Restaurants and food trucks.
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 Wood County Health Department, Environmental Health Division issues the health permit.
What the local foodservice landscape looks like — useful whether you’re opening here or sizing up the competition.
▲ 4.2% change in establishments since 2022 (307 → 320).
The average foodservice wage here is $2,406 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.
Ohio distinguishes an FSO (food prepared/served in individual portions) from an RFE (retail sale of packaged/prepared food, e.g; grocery, gas station); Both are risk-classified Level 1-4; risk level determines the fee; License purchased after a pre-licensing inspection; Licensing year Mar 1; Feb 28/29
Turnaround: Plans reviewed within 30 days of a complete submission; approval expires 1 year after issuance
Ohio local health districts inspect under the Ohio Uniform Food Safety Code (risk-based, critical/non-critical violations); no letter grade or score.
Mobile units complete a Mobile Plan Review Application; no plan review fee is charged for mobile units
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
The government permit & plan-review fees below total roughly $100–$500 for Wood County:
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.
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
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 Wood County Health Department, Environmental Health Division (contact above).
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.
| Category | Annual fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary / seasonal event | $96.32 | 2026 Temporary Food License (effective 11/25/2025, subject to change); valid max 5 consecutive days, one per location; Wood County residents may use one temp license for the full 10-day county fair; non-residents pay for two |
| Pushcart / mobile vending | Mobile Food License annual fee not published on WCHD site (no plan review fee for mobile units); contact Environmental Health 419-354-2702 | Mobile units complete a Mobile Plan Review Application |
| Grocery / market with deli | licensed as an Ohio Retail Food Establishment (RFE); risk-level (Level 1-4) fee is not published online | RFE covers grocery/market/convenience retail food; risk level determines the fee |
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.
Permit costs and rules change at the county line — compare Wood County with its neighbors.
This is a typical sequence — confirm the exact sequence with your authority having jurisdiction.
Official plan-check requirements: plan-check guide →