Local permits & fees

Santa Cruz County, CA — Commercial Kitchen Permits

County of Santa Cruz Health Services Agency, Environmental Health Division · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.

Restaurant / food-facility permit

Food Service / Restaurant (annual, by seating)
$681 (0-25 seats); $932 (26-50); $1,209 (51-75); $1,400 (76-100); $1,466 (101+ seats)

UNVERIFIED CURRENCY: most recent published schedule retrieved is FY2021-2022 (revised 10/2021); current-year amounts may differ. Bar w/o food $397; concession/snack bar $397.

Plan review — required

New/modified food facility plan check: $1,796 (<1,500 sq ft, incl 6 hrs); $2,393 (over 1,500 sq ft, incl 8 hrs); equipment replacement $1,159; +$240/hr beyond included hours; minor plan check $240/hr

Plan-review details & forms →

Food truck / mobile permit

Mobile Food Facility / Cart
$463 Mobile Food Preparation Unit; $388 Mobile Unit; $414 cart (limited prep); $463 cart (food prep); $215 cart (prepackaged)

Operating permits issued for the calendar year. UNVERIFIED CURRENCY: FY2021-2022 schedule.

Watch out for

  • Mobile/compact mobile food operations require a separate plan review; plan documents submitted to [email protected].
  • Only a FY2021-2022 fee schedule (rev 10/2021) was publicly retrievable; confirm current fees with the department.

Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction

CategoryAnnual feeNotes
caterer$669Caterer $669; Hosted Caterer $414; Host Facility $240
commissary/shared/central kitchen$388-$993Commissary < 1,000 sq ft $388 / >= 1,000 sq ft $679; Food Est./Shared Kitchen $380; Central Kitchen < 1000 sq ft $705 / 1,000+ $993
bakery$810Bakery (all risk categories)
market/grocery with deli$375-$1,736Market/grocery (Food Vending): base 2,000 sq ft or less $375; +1 food prep $850, +2 $1,139, +3 $1,408; larger footprints up to $1,736
bar/tavern$397Food Service - Bar w/o Food $397; Concession/Snack Bar $397
temporary/seasonal/special-event$86-$397Event Organizer year-round $397 / per event $195; Vendor per event $195 (non-PHF $86); Swap-meet Prepackaged/Itinerant $256
pushcart/limited or low-risk operation$215-$463Carts - Prepackaged Food $215 / Limited Food Prep $414 / Food Prep $463; Limited Food Sales $254
food processing/wholesale$705-$993Food Processing < 1,000 sq ft $705 / 1,000 sq ft or greater $993
Sources: scceh.com · scceh.com · observed 2026-08-07