Louisville Metro Department of Public Health & Wellness (LMPHW) - Food Safety Program · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Jefferson County food-facility health permits run about $25–$80 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Confirm the exact amount with Louisville Metro Department of Public Health & Wellness (LMPHW) - Food Safety 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 Louisville Metro Department of Public Health & Wellness (LMPHW) - Food Safety Program issues the health permit.
About 1,711 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 772,144. (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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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
Local Food Permit - Food Service Establishment (required in addition to KY State Food Permit)
Local permit fees (per official LMPHW fee schedule):
Food Service Establishment $80
Retail Food Market $50
Temporary Food Service Establishment $80
Limited Food Concessions/Seasonal Concessions $25
Effective 2019-01-01 (Louisville Metro Code Ch; 118), establishments must hold BOTH a Local and a State food permit; Fees above are the LOCAL permit portion; the Kentucky state food permit is separate; Fee-schedule values captured from the official fee-schedule page (page is Cloudflare-protected to automated fetch; values from that page's indexed content)
Plan review — required
Fee not published online.
Turnaround: Plans reviewed by the Plan Review Division; a non-refundable plan review fee is invoiced by email after review (exact amount not published in reviewed sources)
Mobile food units fall under the same Local + State food permit framework; a specific mobile-unit local fee was not isolated on the official fee schedule in reviewed sources; null
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
How Jefferson County’s permit cost compares
At about $25/year, Jefferson County’s restaurant health permit is below the Kentucky median ($125) and below the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 1% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 1st-lowest of 120 Kentucky 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 1,711 food & drinking establishments serve ~772,144 residents in Jefferson County — one per ~451 residents, denser than the Kentucky average (one per ~762).
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.
Watch out for
Louisville requires a LOCAL food permit on top of the Kentucky state food permit (both required to operate since Jan 1, 2019)
Plan review is handled by a dedicated Plan Review Division (400 East Gray St); plan review fee is non-refundable and invoiced after review
Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction
Category
Annual fee
Notes
caterer
$135/yr
State (KY) permit 'catering' option, administered via Louisville Metro Public Health & Wellness
$30 seasonal / $85 temporary (local); state 1-3 day $60, 4-7 day $90, 8-14 day $125
Limited Food Concessions/Seasonal Concessions (603) $30; Temporary Food Service Establishment (604) $85; state per-day temporary tiers also apply; Farmers Market $100
pushcart/limited operation
$30
Limited Food Concessions (603)
food processing/wholesale
—
Food manufacturing/wholesale regulated by KY Dept of Agriculture, not Louisville Metro
Equipment your Jefferson 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.
Local permit fees (per official LMPHW fee schedule): Food Service Establishment $80; Retail Food Market $50; Temporary Food Service Establishment $80; Limited Food Concessions/Seasonal Concessions $25 These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Jefferson County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility.
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Jefferson County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Mobile food units fall under the same Local + State food permit framework; a specific mobile-unit local fee was not isolated on the official fee schedule in reviewed sources; null
Who issues food permits in Jefferson County?
Food permits here are issued by Louisville Metro Department of Public Health & Wellness (LMPHW) - Food Safety 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