Restaurants, commercial kitchens, and food trucks.
Chittenden County food-facility health permits run about $105–$1,000 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Confirm the exact amount with Vermont Department of Health - Food & Lodging Program 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 Vermont Department of Health - Food & Lodging Program issues the health permit.
About 428 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 169,481. (U.S. Census 2023 estimate; County Business Patterns 2022, NAICS 722)
State-administered by the Vermont Dept of Health Food & Lodging Program; Chittenden County (Burlington) has no county health department; Licenses are annual and not prorated
Turnaround: Submit complete application at least 30 days before planned opening
Health Dept Food & Lodging Program scores a 44-item inspection; establishment must score 70+ with no uncorrected critical violations to pass; reports online, no letter grade.
Mobile units and push carts must meet the Mobile Unit and Push Cart Requirements; mobile seafood vendors follow Food Caterer; Mobile requirements
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 | $155/yr (Home Caterer); $260/yr (Commercial Caterer) | Vermont breaks out two caterer tiers in 18 V.S.A; § 4353 |
| Commissary / central preparation kitchen | not a distinct § 4353 category; a commissary/central kitchen is licensed as a Commercial Caterer ($260) or food service establishment depending on operation; Confirm with the Food & Lodging Program | No stand-alone commissary fee line in the statute |
| Bakery / food processing | a retail bakery is licensed as a food service establishment or Limited Operation ($140); wholesale food processing is regulated by the VT Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets, not the Dept of Health; Confirm applicable license | Health Dept covers food service; food manufacturing is an Agency of Agriculture program |
| Bar / limited food service | $140/yr (Limited Operations); full-service bars serving meals use the restaurant seating tiers ($105-$1,000) | Limited food service is the Limited Operations category; a bar serving full meals is priced by seats |
| Grocery / market with deli | retail food/grocery stores are licensed by the VT Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets, not the Dept of Health; an in-store deli/food-prep area may require a Health Dept food service license; Confirm store license with the Agency of Agriculture | Grocery/retail food = Agency of Agriculture jurisdiction in Vermont |
| Temporary / seasonal event | $125 (Fair Stand / temporary stand, single event 3 days or less / under 4 days per year); $230 (operating 4 or more days per year) | Vermont does not prorate license fees |
| Pushcart / mobile vending | § 4353 lists no stand-alone mobile-unit fee; mobile units/push carts are licensed as a Commercial Caterer ($260) or Limited Operation ($140) by menu; Confirm classification with the Food & Lodging Program | Mobile units must meet the Mobile Unit and Push Cart Requirements |
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 Chittenden 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 →