Local permits & fees

Boone County, KY Food Facility Permits & Fees

Q: How much is a food permit in Boone County?

$125-$340/yr These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.

Q: Is plan review required in Boone County?

Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility.

Q: Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Boone County?

In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Statewide mobile food unit permit ($200/yr) per 902 KAR 45:110; one NKY mobile permit covers Boone, Campbell, Grant and Kenton counties; Temporary food operation: 1-3 days $60; 4-7 days $90; 8-14 days $125

Q: Who issues food permits in Boone County?

Food permits here are issued by Northern Kentucky Health Department. See the department site for current details.

Q: 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.

Restaurants and food trucks.

Northern Kentucky Health Department · department site →

Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.

Boone County food-facility health permits run about $125–$340 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Confirm the exact amount with Northern Kentucky 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 Northern Kentucky Health Department issues the health permit.

About 282 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 140,496. (U.S. Census 2023 estimate; County Business Patterns 2022, NAICS 722)

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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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

$125-$340/yr

NKY Health publishes a seating-based schedule (= KY state base $125 + seating tier): 0 seats $125; 25 or fewer $200; 26-50 $250; 51-100 $280; 101-200 $310; 200+ $340. Add-ons: drive-through window $155, catering $135. Retail food outlet permit is by square footage: <=1,000 sqft $90; 1,001-10,000 $155; 10,001-20,000 $215; 20,001-30,000 $250; 30,001+ $375

Plan review — required

Fee not published online.

Reach the department

Phone859-363-2060

Office7505 Burlington Pike, Florence, KY 41042

Websitenkyhealth.org →

Inspection grading

How inspection results are scored/posted here is pending verification — ask the department.

Food truck / mobile permit

Mobile Food Unit Permit

$200/yr

Statewide mobile food unit permit ($200/yr) per 902 KAR 45:110; one NKY mobile permit covers Boone, Campbell, Grant and Kenton counties; Temporary food operation: 1-3 days $60; 4-7 days $90; 8-14 days $125

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.

How Boone County’s permit cost compares

At about $125/year, Boone County’s restaurant health permit is about the Kentucky median ($125) and about the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 57% of U.S. counties.

Ranked 10th-lowest of 120 Kentucky 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 282 food & drinking establishments serve ~140,496 residents in Boone County — one per ~498 residents, denser than the Kentucky average (one per ~762).

U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).

Budget the permit stack

Start with ~$125 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.

Equipment your Boone 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.

Compartment sinks

3-bay wash / rinse / sanitize — sized to your menu

Hand sinks

required in prep, cook & warewashing areas

Grease traps / interceptors

sized by drainage fixture units

Reach-in refrigeration

cold-holding at 41°F or below

Work tables & surfaces

NSF-listed, non-absorbent

Hoods & ventilation

over cooking equipment; make-up air

Dishwashers

high-temp or chemical sanitizing

Nearby counties

Permit costs and rules change at the county line — compare Boone County with its neighbors.

Dearborn County, IN

Restaurant permit: See page

Ohio County, IN

Restaurant permit: $150

Switzerland County, IN

Restaurant permit: $75

Gallatin County, KY

Restaurant permit: $125

Grant County, KY

Restaurant permit: $125

Kenton County, KY

Restaurant permit: $125

Hamilton County, OH

Restaurant permit: $257

How to open: typical permitting sequence

This is a typical sequence — confirm the exact sequence with your authority having jurisdiction.

Confirm whether Boone 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 Boone County?

$125-$340/yr These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.

Is plan review required in Boone County?

Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility.

Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Boone County?

In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Statewide mobile food unit permit ($200/yr) per 902 KAR 45:110; one NKY mobile permit covers Boone, Campbell, Grant and Kenton counties; Temporary food operation: 1-3 days $60; 4-7 days $90; 8-14 days $125

Who issues food permits in Boone County?

Food permits here are issued by Northern Kentucky 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.

Kentucky statewide rules

Who licenses you, reciprocity, and the state regime.

What equipment you need

Build a tailored equipment checklist for your concept.

Permits & plan review, explained

The stack of approvals before you open.

Sources: nkyhealth.org · apps.legislature.ky.gov · observed 2026-08-21