Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), Food, Pools & Lodging Services - Metro District Office. Scott County is NOT a delegated licensing authority; restaurants and food/beverage service establishments in Scott County are licensed directly by MDH (per the MDH state-and-local contacts list, Scott County = MDH, Metro District). Retail grocery/markets are licensed by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). Fee amounts are set by state statute (Minn. Stat. 157.16). · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Scott County food-facility health permits run about $300 annually. Confirm the exact amount with Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), Food, Pools & Lodging Services - Metro District Office. Scott County is NOT a delegated licensing authority; restaurants and food/beverage service establishments in Scott County are licensed directly by MDH (per the MDH state-and-local contacts list, Scott County = MDH, Metro District). Retail grocery/markets are licensed by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). Fee amounts are set by state statute (Minn. Stat. 157.16). 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 Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), Food, Pools & Lodging Services - Metro District Office. Scott County is NOT a delegated licensing authority; restaurants and food/beverage service establishments in Scott County are licensed directly by MDH (per the MDH state-and-local contacts list, Scott County = MDH, Metro District). Retail grocery/markets are licensed by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). Fee amounts are set by state statute (Minn. Stat. 157.16). issues the health permit.
The restaurant market in Scott County
What the local foodservice landscape looks like — useful whether you’re opening here or sizing up the competition.
234
food & drink establishments
4,555
industry jobs
$98M
annual payroll
$21,504
avg wage / worker
79 full-service restaurants
92 limited-service & fast food
19 bars & drinking places
21 snack & coffee bars
6 mobile food & trucks
▲ 0.9% change in establishments since 2022 (232 → 234).
The average foodservice wage here is $1,796 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: 2026-08-17 — 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 and Beverage Service Establishment License (MDH)
Per Minn; Stat; 157.16:
$300 base fee PLUS the highest applicable category fee
Statewide fees identical in every MDH-licensed jurisdiction; Establishments must pay the highest applicable category fee plus the base and additional fees; Grocery/markets are licensed separately by MDA
Plan review — required
MDH plan-review / construction-review fee is not itemized in Minn
Stat
157.16
a separate plan-review fee applies for new construction/remodeling
Contact MDH FPLS (651-201-4500) for the current amount
MDH/MDA (and delegated programs) inspect under the Minnesota Food Code; no letter grade or score. Minnesota generally does not post results online — reports available on request.
Food truck / mobile permit
Mobile Food Unit / Food Cart License (MDH)
$150 (food cart, mobile food unit, seasonal temporary food stand, or seasonal permanent food stand) per Minn
Stat
157.16, PLUS $50 statewide hospitality fee and $5 technology fee
Mobile units are licensed by MDH statewide; a base-of-operations/commissary is required
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 $10–$1,175 for Scott County:
$5–$1,025 — food-facility permit
$5–$150 — food-truck 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 Scott County’s permit cost compares
At about $300/year, Scott County’s restaurant health permit is above the Minnesota median ($50) and above the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 93% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 78th-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 232 food & drinking establishments serve ~155,814 residents in Scott County — one per ~672 residents, sparser than the Minnesota average (one per ~519).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$300 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 Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), Food, Pools & Lodging Services - Metro District Office. Scott County is NOT a delegated licensing authority; restaurants and food/beverage service establishments in Scott County are licensed directly by MDH (per the MDH state-and-local contacts list, Scott County = MDH, Metro District). Retail grocery/markets are licensed by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). Fee amounts are set by state statute (Minn. Stat. 157.16). (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.
Watch out for
AUTHORITY: Scott County is licensed directly by MDH (Metro District Office); it is NOT a delegated county for food/restaurant licensing
Retail grocery / markets in Scott County are licensed by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), not MDH
Special event food stand: $75 annually (Minn; Stat; 157.16)
Statewide hospitality fee: $50 per licensed activity, annually; technology fee $5 per licensed activity
Base fee $300 applies to all except special event stands; highest applicable category fee (Cat 1 $185 / Cat 2 $430 / Cat 3 $670) is added
Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction
Category
Annual fee
Notes
Grocery / market with deli
retail grocery/markets in Scott County are licensed by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) under a separate fee schedule, not by MDH
MDH licenses restaurants/food service; MDA licenses retail food (grocery)
Temporary / seasonal event
$75 (special event food stand); $150 (seasonal temporary food stand or seasonal permanent food stand); each plus $50 hospitality fee and $5 technology fee
Per Minn; Stat; 157.16; a base of operations/commissary is required
Equipment your Scott County 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.
Per Minn; Stat; 157.16: $300 base fee PLUS the highest applicable category fee; Category 1 (low-risk) $185, Category 2 (medium-risk) $430, Category 3 (high-risk) $670; PLUS a $50 statewide hospitality fee and a $5 technology fee per licensed activity; Example full-service restaurant (Cat 3): $300 + $670 + $50 + $5 = $1,025 These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Scott County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: MDH plan-review / construction-review fee is not itemized in Minn; Stat; 157.16; a separate plan-review fee applies for new construction/remodeling; Contact MDH FPLS (651-201-4500) for the current amount
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Scott County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Mobile units are licensed by MDH statewide; a base-of-operations/commissary is required
Who issues food permits in Scott County?
Food permits here are issued by Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), Food, Pools & Lodging Services - Metro District Office. Scott County is NOT a delegated licensing authority; restaurants and food/beverage service establishments in Scott County are licensed directly by MDH (per the MDH state-and-local contacts list, Scott County = MDH, Metro District). Retail grocery/markets are licensed by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). Fee amounts are set by state statute (Minn. Stat. 157.16).. 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.