Restaurants, commercial kitchens, and food trucks.
Alameda County food-facility health permits run about $998–$1,325 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $578–$2,188.50. A catering / commercial kitchen is listed around $1,194 annually. Confirm the exact amount with Alameda County Department of Environmental Health (ACDEH) 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 Alameda County Department of Environmental Health (ACDEH) issues the health permit. Berkeley operates its own Environmental Health Division — businesses at Berkeley addresses should not assume Alameda County processes their food-facility permit.
Cities with their own health department: Berkeley. Food businesses inside these cities apply to the city health department (with its own fees and rules), not Alameda County. Confirm which authority covers your exact address.
About 4,092 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 1,622,188. (U.S. Census 2023 estimate; County Business Patterns 2022, NAICS 722)
Risk/size-tiered by seating; Related: Coffee House $671, Bakery $802-$1,063, Catering/Commercial Kitchen $1,194. Fee schedule Exhibit A, eff; 7/1/2021
Turnaround: Up to 20 working days; EH approval required before building permits issue
Alameda posts Green (Pass) / Yellow (Conditional Pass) / Red (Closed) placards (since 2012, except Berkeley); results online.
Most mobile-food facilities must operate from an approved commissary (Part D agreement); ACDEH keeps an approved-commissary list; Confirm whether an exemption or alternative applies to your specific unit
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
Fee schedule effective July 1, 2021; still linked as the current general-fee schedule by Alameda County when checked 2026-08-06.
Comparison uses the lowest published annual restaurant-permit figure in each county; confirm your exact tier with the department.
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Plus building, fire, and business-license fees that vary locally — use the cost calculators and the checklist below to budget the full stack.
A code-compliant kitchen in Alameda County needs more than the health permit — these approvals are handled by separate offices. Confirm current requirements with each.
| Building / plans | Alameda County Community Development Agency - Building Inspection (unincorporated) · 510-670-5400 |
| Fire marshal | Alameda County Fire Department - Fire Prevention (unincorporated + contract cities) · 925-833-3473 |
| Zoning / planning | Alameda County Community Development Agency - Planning (unincorporated) · 510-670-5400 |
| Sewer / grease | Local sanitary district (e.g., Oro Loma Sanitary District for unincorporated) - FOG program |
| Business license | Alameda County Treasurer-Tax Collector - Business License (unincorporated only; cities license their own) |
| Category | Annual fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Caterer | $555 | Caterer (AB 2524), item 2009, annual fixed fee |
| Host Facility (for caterers) | $408 | Host Facility (AB 2524), item 2008 |
| Catering kitchen / commercial kitchen | $1,194 | Catering Kitchen and/or Commercial Kitchen, item 2031 |
| Commissary | $344 | Vending Machine Commissary (no food prep) $344 (2066); Mobile Food Facility/Commissary 2-8 carts/trucks $671, 9-20 $834, 20+ $1,325 (2067-2069) |
| Bakery | $802 | Bakery under 2,000 sq ft $802 (2004); 2,000-6,000 sq ft $933 (2005); over 6,000 sq ft $1,063 (2006) |
| Bar / tavern | $671 | Tavern $671 (2050); Cocktail Lounge $736 (2051) |
| Market / grocery | $540 | Limited Food Market $229 (2012); Food Market under 3,000 sq ft $540, 3,000-10,000 $589, over 10,000 $687 (2013-2015) |
| Confectionery | $406 | item 2020 |
| Temporary / special event | $522 | Temporary Foodservice Operation (TFSO) $522 (2007); One Temporary Event for 12-month period $207 (1839); TFF open food 5-25 days $333, prepackaged 4 days $143 / 5-25 days $186; event sponsor 2-15 booths $218, 16-50 $349, 50+ $433 |
| Seasonal food facility | $377 | item 2085 |
| Food storage / warehouse | $387 | Food Storage Facility (2055); Satellite Food Facility $371 (2056) |
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 Alameda 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 →