Washington County, OR Food Facility Permits & Fees
Restaurants, commercial kitchens, and food trucks.
Washington County Environmental Health (Dept. of Health & Human Services) · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Washington County food-facility health permits run about $335–$770 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Confirm the exact amount with Washington County Environmental Health (Dept. of Health & Human Services) 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 Washington County Environmental Health (Dept. of Health & Human Services) issues the health permit.
The restaurant market in Washington County
What the local foodservice landscape looks like — useful whether you’re opening here or sizing up the competition.
1,346
food & drink establishments
22,324
industry jobs
$611M
annual payroll
$27,348
avg wage / worker
458 full-service restaurants
475 limited-service & fast food
79 bars & drinking places
207 snack & coffee bars
56 mobile food & trucks
▲ 4.6% change in establishments since 2022 (1,287 → 1,346).
The average foodservice wage here is $757 above the Oregon average ($26,591); Oregon has about 11,223 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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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 and Food Service Facilities Fees 2026-27'
PDF
Annual licenses expire Dec 31 and are non-transferable; Two unannounced inspections/year; a score of 70 is required to pass; Oregon Food Sanitation Rules effective Jan 1, 2026
Plan review — required
specific plan review fee not published on public pages
county directs applicants to Plan Review Application packet
Oregon 100-point sanitation score (pass at 70); Washington County posts scores online.
Food truck / mobile permit
Mobile Food Unit License
Statewide statutory fee per ORS 624.490:
$255 per mobile unit (commissary $350, warehouse $180)
County'
s 2026-27 fee PDF lists current amounts
Mobile units must operate from a licensed restaurant, commissary, or warehouse unless they have a very limited menu and adequate equipment/utensils to operate without a base
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 $515–$1,120 for Washington County:
$335–$770 — food-facility permit
$180–$350 — 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 Washington County’s permit cost compares
At about $335/year, Washington County’s restaurant health permit is above the Oregon median ($180) and above the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 94% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 31st-lowest of 35 Oregon 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 1,287 food & drinking establishments serve ~598,865 residents in Washington County — one per ~465 residents, sparser than the Oregon average (one per ~443).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$335 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 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. A grease interceptor sized to the Oregon plumbing specialty code is required, with a municipal sewer-authority FOG discharge permit.
Size the interceptor with our grease-trap sizing calculator, compare units in the grease-trap catalog, and confirm the local FOG permit with Washington County Environmental Health (Dept. of Health & Human Services) (contact above).
Fire suppression & backflow
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 Oregon fire code enforced by the local fire authority. 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.
Watch out for
Online portal is for paying license fees and filing complaints, NOT for submitting new applications
License fees are set statewide by ORS 624.490 (Oregon), so county amounts track the statute
Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction
Category
Annual fee
Notes
caterer
—
Catering licensed ('Restaurants, Catering and B&Bs'); fee via online portal (not published on page)
commissary/central kitchen
—
Food Commissary license category; fee not published
food processing/wholesale
—
Food Warehouse license category; fee not published
temporary/seasonal/special-event
—
Temporary Food Booths license category; fee not published
Equipment your Washington 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.
Statewide statutory fees per ORS 624.490: Full-service restaurant $530 (0-15 seats), $600 (16-50), $700 (51-150), $770 (150+); Limited-service $335. County publishes a 'Restaurant and Food Service Facilities Fees 2026-27' PDF These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Washington County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: specific plan review fee not published on public pages; county directs applicants to Plan Review Application packet; Not found
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Washington County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Mobile units must operate from a licensed restaurant, commissary, or warehouse unless they have a very limited menu and adequate equipment/utensils to operate without a base
Who issues food permits in Washington County?
Food permits here are issued by Washington County Environmental Health (Dept. of Health & Human Services). 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.