Restaurants, commercial kitchens, and food trucks.
Bay County food-facility health permits run about $30–$727 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $646–$1,196. Confirm the exact amount with Bay County Health Department (BCHD), Environmental Health Division 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 Bay County Health Department (BCHD), Environmental Health Division issues the health permit.
About 188 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 102,500. (U.S. Census 2023 estimate; County Business Patterns 2022, NAICS 722)
Bay County (local health dept) licenses restaurants/food service; grocery, markets, and food processing are licensed by MDARD, not the county; Column B/C fees apply for late/day-of applications; Seasonal food (open <=9 months) $291.00; Not-for-profit $280.00; Schools $291.00
Michigan local health departments inspect under the Michigan Food Law/FDA Food Code (priority/core violations); no letter grade or score. Reports on MDARD's online Food Inspection Postings (MiSafe).
Vending machines are licensed by MDARD (1-800-292-3939), not Bay County
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
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.
| Category | Annual fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Commissary / central preparation kitchen | $433.00 (Mobile Food Service Establishment / Commissary License, column A on-time; includes $30 MDA fee) | Commissary and mobile establishment share the same license line |
| Bar / limited food service | $521.00 (Type 2 Restaurant: limited food prep / <=10 menu items, column A; includes $30 MDA fee) | Bars serving limited food fall under the Type 2 restaurant category |
| Grocery / market with deli | Grocery stores and retail markets are licensed by MDARD (Michigan Dept of Agriculture & Rural Development, 1-800-292-3939), not Bay County | Michigan jurisdiction split: local HD = food service; MDARD = grocery/retail/processing |
| Bakery / food processing | Retail bakeries and food processors are licensed by MDARD, not the county | |
| Temporary / seasonal event | $126.00 (Temporary Food Service, For-Profit, 7+ days notice; column A; includes $9 MDA fee); Not-for-profit $82.00. Seasonal (open <=9 months) fixed food $291.00 | Column B (<7 days) and C (day-of) fees are higher; day-of for-profit $251.00 |
| Pushcart / mobile vending | $201.00 (Special Transitory Food Unit / STFU; includes $44 MDA fee) or $433.00 (Mobile Food Service Establishment/Commissary); column A on-time | STFU = limited menu mobile unit; full mobile establishment is the higher 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 Bay 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 →