Restaurants, commercial kitchens, and food trucks.
DeKalb Public Health (DeKalb County Board of Health) - Division of Environmental Health, Food Safety Program · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
DeKalb County food-facility health permits run about $250–$800 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $200–$500. Confirm the exact amount with DeKalb Public Health (DeKalb County Board of Health) - Division of Environmental Health, Food Safety 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 DeKalb Public Health (DeKalb County Board of Health) - Division of Environmental Health, Food Safety Program issues the health permit.
About 1,618 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 762,992. (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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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 →
Restaurant / food-facility permit
Food Service Permit (annual)
Annual permit is risk/points-based per DeKalb EH fee schedule:
No Cook (Cat 1) approx $250-$700
Cook-Serve (Cat 2) approx $500-$800
Complex (Cat 3) varies by points/sq ft (effective Jan 1, 2024)
Exact amount depends on menu complexity and inspection score
Georgia food service rules (Ch; 511-6-1) administered locally; Apply/submit to Richardson Health Center, 445 Winn Way, Suite 320, Decatur, GA 30030; DeKalb.EH@dph.ga.gov; (404) 508-7900. All fees must be paid before plan review begins and before a permit is issued/renewed
Plan review — required
Plan review fee by category (effective Jan 1, 2024):
No Cook (Cat 1) $300
Cook-Serve (Cat 2) $350
Complex (Cat 3) $500
Minor changes to an original plan review $200
Turnaround: specific turnaround not published; must notify DeKalb Public Health at least 30 days prior to beginning construction of a new facility
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.
Food truck / mobile permit
Mobile Food Service Unit Permit
mobile-unit annual permit/plan-review amount not itemized in captured sources
billed per the DeKalb EH fee schedule (mobile units follow the category-based plan review + annual permit structure)
Confirm with DeKalb EH
Temporary food service events: $150 for first 4 days, then $20/day up to 14 consecutive days
Georgia mobile food service units must operate from a permitted base of operation/commissary in a home-base county; Complete the food service permit + plan review process before operating
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
How DeKalb County’s permit cost compares
At about $250/year, DeKalb County’s restaurant health permit is about the Georgia median ($250) and above the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 82% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 15th-lowest of 28 Georgia 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 1,618 food & drinking establishments serve ~762,992 residents in DeKalb County — one per ~472 residents, denser than the Georgia average (one per ~680).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$250 annual health permit + $200 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
DeKalb Public Health (dekalbpublichealth.com) is the current site; older content lives on dekalbhealth.net and health.dekalbcounty.org; all the DeKalb County Board of Health
Submit application + proposed menu + scaled plans by email (DeKalb.EH@dph.ga.gov) or in person; fees are set by official action of the health authority and DeKalb County governing authority
Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction
Category
Annual fee
Notes
Caterer
$121 food establishment application + $205 plan review (new/change of ownership)
Caterer is an accepted food service establishment classification permitted by DeKalb Public Health Environmental Health; standard food establishment application/plan review fees apply
Commissary/central kitchen
—
Standard commissary letter required at plan review; commissary operates as a permitted food service establishment; County-specific commissary fee not separately published
Temporary/special-event
$150 for first 4 days, then $20/day up to 14 consecutive days
Temporary food service establishment permit; application due at least 30 days before the event
Equipment your DeKalb 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.
Annual permit is risk/points-based per DeKalb EH fee schedule: No Cook (Cat 1) approx $250-$700; Cook-Serve (Cat 2) approx $500-$800; Complex (Cat 3) varies by points/sq ft (effective Jan 1, 2024); Exact amount depends on menu complexity and inspection score These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in DeKalb County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: Plan review fee by category (effective Jan 1, 2024): No Cook (Cat 1) $300; Cook-Serve (Cat 2) $350; Complex (Cat 3) $500; Minor changes to an original plan review $200
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in DeKalb County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Georgia mobile food service units must operate from a permitted base of operation/commissary in a home-base county; Complete the food service permit + plan review process before operating
Who issues food permits in DeKalb County?
Food permits here are issued by DeKalb Public Health (DeKalb County Board of Health) - Division of Environmental Health, Food Safety Program. 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