Local permits & fees

Licking County, OH Food Facility Permits & Fees

Restaurants and food trucks.

Licking County Health Department (LCHD), Environmental Health / Food Safety Program. Issues Ohio FSO and RFE licenses at Risk Levels I-IV. 675 Price Rd, Newark, OH 43055; (740) 349-6475. · 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 Licking County Health Department (LCHD), Environmental Health / Food Safety Program. Issues Ohio FSO and RFE licenses at Risk Levels I-IV. 675 Price Rd, Newark, OH 43055; (740) 349-6475. issues the health permit.

About 333 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 183,201. (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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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 Operation (FSO) / Retail Food Establishment (RFE) license (risk-based, annual)

LCHD'
s annual FSO/RFE risk-level (I-IV) license fees are set yearly under the Ohio cost-methodology but are not posted on the LCHD website
the department directs applicants to call (740) 349-6475 for the current fee
No dollar figure published online as of 2026-08-07

LCHD confirms it licenses/inspects all FSOs (restaurants, school cafeterias) and RFEs (convenience stores, carryout, supermarkets) in the county at risk levels I-IV, but publishes only application forms, not a consolidated fee schedule

Plan review — required

the Plan Review Fee is entered per application (the '
Plan Review Fee: $______'
field on LCHD'
s Risk Food Plan Review Application is left blank/calculated)
no fixed schedule is published online

Plan-review details & forms →

Reach the department

Phone(740) 349-6535

Office675 Price Road, Newark, OH 43055

Websitelickingcohealth.org →

Plan reviewlickingcohealth.org →

Inspection grading

Routine inspection — no public letter grade

Ohio local health districts inspect under the Ohio Uniform Food Safety Code (risk-based, critical/non-critical violations); no letter grade or score.

Food truck / mobile permit

Mobile Food Service Operation / Mobile Retail Food Establishment license (incl. Ohio low-risk MRFE)

not published online
Ohio'
s low-risk mobile RFE license is stated to be half the cost of the high-risk mobile license, but LCHD does not post the dollar amounts

A 2024 Ohio law created a new 'low risk' mobile food vendor (MRFE) license; LCHD uses a Mobile Food License Layout form and Mobile Plan Review Form

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 333 food & drinking establishments serve ~183,201 residents in Licking County — one per ~550 residents, denser than the Ohio average (one per ~574).

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

Watch out for

Temporary Food License (per event): $30 for tax-exempt non-profit [501(c)(3)] facilities; $60 for all other facilities; the only food license dollar figures LCHD publishes online (Temporary Food Application Packet)
Person In Charge (PIC) certification course is free; ServSafe Manager course $200, proctored ServSafe exam-only $50
Inspection records public portal: inspections.myhealthdepartment.com/lchd
Annual restaurant, plan-review, and mobile fees must be obtained by contacting LCHD directly; they are not on the website

Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction

Category	Annual fee	Notes
Grocery / market with deli	licensed as a Retail Food Establishment (RFE) at risk level I-IV; LCHD does not publish the RFE fee amounts online (call 740-349-6475)	LCHD inspects convenience stores, carryout, and supermarkets as RFEs
Temporary / seasonal event	$30.00 per event for tax-exempt non-profit [501(c)(3)] facilities; $60.00 per event for all other facilities	Only food license dollar figures LCHD publishes online (Temporary Food Application Packet)
Pushcart / mobile vending	Mobile FSO and the new Ohio low-risk mobile RFE (MRFE) licenses are not priced online; the low-risk license is stated to be half the high-risk cost but no dollar amounts are posted	LCHD uses Mobile Food License Layout and Mobile Plan Review forms

Equipment your Licking 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 Licking County with its neighbors.

Coshocton County, OH

Restaurant permit: $128

Delaware County, OH

Restaurant permit: $28

Fairfield County, OH

Restaurant permit: $282

Franklin County, OH

Restaurant permit: See page

Knox County, OH

Restaurant permit: See page

Muskingum County, OH

Restaurant permit: $249

Perry County, OH

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 Licking 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 Licking County?

LCHD's annual FSO/RFE risk-level (I-IV) license fees are set yearly under the Ohio cost-methodology but are not posted on the LCHD website; the department directs applicants to call (740) 349-6475 for the current fee; No dollar figure published online as of 2026-08-07 These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.

Is plan review required in Licking County?

Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: the Plan Review Fee is entered per application (the 'Plan Review Fee: $______' field on LCHD's Risk Food Plan Review Application is left blank/calculated); no fixed schedule is published online

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

In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. A 2024 Ohio law created a new 'low risk' mobile food vendor (MRFE) license; LCHD uses a Mobile Food License Layout form and Mobile Plan Review Form

Who issues food permits in Licking County?

Food permits here are issued by Licking County Health Department (LCHD), Environmental Health / Food Safety Program. Issues Ohio FSO and RFE licenses at Risk Levels I-IV. 675 Price Rd, Newark, OH 43055; (740) 349-6475.. 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.

Ohio 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: lickingcohealth.org · lickingcohealth.org · lickingcohealth.org · u.osu.edu · observed 2026-08-07