $1,408 (TE03-TE40); Certified Farmers Mkt market-mgr permit 1-20 producers $1,246, >20 $1,306 (FP02-03)
Limited food service$410Limited Food Service Cat 1 $410 (FP75), Cat 2 $423 (FP76), Cat 3 $451 (FP77)
Satellite / other$282Satellite Food Service no prep $282 (FP81), prep RC1 $372 (FP82), prep RC2 $616 (FP83); Food Bank $493 (FP32); Charitable Feeding Operation $423 (FP33)
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: files.santaclaracounty.gov · deh.santaclaracounty.gov · observed 2026-08-06