Restaurants and food trucks.
Hardin County food-facility health permits run about $200–$340 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Confirm the exact amount with Lincoln Trail District Health Department 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 Lincoln Trail District Health Department issues the health permit.
About 190 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 112,273. (U.S. Census 2023 estimate; County Business Patterns 2022, NAICS 722)
Lincoln Trail District (Hardin, LaRue, Marion, Meade, Nelson, Washington) operates under Kentucky state code 902 KAR 45:110: $125 base + seating fee (1-25 $75 => $200; 26-50 $125 => $250; 51-100 $155 => $280; 101-200 $185 => $310; 201+ $215 => $340); Add-ons: drive-through $155, catering $135. District website did not publish county-specific establishment fees
Statewide mobile food unit permit $200/yr; mobile retail food store $60/yr (902 KAR 45:110)
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.
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 Hardin County with its neighbors.
This is a typical sequence — confirm the exact sequence with your authority having jurisdiction.