Restaurants, commercial kitchens, and food trucks.
Contra Costa County food-facility health permits run about $1,010–$2,828 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $1,724–$4,495. Confirm the exact amount with Contra Costa Health - Environmental Health Division 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 Contra Costa Health - Environmental Health Division issues the health permit.
Cities with their own health department: Concord, Richmond, Walnut Creek, Antioch, Martinez, San Ramon, Pittsburg, Brentwood. Food businesses inside these cities apply to the city health department (with its own fees and rules), not Contra Costa County. Confirm which authority covers your exact address.
About 2,144 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 1,155,025. (U.S. Census 2023 estimate; County Business Patterns 2022, NAICS 722)
Fees are risk-based (RC1-RC3 by inspection frequency) and on a phased increase schedule (increase 1 through 12/31/2026, increase 2 from 1/1/2027, increase 3 from 1/1/2028); values shown are current fees; Verified from Contra Costa Health scheduled-fees page
Turnaround: Allow 20 working days for food facility plan review
Contra Costa posts green/yellow/red placards (fixed facilities since 2016, mobile since 2019); reports via app.
Motorized 'MFF' vs non-motorized 'CMFO' distinction; Commissary permits separate (MFF commissary $731; plan review MFF commissary $3,926)
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.
A code-compliant kitchen in Contra Costa County needs more than the health permit — these approvals are handled by separate offices. Confirm current requirements with each.
| Category | Annual fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| caterer | $1,277 | Catering Operation Self Owned $1,277; Catering Operation $1,270 (first/full permit-fee column) |
| commissary/central kitchen | $1,195 | Production Kitchen; First Permit $1,195; Production Kitchen; Additional Permit (Restaurant/Caterer) $984; MFF; Commissary $731; MFF; Limited/Registered Commissary $701; Host Facility $1,572 |
| bakery | $1,202 | Bakery tiered by risk class (RC1/RC2) and sq ft: <2,000 $1,202/$1,409; 2,001-4,000 $1,270/$1,955; 4,001-6,000 $1,541/$2,294; 6,001+ $3,065/$3,423 |
| bar/tavern | $1,093 | 'Cocktail Lounge / Bar' $1,093 |
| market/grocery with deli | $1,161 | Retail Food Markets by risk class (RC1/RC2) and sq ft: <2,000 $1,161/$1,522; 2,001-4,000 $1,229/$1,413; 4,001-6,000 $1,390/$2,497; 6,001+ $1,522/$2,249. Incidental Retail Food Market $1,089; Remote Food Storage $995 |
| temporary/seasonal/special-event | $273 | Temporary Event Food Prep per booth by booth count: 1-2 $273, 3-7 $179, 8+ $151. Sampling/Demo $128/$87/$75; Prepackaged/Beverage $64/$45/$38; Event Coordinator App $87. Seasonal Fixed Facility $1,703; Intermittent Snack Bar $1,037; Swap Meet/Flea Market $753 (<20,000 sq ft) / $1,129 (20,001+); Cert-Ag Vendor-Farmers Market $772/$1,054/$1,223 by booth count |
| pushcart/limited operation | $414 | CMFO Prepackaged Ice Cream Carts (non-motorized) $414 (1-4) / $403 (5-10) / $395 (11+); Intermittent Snack Bar $1,037; Food Demonstrator $2,418 |
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 Contra Costa 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 →