Restaurants, commercial kitchens, and food trucks.
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 Cobb & Douglas Public Health, Center for Environmental Health issues the health permit.
About 1,638 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 776,743. (U.S. Census 2023 estimate; County Business Patterns 2022, NAICS 722)
Issued under GA Rules 511-6-1 / Cobb Board of Health regulations; Plan-review + annual inspection fees are paid at application submittal; specific dollar amounts not published online; Contact Cobb EH 770-435-7815. No fabricated amount
Turnaround: Georgia minimum plan-review timeframe is ~6 weeks after submission
State DPH posts a 0-100 score and corresponding letter grade (A 90-100, B 80-89, C 70-79, U <70) displayed at the establishment plus available online.
Since 2023, food trucks need a health permit only from their base county; authorization required to vend in visiting counties; Cobb & Douglas provides a Mobile Food Unit permit application; Fee not published
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
| Category | Annual fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| caterer / commissary / bakery (standard FSE) | plan review $270-$435; annual $250-$780 | Not itemized as separate categories; classified under Cobb & Douglas Public Health risk-based system (Risk Type I-III x Category I-III); Plan review $270 (I) / $355 (II) / $435 (III); annual inspection $250-$780 by risk/category |
| temporary/special-event | 1-4 days: $45 review + $60 inspection; 5-14 days: $50 review + $105 inspection | Temporary Food Service permit |
| pop-up food service | $135 vendor assessment + $135 site assessment | Pop-Up Food Service program (distinct from temporary) |
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 Cobb 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 →