Restaurants, commercial kitchens, and food trucks.
Monterey County food-facility health permits run about $1,495 annually. Plan review runs about $1,682–$4,140. Confirm the exact amount with Monterey County Health Department - Environmental Health Bureau 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 Monterey County Health Department - Environmental Health Bureau issues the health permit.
About 905 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 430,723. (U.S. Census 2023 estimate; County Business Patterns 2022, NAICS 722)
Restaurants/Deli/Bars by risk tier (effective 7/1/2026, FY26-27): Tier 1 bar only, no food prep $1,205; Tier 2 $1,495; Tier 3 $1,876. Retail markets with food prep and other categories priced separately
No letter-grade or color-placard program identified; Monterey posts restaurant inspection results online.
Mobile Food Preparation Units $1,293; Mobile Food limited food prep (tamales/corn/hot dogs) $611; Mobile Food pre-packaged/bulk/catering truck $518; Compact Mobile Food Operation (limited prep) $611 / push cart $332; ice cream push carts $129-$735. FY26-27 rates
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.
| Category | Annual fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| caterer | $759 | Catering Operation (PE 4113), annual; Host Facility (brewery/winery/commercial building) PE 4114 also $759. Effective July 1, 2026 |
| commissary/shared/central kitchen | $1,495 | Commissary Food Preparation; no retail (PE 4026) $1,495; Commissary (non-Food Prep); no retail (PE 4030) $1,084; Commissary verification 2-hr min (PE 4034) $519 |
| bar/tavern | $1,205 | Under 'Restaurants/Deli/Bars': Tier 1 Bar only, no food prep (PE 4120) $1,205; Tier 2 (4122) $1,495; Tier 3 (4123) $1,876 |
| market/grocery with deli | $1,954 | Retail Markets with Food Preparation: Tier 2 (PE 4192) $1,954; Tier 3 (4193) $2,511. Retail Markets no/limited prep: Tier 1 (4127) $1,084; Tier 2 (4128) $1,425. Deli falls under Restaurants/Deli/Bars category |
| temporary/seasonal/special-event | $519 | Temporary Food Facility 1-3 days For-Profit (PE 4146) $519; Community Event Organizer/Sponsor per event (4038) $648; Snack Bar 4-mo seasonal (4139) $476; TFF w/ food prep annual permit (4158) $1,100 |
| pushcart/limited or low-risk operation | $129 | Ice Cream Push Carts 1-4 (PE 4071) $129; 5-10 (4073) $251; Compact Mobile Food Push Cart Operation, prepackaged (4088) $332; Produce Stands, produce & eggs only (4116) $737 |
| food processing/wholesale | — | No distinct retail food processing/wholesale permit published in the Environmental Health Master Fee Resolution (Article I.E) |
| bakery | — | No stationary bakery permit category; only mobile 'Bakery, Produce, Frozen Food or Ice Cream Trucks (Bulk)' (PE 4068) $341 |
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 Monterey 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 →