Restaurants, commercial kitchens, and food trucks.
Buncombe County food-facility health permits run about $75 annually. Plan review runs about $75–$200. Confirm the exact amount with Buncombe County Health & Human Services - Environmental Health 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 Buncombe County Health & Human Services - Environmental Health Services issues the health permit.
About 834 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 275,901. (U.S. Census 2023 estimate; County Business Patterns 2022, NAICS 722)
Locally administered by Buncombe County Environmental Health (Asheville) under the NC Food Code; NC uses plan-review fees rather than an annual permit fee; Environmental Health at 35 Woodfin St., Asheville (828-250-5016)
Sanitation score converts to a required grade card — A 90-100, B 80-89, C 70-79 (below 70 cannot operate) — posted at the establishment and available online.
Buncombe County EH reviews and permits the unit; a commissary agreement and City of Asheville vending authorization also apply
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Caterer | no annual permit fee (NC); a caterer is a permitted food establishment subject to plan review; Buncombe did not publish a separate caterer line; confirm plan-review cost at 828-250-5016 | NC uses plan-review fees rather than an annual permit fee |
| Commissary / central preparation kitchen | not separately priced; a commissary must itself be a permitted food establishment (no annual permit fee in NC) and is subject to plan review ($200 new) | No distinct commissary line on Buncombe's reinstated fee list |
| Bakery / food processing | retail bakeries and food processing/retail food sales are regulated by the NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (NCDA&CS), not county Environmental Health | Authority is NCDA&CS; a bakery with on-site food service is permitted by Buncombe County EH (plan review; no annual fee) |
| Bar / limited food service | $75; Limited Food Service Establishment permit (NC state-set fee) | The Limited Food Service Establishment permit is NC's one flat permit fee; a full bar serving meals is a food service establishment (plan review applies, no annual fee) |
| Grocery / market with deli | grocery/market retail food is regulated by NCDA&CS, not county EH; an in-store deli with seating is permitted by Buncombe County EH (plan review; no annual permit fee) | Split authority: retail food = NCDA&CS; deli food service = county EH |
| Temporary / seasonal event | $75; Temporary Food Establishment permit | Per Buncombe County Environmental Health; may be waived for qualifying nonprofits |
| Pushcart / mobile vending | no annual permit fee (NC); mobile units require plan review plus an approved commissary; Buncombe reinstated plan-review fees 1/1/2025 but did not publish a separate mobile-unit line; Confirm at 828-250-5016 | Mobile units must return daily to an approved commissary |
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 Buncombe 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 →