El Paso County Public Health (EPCPH) - Environmental Health, Retail Food Program · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
El Paso County food-facility health permits run about $338–$581 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Confirm the exact amount with El Paso County Public Health (EPCPH) - Environmental Health, Retail Food 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 El Paso County Public Health (EPCPH) - Environmental Health, Retail Food Program issues the health permit.
About 1,422 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 744,215. (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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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
Retail Food Establishment License
Restaurants/caterers (2026 state schedule):
$481 (0-100 seats)
$538 (101-200 seats)
$581 (over 200 seats)
Limited Food Service $338
Colorado retail food license fees are set by state statute (SB25-285), effective for licenses issued on/after Sep 1, 2025, with further increases scheduled 2027-2028. EPCPH collects/issues under the state schedule
Colorado law bars local letter grades; inspection reports posted online.
Food truck / mobile permit
Mobile Retail Food (Mobile Food License) - EPCPH
$100-$300/yr (by risk classification)
EPCPH plan review required for new mobile units not previously licensed in El Paso County; City of Colorado Springs also issues a separate Mobile Food Vendor License (business/zoning); Exact mobile line-item under the 2026 state schedule not captured; range is approximate
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
How El Paso County’s permit cost compares
At about $338/year, El Paso County’s restaurant health permit is about the Colorado median ($338) and above the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 96% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 19th-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 1,422 food & drinking establishments serve ~744,215 residents in El Paso County — one per ~523 residents, sparser than the Colorado average (one per ~428).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$338 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.
Watch out for
Two-agency setup: EPCPH issues the retail food/health license and approves commissary; City Clerk issues the Mobile Food Vendor License
Special Event permits ~$248 (limited menu, 1 event) to ~$425 (full menu, multiple events)
Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction
Category
Annual fee
Notes
temporary/special-event
—
"Special Event License" in two tiers: Limited (funnel cakes, fries, frozen yogurt, freshly squeezed lemonade, etc.) and Full Menu (burgers, gyros, turkey legs, etc.); No fee amounts published on dept site; No separate caterer/commissary/bakery/market-deli/pushcart/food-processing/bar categories listed
Equipment your El Paso 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.
Restaurants/caterers (2026 state schedule): $481 (0-100 seats); $538 (101-200 seats); $581 (over 200 seats); Limited Food Service $338 These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in El Paso County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility.
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in El Paso County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. EPCPH plan review required for new mobile units not previously licensed in El Paso County; City of Colorado Springs also issues a separate Mobile Food Vendor License (business/zoning); Exact mobile line-item under the 2026 state schedule not captured; range is approximate
Who issues food permits in El Paso County?
Food permits here are issued by El Paso County Public Health (EPCPH) - Environmental Health, Retail Food 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