Montgomery County, MD Food Facility Permits & Fees
Restaurants, commercial kitchens, and food trucks.
Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) - Licensure & Regulatory Services, Environmental Health Unit · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Montgomery County food-facility health permits run about $100–$525 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $55–$600. Confirm the exact amount with Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) - Licensure & Regulatory Services, Environmental Health Unit 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 Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) - Licensure & Regulatory Services, Environmental Health Unit issues the health permit.
About 1,879 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 1,058,474. (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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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 Facility Annual License
Type A (low priority) $200
Type B (moderate priority) $375
Type C (high priority) $525
Type D (non-profit) $100
Type E $130. Late renewal +$100
Risk/priority-based tiers per the DHHS Licensure & Regulatory Services fee schedule; A Certified Food Service Manager (CFSM) is required; Fees confirmed unchanged against the live DHHS fee schedule on 2026-08-10
Plan review — required
Type A (low priority) $240
Type B (moderate) $330
Type C (high) $600
Mobile/Itinerant $55
equipment replacement $160
Turnaround: Written approval/denial/request for more info typically within ~14-30 days of a complete submission
County health departments license and inspect to the Maryland food code; no statewide letter grade; inspection reports are public and posted online by this jurisdiction.
Inspection scores & grading
Grading system: violation-based (priority / priority foundation / core). Montgomery County Dept of Health & Human Services – Licensure & Regulatory Services (Environmental Health) licenses and inspects all food service facilities countywide under County and State regulations. Two routine inspection types: comprehensive and monitoring. Licenses expire Dec 31 and renew annually. Violation-based, no letter grade or numeric score.
Plan review required for new/altered mobile units; the plan-review fee is paid at the Montgomery County Dept of Permitting Services and a receipt must accompany the mobile plan submission; Mobile units inspected before licensing at 2425 Reedie Drive, 9th floor, Wheaton
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
How Montgomery County’s permit cost compares
At about $100/year, Montgomery County’s restaurant health permit is about the Maryland median ($100) and below the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 45% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 11th-lowest of 20 Maryland 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 1,879 food & drinking establishments serve ~1,058,474 residents in Montgomery County — one per ~563 residents, about the Maryland average (one per ~563).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$100 annual health permit + $55 plan review.
Plus building, fire, and business-license fees that vary locally — use the cost calculators and the checklist below to budget the full stack.
The full approval stack
A code-compliant kitchen in Montgomery County needs more than the health permit — these approvals are handled by separate offices. Confirm current requirements with each.
Special food event (temporary): for-profit hazardous $70/event, prepackaged non-hazardous $40 (+$35 add'l same event); non-profit $30 (hazardous)/$15 (non-hazardous); Type F seasonal (<=90 days/yr) $175
CFSM certification $50
Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction
Category
Annual fee
Notes
caterer / commissary
not a separate category; caterers and commissaries are licensed as Food Service Facilities on the risk-priority tiers (Type A $200 / Type B $375 / Type C $525); Confirm assigned priority with DHHS
Montgomery County MD prices by risk priority, not by establishment category
bakery / grocery / market with deli
licensed as a Food Service Facility on the risk-priority tiers (Type A $200 / B $375 / C $525); not broken out by category
Priority-based model; no distinct bakery or grocery fee line
farmers market
$50 (farmer selling farm-produced food, or farm market with 25%+ agricultural products)
Distinct Farmer's Market license category
temporary / seasonal event
Type F seasonal (<=90 days/yr) $175; special food event for-profit hazardous $70/event, prepackaged non-hazardous $40 (+$35 add'l same event); non-profit $30 (hazardous) / $15 (non-hazardous)
Multiple temporary/seasonal tiers published; late application (<2 business days notice) +$30
itinerant / pushcart / mobile vending
Mobile Food Service Facility license $55 (+ $55 mobile/itinerant plan review); itinerant selling (Apr-Nov) $175
Mobile plan-review fee paid at the Dept of Permitting Services
Equipment your Montgomery 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.
Type A (low priority) $200; Type B (moderate priority) $375; Type C (high priority) $525; Type D (non-profit) $100; Type E $130. Late renewal +$100 These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Montgomery County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: Type A (low priority) $240; Type B (moderate) $330; Type C (high) $600; Mobile/Itinerant $55; equipment replacement $160
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Montgomery County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Plan review required for new/altered mobile units; the plan-review fee is paid at the Montgomery County Dept of Permitting Services and a receipt must accompany the mobile plan submission; Mobile units inspected before licensing at 2425 Reedie Drive, 9th floor, Wheaton
Who issues food permits in Montgomery County?
Food permits here are issued by Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) - Licensure & Regulatory Services, Environmental Health Unit. 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