Denver Department of Public Health & Environment (DDPHE) - Public Health Investigations; retail food licenses issued by Dept of Excise & Licenses · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Denver County food-facility health permits run about $25 annually. Plan review runs about $150–$155. Confirm the exact amount with Denver Department of Public Health & Environment (DDPHE) - Public Health Investigations; retail food licenses issued by Dept of Excise & Licenses 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 Denver Department of Public Health & Environment (DDPHE) - Public Health Investigations; retail food licenses issued by Dept of Excise & Licenses issues the health permit.
About 2,325 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 716,577. (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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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 →
$150 application fee + license fee of $25 per food-handling activity performed (e.g
cooking raw animal products, cooling, reheating, specialized processes, etc.)
activity-based total (official denvergov new-application page)
Colorado SB 25-285 increased state retail food establishment fees ~25% in 2026. Denver operators pay a stacked set of fees (health license + fire + zoning)
No letter grades; Denver posts a searchable restaurant health inspection database online.
Inspection scores & grading
Grading system: pass-fail. Denver Dept of Public Health & Environment (DDPHE) Public Health Investigations inspects every 6 mo to 2 yrs by risk. Risk-based (priority/priority-foundation/core violations); result Pass (risk index 0-49) or Reinspection Required; establishments must post the most recent report/grade card. Consolidated city-county.
Mobile Retail Food Establishment License (mobile food vendor)
Mobile retail food license issued via Excise &
Licenses
base fees reported ~$100-$350/yr plus $150 application
HB25-1295 reciprocity effective Jan 2026 lets state-licensed (CDPHE) trucks operate statewide outside Denver, but Denver still requires its own stacked local licensing
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
How Denver County’s permit cost compares
At about $25/year, Denver County’s restaurant health permit is below the Colorado median ($338) and below the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 1% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 1st-lowest of 64 Colorado 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 2,325 food & drinking establishments serve ~716,577 residents in Denver County — one per ~308 residents, denser than the Colorado average (one per ~428).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$25 annual health permit.
Plus building, fire, and business-license fees that vary locally — use the cost calculators and the checklist below to budget the full stack.
The full approval stack
A code-compliant kitchen in Denver County needs more than the health permit — these approvals are handled by separate offices. Confirm current requirements with each.
License fee is activity-based ($25 per food-handling activity) rather than a flat amount; total scales with what the kitchen does
Two agencies involved: DDPHE does plan review/inspection, then Excise & Licenses issues the license; DDPHE sign-off is required first
Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction
Category
Annual fee
Notes
caterer
$481 / $538 / $581
Restaurants & Caterers by seating capacity (0-100 / 101-200 / over 200), 2026 Denver fee schedule under CO SB25-285
market/grocery with deli
$469 (<15,001 sqft) / $894 (>15,000 sqft)
Grocery Store with Deli; grocery without deli $244 / $441
pushcart/limited operation
$338-$481
Mobile Full Service $481, Prepackaged $338; Limited Food Service Establishment $338
food processing/wholesale
—
Not a Denver retail-food category
Equipment your Denver 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.
$150 application fee + license fee of $25 per food-handling activity performed (e.g; cooking raw animal products, cooling, reheating, specialized processes, etc.); activity-based total (official denvergov new-application page) These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Denver County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: Reported ~$150-$155 plan review application fee
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Denver County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. HB25-1295 reciprocity effective Jan 2026 lets state-licensed (CDPHE) trucks operate statewide outside Denver, but Denver still requires its own stacked local licensing
Who issues food permits in Denver County?
Food permits here are issued by Denver Department of Public Health & Environment (DDPHE) - Public Health Investigations; retail food licenses issued by Dept of Excise & Licenses. 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