Stark County Health Department (Stark County Combined General Health District) - Division of Environmental Health, Food Safety Program · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Stark County food-facility health permits run about $28–$1,582.20 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $28–$1,554.20. Confirm the exact amount with Stark County Health Department (Stark County Combined General Health District) - Division of Environmental Health, Food Safety Program 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 Stark County Health Department (Stark County Combined General Health District) - Division of Environmental Health, Food Safety Program issues the health permit.
The restaurant market in Stark County
What the local foodservice landscape looks like — useful whether you’re opening here or sizing up the competition.
772
food & drink establishments
15,054
industry jobs
$296M
annual payroll
$19,663
avg wage / worker
240 full-service restaurants
363 limited-service & fast food
51 bars & drinking places
85 snack & coffee bars
10 mobile food & trucks
▲ 3.2% change in establishments since 2022 (748 → 772).
The average foodservice wage here is $965 below the Ohio average ($20,628); Ohio has about 24,162 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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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 →
Locally administered by the Stark County Health Department (a combined general health district covering Canton and Stark County); Ohio licenses restaurants as Food Service Operations (FSO) and grocery/markets as Retail Food Establishments (RFE); both are priced identically on the county's risk-based (Risk Level I-IV) schedule; A full-service restaurant is typically Risk Level III or IV; Non-commercial (churches/schools) rates are lower; Late fee applies as of March 2nd
Ohio local health districts inspect under the Ohio Uniform Food Safety Code (risk-based, critical/non-critical violations); no letter grade or score.
Food truck / mobile permit
Mobile Food License (High Risk / Low Risk)
$293.00 (Mobile
High Risk)
$160.50 (Mobile
Low Risk)
(2026 schedule.)
Ohio operates a statewide Mobile FSO/RFE license framework; Stark County issues and inspects the local mobile license; A separate Mobile Plan Review Application applies for new units, and a commissary/servicing base 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 $216.50–$3,429.40 for Stark County:
$28–$1,582.20 — food-facility permit
$28–$1,554.20 — plan review
$160.50–$293 — 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 Stark County’s permit cost compares
At about $28/year, Stark County’s restaurant health permit is about the Ohio median ($28) and below the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 3% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 33rd-lowest of 54 Ohio 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 748 food & drinking establishments serve ~372,716 residents in Stark County — one per ~498 residents, denser than the Ohio average (one per ~574).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$28 annual health permit + $28 plan review.
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 Ohio Plumbing Code (based on 2021 IPC), 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 Ohio Plumbing Code, with FOG discharge limits enforced by the local sewer authority.
Size the interceptor with our grease-trap sizing calculator, compare units in the grease-trap catalog, and confirm the local FOG permit with Stark County Health Department (Stark County Combined General Health District) - Division of Environmental Health, Food Safety Program (contact above).
Fire suppression & backflow
Hood fire suppression (Ohio Fire Code (based on 2021 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 Ohio 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
Locally administered; Stark County Combined General Health District runs its own Environmental Health food program (Canton and Stark County)
License fee is a matrix of commercial vs; non-commercial x under/over 25,000 sq ft x Risk Level I-IV; each license fee = plan-review fee + the $28.00 State of Ohio fee
Restaurant full-service commercial under 25,000 sq ft: Risk III $635.60, Risk IV $788.90 (2026)
Retail Food Establishment (RFE) on the same risk-based schedule as restaurants: commercial under 25,000 sq ft $329.00 (Risk I), $362.60 (Risk II), $635.60 (Risk III), $788.90 (Risk IV); over 25,000 sq ft $447.30-$1,582.20 by risk; (2026)
Ohio licenses grocery/markets as RFE; a store with a deli/prep area rises in risk level; Priced identically to FSO (restaurants)
Flat temporary FSO/RFE license fees on the 2026 schedule
Pushcart / mobile vending
$293.00 (Mobile; High Risk); $160.50 (Mobile; Low Risk)
Mobile FSO/RFE license priced by risk; a commissary/servicing base is required; (Vending machines are a separate $35.99 line.)
Equipment your Stark 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.
Commercial under 25,000 sq ft: $329.00 (Risk I), $362.60 (Risk II), $635.60 (Risk III), $788.90 (Risk IV); Commercial over 25,000 sq ft: $447.30 (Risk I), $467.50 (Risk II), $1,496.00 (Risk III), $1,582.20 (Risk IV); (2026 schedule, effective Feb 1; includes the $28.00 state fee.) These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Stark County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: Commercial under 25,000 sq ft: $301.00 (Risk I), $334.60 (Risk II), $607.60 (Risk III), $760.90 (Risk IV); Commercial over 25,000 sq ft: $419.30/$439.50 (Risk I), $1,468.00/$1,554.20 (Risk II tiers); Plan review fee is $28 less than the license fee at each risk level
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Stark County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Ohio operates a statewide Mobile FSO/RFE license framework; Stark County issues and inspects the local mobile license; A separate Mobile Plan Review Application applies for new units, and a commissary/servicing base is required
Who issues food permits in Stark County?
Food permits here are issued by Stark County Health Department (Stark County Combined General Health District) - Division of Environmental Health, Food Safety Program. 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.