Restaurants, commercial kitchens, and food trucks.
New Castle County food-facility health permits run about $100 annually. Plan review runs about $50–$250. Confirm the exact amount with Delaware DHSS, Division of Public Health - Office of Food Protection (Health Systems Protection) 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 Delaware DHSS, Division of Public Health - Office of Food Protection (Health Systems Protection) issues the health permit.
About 1,233 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 578,592. (U.S. Census 2023 estimate; County Business Patterns 2022, NAICS 722)
State-administered: Delaware has no county health departments; the DPH Office of Food Protection issues permits statewide, including all of New Castle County (Wilmington); Annual, non-refundable fee is due only after the facility is approved for an operating permit; Churches, schools, fire companies and other non-profits are exempt from fees; (Delaware DPH page blocked automated re-fetch 2026-08-10; figures carried from official DPH schedule.)
Turnaround: Plans reviewed within 60 working days, in order received
Division of Public Health Office of Food Protection inspects to the FDA Food Code; searchable online report listing shows critical/priority violations, no letter grade.
Mobile units must undergo plan review and typically operate from an approved commissary; a separate DE business license and any municipal vendor permit also apply
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 | $100/yr (Public Eating Place permit) | Delaware permits a caterer as a Public Eating Place at the flat $100 annual fee; 'Caterer Without Premises' has its own plan-review track before the operating permit is issued |
| Commissary / central preparation kitchen | not a separately priced category; a commissary is permitted as a Public Eating Place ($100/yr) or Commercial Food Processor ($30/yr) depending on activity; Confirm with the Office of Food Protection | No distinct commissary fee line on the DE schedule |
| Bakery / food processing | $30/yr (Commercial Food Processors); a retail bakery serving the public is a Public Eating Place ($100/yr) or Retail Food Store ($100/yr) | Delaware's flat schedule prices commercial food processors at $30; retail bakeries fall under eating-place/retail-store at $100 |
| Bar / limited food service | $100/yr (Public Eating Place permit) | A bar serving food is permitted as a Public Eating Place at the flat $100 fee; not a separate category |
| Grocery / market with deli | $100/yr (Retail Food Store permit) | Grocery/market is a Retail Food Store ($100/yr); an in-store deli/food-prep area is covered under the same or a Public Eating Place permit |
| Temporary / seasonal event | $0 (Temporary Food Establishment permit; no fee) | DE Temporary Food Establishment permits carry no fee; non-profits are exempt from fees generally |
| Pushcart / mobile vending | Mobile Food Unit permit requires plan review ($50-$250 by sq ft); Confirm with the Office of Food Protection (302-744-4546) | Mobile units undergo plan review and generally require an approved commissary |
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 New Castle 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 →