Restaurants and food trucks.
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 Medina County Health Department (Environmental Health / Food Safety). Ohio licenses food operations under ORC Chapter 3717 as Food Service Operations (FSO) and Retail Food Establishments (RFE), each risk-classified Level 1-4 (plus Micromarket). The county health district is the licensor for FSO/RFE; annual license fees are set by the county Board of Health, not published as a dollar table on the website. issues the health permit.
About 314 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 184,042. (U.S. Census 2023 estimate; County Business Patterns 2022, NAICS 722)
Restaurants/bars are licensed as FSOs; grocery/convenience stores as RFEs; Risk classification (Level 1-4, plus Micromarket) is based on menu and is verified with a food inspector; Payment accepted by phone (Visa/MC/Discover/Amex); Authority: Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3717
Ohio local health districts inspect under the Ohio Uniform Food Safety Code (risk-based, critical/non-critical violations); no letter grade or score.
Mobile units (fair/festival trailers, carts) require plan review before licensing; see the Mobile Plan Review Guide; Farmers-market and festival vendors may instead qualify for a temporary food license
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
| Category | Annual fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Grocery / market with deli | licensed as a Retail Food Establishment (RFE), risk-classified Level 1-4; annual RFE fee not published online, set by the Medina County Board of Health (contact 330-723-9523) | Convenience/grocery stores are RFEs under ORC Chapter 3717 |
| Temporary / seasonal event | $80 per event ($40 for a nonprofit / 501(c)(3)) | Temporary Food License, maximum 5 consecutive days; apply at least 10 days before the event; PUBLISHED fee |
| Pushcart / mobile vending | Mobile Food Service Operation / Mobile RFE license fee not published online; set by the county Board of Health (contact 330-723-9523) | Mobile units require plan review before licensing (Mobile Plan Review Guide) |
| Bakery / food processing | home bakeries and cottage food operate under Ohio Admin; Code 901:3-20-04 (state cottage-food rules), not a county license fee | Cottage food fact sheet published by MCHD; no county fee for qualifying home bakeries |
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 Medina County with its neighbors.
This is a typical sequence — confirm the exact sequence with your authority having jurisdiction.
Official plan-check requirements: plan-check guide →