State-issued: Florida DBPR, Division of Hotels & Restaurants (restaurants & food trucks licensed by the STATE). Florida DOH-Duval handles only certain non-DBPR food operations; City of Jacksonville (consolidated Duval) also requires a local Business Tax Receipt. · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Duval County food-facility health permits run about $242–$357 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $50. Confirm the exact amount with State-issued: Florida DBPR, Division of Hotels & Restaurants (restaurants & food trucks licensed by the STATE). Florida DOH-Duval handles only certain non-DBPR food operations; City of Jacksonville (consolidated Duval) also requires a local Business Tax Receipt. 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 State-issued: Florida DBPR, Division of Hotels & Restaurants (restaurants & food trucks licensed by the STATE). Florida DOH-Duval handles only certain non-DBPR food operations; City of Jacksonville (consolidated Duval) also requires a local Business Tax Receipt. issues the health permit.
Cities with their own health department: Jacksonville Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Baldwin. Food businesses inside these cities apply to the city health department (with its own fees and rules), not Duval County. Confirm which authority covers your exact address.
About 2,143 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 1,030,822. (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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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
Public Food Service Establishment License (DBPR, statewide)
Annual license by seating (statewide DBPR fee schedule):
Nonseating $242
1-49 seats $262
50-149 $273
150-249 $294
250-349 $315
350-499 $336
500+ $357. Half-year rates roughly half
Plus $50 application fee for new/change of ownership
all fees include the $10 HEP surcharge
State-set fees, identical across all Florida counties (Duval included); Verified on official DBPR Food Service Fees page 2026-08-06
Plan review — required
$0
DBPR provides plan review at no charge (only the $50 application fee applies to a new license)
Turnaround: Plan review recommended before construction; state-run and free, so no county turnaround is published
State DBPR Division of Hotels & Restaurants inspects; outcome is met-standards / warning / emergency closure with violations listed, no letter grade; searchable statewide online database.
Inspection scores & grading
Grading system: violation-based (High Priority / Intermediate / Basic). Restaurant inspections are run by the State of Florida DBPR Division of Hotels & Restaurants (not the county/city). Reports list violation counts by tier and a disposition (met/warning/administrative complaint); no letter grade or numeric score. The Duval County Health Department handles only foodborne-illness investigations. Searchable via DBPR public records.
Mobile Food Dispensing Vehicle (MFDV) License (DBPR, statewide)
Mobile Food Vehicles / Hot Dog Carts:
$347 annual ($178.50 half-year), including $10 HEP surcharge, plus $50 application fee for new/change of ownership
MFDVs are state-licensed; under s; 509.102 F.S; local governments cannot require a separate local MFDV license or fee; A general Business Tax Receipt may still apply in Jacksonville/Duval
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
How Duval County’s permit cost compares
At about $242/year, Duval County’s restaurant health permit is about the Florida median ($242) and above the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 80% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 23rd-lowest of 66 Florida 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 2,143 food & drinking establishments serve ~1,030,822 residents in Duval County — one per ~481 residents, denser than the Florida average (one per ~701).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$242 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 Duval County needs more than the health permit — these approvals are handled by separate offices. Confirm current requirements with each.
Restaurant and food-truck licensing is state-run (DBPR); Duval County does not set its own restaurant permit fee
DBPR plan review is free; only a $50 application fee applies to a new license
Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction
Category
Annual fee
Notes
caterer
$263/yr
DBPR statewide caterer license; any licensed food service establishment may also cater without a separate license
theme-park/entertainment-complex food cart
$262-$357/yr
Tiered by number of carts: 1-5 $262, 6-10 $273, 11-15 $294, 16-20 $315, 21-25 $336, 26+ $357
vending machine
$21/yr
Per machine dispensing prepared/potentially hazardous food
temporary/special-event food vendor
1-3 day $91; 4-30 day $105; annual $456
DBPR temporary event vendor license
Equipment your Duval 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 license by seating (statewide DBPR fee schedule): Nonseating $242; 1-49 seats $262; 50-149 $273; 150-249 $294; 250-349 $315; 350-499 $336; 500+ $357. Half-year rates roughly half; Plus $50 application fee for new/change of ownership; all fees include the $10 HEP surcharge These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Duval County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: $0; DBPR provides plan review at no charge (only the $50 application fee applies to a new license)
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Duval County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. MFDVs are state-licensed; under s; 509.102 F.S; local governments cannot require a separate local MFDV license or fee; A general Business Tax Receipt may still apply in Jacksonville/Duval
Who issues food permits in Duval County?
Food permits here are issued by State-issued: Florida DBPR, Division of Hotels & Restaurants (restaurants & food trucks licensed by the STATE). Florida DOH-Duval handles only certain non-DBPR food operations; City of Jacksonville (consolidated Duval) also requires a local Business Tax Receipt.. 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