Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Tooele County food-facility health permits run about $150–$450 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $100–$350. Confirm the exact amount with Tooele County Health Department 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 Tooele County Health Department issues the health permit.
The restaurant market in Tooele County
What the local foodservice landscape looks like — useful whether you’re opening here or sizing up the competition.
90
food & drink establishments
1,677
industry jobs
$31M
annual payroll
$18,281
avg wage / worker
29 full-service restaurants
41 limited-service & fast food
3 bars & drinking places
12 snack & coffee bars
3 mobile food & trucks
▲ 3.4% change in establishments since 2022 (87 → 90).
The average foodservice wage here is $2,871 below the Utah average ($21,152); Utah has about 6,174 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: 2026-08-18 — 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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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 Service Establishment Permit
$150-$450 (Category I-IV)
Food Establishment Permit: Category I $150, Category II $250, Category III $375, Category IV $450; Microenterprise Kitchen $100. Fee schedule effective 2026. District covers Tooele County only
How inspection results are scored/posted here is pending verification — ask the department.
Food truck / mobile permit
Mobile Truck
$350 (Tier 1) / $500 (Tier 2)
Mobile Truck Primary permit
How to apply
See the department site above.
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 $600–$1,300 for Tooele County:
$150–$450 — food-facility permit
$100–$350 — plan review
$350–$500 — 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 Tooele County’s permit cost compares
At about $150/year, Tooele County’s restaurant health permit is below the Utah median ($250) and above the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 66% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 2nd-lowest of 29 Utah 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 87 food & drinking establishments serve ~82,051 residents in Tooele County — one per ~943 residents, sparser than the Utah average (one per ~589).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$150 annual health permit + $100 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 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. A grease interceptor sized to the state plumbing code is required, with a municipal sewer-authority FOG discharge permit.
Hood fire suppression (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 hood suppression must meet NFPA 96 and the state fire code enforced by local fire officials. See do I need a hood? and the hood CFM calculator.
Backflow prevention: An approved backflow preventer with a certified annual test is required by the local water purveyor. A certified backflow assembly (often an RPZ) on the water service, tested annually, is standard — confirm with your water utility.
Equipment your Tooele 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.
This is a typical sequence — confirm the exact sequence with your authority having jurisdiction.
Confirm whether Tooele County or another local jurisdiction (city/district) handles your exact address.
Confirm zoning and permitted use.
Prepare your menu and scaled plans.
Include an equipment schedule with ANSI/NSF spec sheets.
Submit water-heater and hood documentation.
Pay plan-review fees.
Respond to plan-check corrections.
Obtain Environmental Health plan approval.
Obtain building, plumbing, mechanical and fire approvals.
Schedule rough-plumbing, pre-final and final health inspections.
Pay the operating-permit / application fees.
Receive approval before storing or preparing food.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a food permit in Tooele County?
$150-$450 (Category I-IV) These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Tooele County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: $150 base; Category I $220, II $275, III $350; mobile units $100
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Tooele County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Mobile Truck Primary permit
Who issues food permits in Tooele County?
Food permits here are issued by Tooele County Health Department. 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.