Clermont County Public Health (issues Ohio Food Service Operation (FSO) and Retail Food Establishment (RFE) licenses at Risk Levels I-IV, commercial/non-commercial, under/over 25,000 sq ft). · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Clermont County food-facility health permits run about $28–$1,606 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $28.54–$42. Confirm the exact amount with Clermont County Public Health (issues Ohio Food Service Operation (FSO) and Retail Food Establishment (RFE) licenses at Risk Levels I-IV, commercial/non-commercial, under/over 25,000 sq ft). 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 Clermont County Public Health (issues Ohio Food Service Operation (FSO) and Retail Food Establishment (RFE) licenses at Risk Levels I-IV, commercial/non-commercial, under/over 25,000 sq ft). issues the health permit.
About 338 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 211,972. (U.S. Census 2023 estimate; County Business Patterns 2022, NAICS 722)
Last verified: 2026-08-17 — 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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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 →
RL4 $1,606.00. Non-commercial under 25,000 sq ft (incl
$14 state fee): RL1 $147.00
RL2 $164.50
RL3 $307.50
RL4 $387.50. Non-commercial over 25,000 sq ft: RL1 $209.00
RL2 $219.50
RL3 $757.50
RL4 $803.00
From CCPH Fee Schedule updated 11/12/2025, effective 12/1/2025. Amounts reconstructed from the offset PDF columns; all Health District + State fee sub-totals validate to the printed Total and increase monotonically by risk level; Risk level is assigned by CCPH based on the operation's activities
Plan review — required
Food Service / Retail Food Establishment plan review (eff; 12/1/2025):
Risk 1 and Risk 2 under 2,500 sq ft $28.54
Risk 3 and Risk 4 under 2,500 sq ft, and Risk 1-4 over 2,500 sq ft $42.00
Ohio local health districts inspect under the Ohio Uniform Food Safety Code (risk-based, critical/non-critical violations); no letter grade or score.
Food truck / mobile permit
Mobile Food Service Operation / Mobile Retail Food Establishment license
Mobile Food Service Operations and High-Risk Retail Food Establishments $30.00
Mobile Low-Risk Retail Food Establishments $150.00 (both eff
12/1/2023)
Values quoted as printed on the CCPH fee schedule (label and dollar figure share one line); Separate Mobile Food Unit plan review application is required before licensing; Vending Food Service is $30 + cost of exam per operation
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
How Clermont County’s permit cost compares
At about $28/year, Clermont County’s restaurant health permit is about the Ohio median ($28) and below the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 3% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 5th-lowest of 54 Ohio 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 338 food & drinking establishments serve ~211,972 residents in Clermont County — one per ~627 residents, sparser than the Ohio average (one per ~574).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$28 annual health permit + $29 plan review.
Plus building, fire, and business-license fees that vary locally — use the cost calculators and the checklist below to budget the full stack.
Watch out for
Ohio uses a statewide FSO/RFE framework with four risk levels; Clermont sets its local (Health District) portion of the fee via annual cost methodology, added to the fixed Ohio state fee ($28 commercial / $14 non-commercial)
Fees stepped up significantly at Risk Levels 3-4 in the 12/1/2025 schedule following an August 2025 public hearing on revised license fees
Temporary Food Service Operation license is charged per day (commercial and non-commercial); the per-day dollar amount was not legible as a fixed figure in the published fee-schedule row
Online applications/payments handled through the Tyler EnerGov Self-Service portal; inspection records at healthspace.com/Clients/Ohio/ClermontCounty
Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction
Category
Annual fee
Notes
Grocery / market with deli
Licensed as a Retail Food Establishment (RFE) under the same risk-based FSO/RFE schedule; commercial under 25,000 sq ft: Risk 1 $294 / Risk 2 $329 / Risk 3 $615 / Risk 4 $775; over 25,000 sq ft: Risk 1 $418 / Risk 2 $439 / Risk 3 $1,515 / Risk 4 $1,606 (total incl; state fee, eff; 12/1/2025)
Ohio does not issue a separate 'grocery' license; a market/deli is an RFE priced by risk level and square footage on the CCPH fee schedule
Temporary / seasonal event
Temporary Food Service Operations and Retail Food Establishments are charged per day (commercial and non-commercial); the per-day dollar amount was not legible as a fixed figure in the published fee-schedule row
Temporary Food License Application Packet available from CCPH; call for the current per-day fee
Pushcart / mobile vending
Mobile Food Service Operations and High-Risk RFE $30.00; Mobile Low-Risk RFE $150.00; Vending Food Service $30.00 + cost of exam per operation (eff; 12/1/2023)
Values quoted as printed on the CCPH fee schedule; mobile plan review application required before licensing
Equipment your Clermont 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.
Commercial food facility under 25,000 sq ft (typical restaurant), total incl; $28 state fee: Risk Level 1 $294.00; Risk Level 2 $329.00; Risk Level 3 $615.00; Risk Level 4 $775.00. Commercial over 25,000 sq ft: RL1 $418.00; RL2 $439.00; RL3 $1,515.00; RL4 $1,606.00. Non-commercial under 25,000 sq ft (incl; $14 state fee): RL1 $147.00; RL2 $164.50; RL3 $307.50; RL4 $387.50. Non-commercial over 25,000 sq ft: RL1 $209.00; RL2 $219.50; RL3 $757.50; RL4 $803.00 These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Clermont County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: Food Service / Retail Food Establishment plan review (eff; 12/1/2025): Risk 1 and Risk 2 under 2,500 sq ft $28.54; Risk 3 and Risk 4 under 2,500 sq ft, and Risk 1-4 over 2,500 sq ft $42.00; major update to plans $40.00
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Clermont County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Values quoted as printed on the CCPH fee schedule (label and dollar figure share one line); Separate Mobile Food Unit plan review application is required before licensing; Vending Food Service is $30 + cost of exam per operation
Who issues food permits in Clermont County?
Food permits here are issued by Clermont County Public Health (issues Ohio Food Service Operation (FSO) and Retail Food Establishment (RFE) licenses at Risk Levels I-IV, commercial/non-commercial, under/over 25,000 sq ft).. 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.
Published by Resultex Media Group LLC · Independent & vendor-neutral · Educational only, not legal or engineering advice · Last verified September 2026