Local permits & fees

Henry County, GA Food Facility Permits & Fees

Q: Is plan review required in Henry County?

Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: plan review is required for new construction/remodeling under the Georgia Food Code, but the Henry County Board of Health plan-review fee is not published in an accessible online source

Q: Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Henry County?

In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Georgia mobile food units must operate from a permitted base of operation and are permitted like fixed food service establishments; the fee amount is set locally and not posted

Q: Who issues food permits in Henry County?

Food permits here are issued by Georgia DPH District 4 Public Health - Henry County Environmental Health (county board of health). See the department site for current details.

Q: 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.

Restaurants and food trucks.

Georgia DPH District 4 Public Health - Henry County Environmental Health (county board of health) · department site →

Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the 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 Georgia DPH District 4 Public Health - Henry County Environmental Health (county board of health) issues the health permit.

About 424 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 254,613. (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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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 Establishment permit (Georgia Food Code, Ch. 511-6-1)

Georgia food service establishment permit fees are set by each County Board of Health (and approved by the County Commission), not by the state
The Henry County Board of Health adopts its own fee schedule, which is not published in an accessible online source
Contact Henry County Environmental Health / District 4 Public Health (Henry Co
govt: 770-288-6000)

Permits are valid for one year from date of issuance and 'fees shall be paid in accordance with the current fee schedule adopted by the Henry County Board of Health.' Statewide, GA county food-service permit fees typically run about $100-$500/yr, but the specific Henry County amount is not published online

Plan review — required

plan review is required for new construction/remodeling under the Georgia Food Code, but the Henry County Board of Health plan-review fee is not published in an accessible online source

Plan-review details & forms →

Reach the department

Phone(470) 661-0005

Office135 Henry Parkway, McDonough, GA 30253

Websitewww.district4health.org →

Plan reviewwww.district4health.org →

Inspection grading

Letter grade (A/B/C)

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 (Georgia Food Code)

mobile food service units are permitted by the county health department with a permitted base of operation/commissary
the Henry County Board of Health mobile-unit fee is not published in an accessible online source

Georgia mobile food units must operate from a permitted base of operation and are permitted like fixed food service establishments; the fee amount is set locally and not posted

How to apply

Forms & applications →

Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.

Local food-service market

About 424 food & drinking establishments serve ~254,613 residents in Henry County — one per ~601 residents, denser than the Georgia average (one per ~680).

U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).

Watch out for

Administering authority: county board of health under Georgia DPH (District 4 Public Health serves 12 counties including Henry); Decatur-area note does not apply; county seat is McDonough, Atlanta metro
Georgia sets food-safety RULES statewide (Ch; 511-6-1) but delegates FEE-SETTING to each county board of health; District 4 does not publish per-county fee schedules online
No published Henry County dollar figures were found; all fees marked null accordingly

Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction

Category	Annual fee	Notes
Temporary / seasonal event	Georgia breaks out a Temporary Food Service Establishment permit, but the fee is set by the Henry County Board of Health and is not published in an accessible online source	Contact Henry County Environmental Health / District 4 Public Health (Henry Co; govt 770-288-6000)
Pushcart / mobile vending	mobile food units / carts are permitted by the county with a permitted base of operation, but the Henry County Board of Health fee is not published online	Georgia mobile food service units are permitted like fixed establishments; fee set locally and not posted

Equipment your Henry 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.

Compartment sinks

3-bay wash / rinse / sanitize — sized to your menu

Hand sinks

required in prep, cook & warewashing areas

Grease traps / interceptors

sized by drainage fixture units

Reach-in refrigeration

cold-holding at 41°F or below

Work tables & surfaces

NSF-listed, non-absorbent

Hoods & ventilation

over cooking equipment; make-up air

Dishwashers

high-temp or chemical sanitizing

Nearby counties

Permit costs and rules change at the county line — compare Henry County with its neighbors.

Butts County, GA

Restaurant permit: See page

Clayton County, GA

Restaurant permit: $300

DeKalb County, GA

Restaurant permit: $250

Newton County, GA

Restaurant permit: $260

Rockdale County, GA

Restaurant permit: $210

Spalding County, GA

Restaurant permit: See page

How to open: typical permitting sequence

This is a typical sequence — confirm the exact sequence with your authority having jurisdiction.

Confirm whether Henry County or another local jurisdiction (city/district) handles your exact address.
Confirm zoning and permitted use.
Prepare your menu and scaled plans.
Include an equipment schedule with ANSI/NSF spec sheets.
Submit water-heater and hood documentation.
Pay plan-review fees.
Respond to plan-check corrections.
Obtain Environmental Health plan approval.
Obtain building, plumbing, mechanical and fire approvals.
Schedule rough-plumbing, pre-final and final health inspections.
Pay the operating-permit / application fees.
Receive approval before storing or preparing food.

Official plan-check requirements: plan-check guide →

Frequently asked questions

How much is a food permit in Henry County?

Georgia food service establishment permit fees are set by each County Board of Health (and approved by the County Commission), not by the state; The Henry County Board of Health adopts its own fee schedule, which is not published in an accessible online source; Contact Henry County Environmental Health / District 4 Public Health (Henry Co; govt: 770-288-6000) These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.

Is plan review required in Henry County?

Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: plan review is required for new construction/remodeling under the Georgia Food Code, but the Henry County Board of Health plan-review fee is not published in an accessible online source

Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Henry County?

In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Georgia mobile food units must operate from a permitted base of operation and are permitted like fixed food service establishments; the fee amount is set locally and not posted

Who issues food permits in Henry County?

Food permits here are issued by Georgia DPH District 4 Public Health - Henry County Environmental Health (county board of health). 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.

Georgia statewide rules

Who licenses you, reciprocity, and the state regime.

What equipment you need

Build a tailored equipment checklist for your concept.

Permits & plan review, explained

The stack of approvals before you open.

Sources: www.district4health.org · www.garestaurants.org · dph.georgia.gov · observed 2026-08-07