Orange County Department of Health - Division of Environmental Health (Goshen; serves Middletown, Newburgh) · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Orange County food-facility health permits run about $275–$450 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $100–$300. Confirm the exact amount with Orange County Department of Health - Division of Environmental Health (Goshen; serves Middletown, Newburgh) 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 Orange County Department of Health - Division of Environmental Health (Goshen; serves Middletown, Newburgh) issues the health permit.
About 948 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 407,470. (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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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 Establishment permit (annual, by seat count; includes Caterers with Hall)
By seating (annual):
0-25 seats $275
26-50 seats $300
51-100 seats $350
101-200 seats $400
>
200 seats $450 (Orange County DOH Fee Schedule effective Jan 1, 2023)
Locally administered by the Orange County Department of Health, Division of Environmental Health, under NY State Sanitary Code Subpart 14-1. Caterers with a hall are permitted on the same seat-based schedule; Retail groceries, markets and bakeries selling packaged food are licensed separately by the NY State Dept of Agriculture & Markets, not the county DOH
Plan review — required
Food Service Establishment Layout Plan Review:
Remodeling of Existing Facility $200
New Construction and/or Conversion $300 (first 2 review comment letters included
State/local health departments inspect to the NYS Sanitary Code; violations listed in the statewide online database, no letter grade (NYSDOH does not support grading).
Food truck / mobile permit
Mobile Food Unit permit (trucks, carts, etc.)
$150 (annual)
Mobile Food Units (Trucks, Carts etc.)
A commissary/commissary letter is required (the county's Mobile Food Service application includes a commissary letter); Locally administered by Orange County DOH Environmental Health
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
How Orange County’s permit cost compares
At about $275/year, Orange County’s restaurant health permit is above the New York median ($150) and above the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 92% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 25th-lowest of 31 New York 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 948 food & drinking establishments serve ~407,470 residents in Orange County — one per ~430 residents, denser than the New York average (one per ~445).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$275 annual health permit + $100 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.
Watch out for
Locally administered; Orange County Department of Health, Division of Environmental Health (Goshen) runs the food program under NY State Sanitary Code Subpart 14-1
Annual food service permit is priced by seating: $275 (0-25) / $300 (26-50) / $350 (51-100) / $400 (101-200) / $450 (>200); Caterers with Hall use the same schedule
Mobile Food Units $150/yr; Temporary Food Service Establishments $75
Plan review (layout): Remodel $200; New Construction/Conversion $300
Retail groceries, markets and bakeries (packaged retail food) are regulated by the NY State Dept of Agriculture & Markets, not the county DOH
Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction
Category
Annual fee
Notes
Caterer
Included in the Food Service Establishment permit; "Caterers with Hall" are priced on the same seat-based annual schedule ($275 for 0-25 seats up to $450 for >200 seats)
Orange County DOH does not price caterers separately; a caterer with a hall is a Food Service Establishment by seat count
Bakery / food processing
retail bakeries and food processors selling packaged food are licensed by the NY State Dept of Agriculture & Markets (Article 20-C / 20-A), not the Orange County DOH; A bakery with on-site food service/seating would be a county Food Service Establishment ($275-$450 by seats)
NY splits retail food (state Ag & Markets) from food service (county DOH)
Grocery / market with deli
groceries and markets (retail food stores) are licensed by the NY State Dept of Agriculture & Markets, not the Orange County DOH; An in-store deli / hot-food prep area may require a county Food Service Establishment permit ($275-$450 by seats); confirm with Environmental Health (845-291-2331)
Retail food (grocery) = NY State Ag & Markets jurisdiction
Temporary / seasonal event
$75; Temporary Food Service Establishment (Orange County DOH fee schedule eff; 1-1-2023)
Flat fee; separate Temporary Food Service application (revised 9-2025); Farmers'-market/fair/festival vendors follow the county's temporary-food guidance
Pushcart / mobile vending
$150; Mobile Food Units (Trucks, Carts etc.), annual
A commissary letter is required with the Mobile Food Service application
Equipment your Orange 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.
By seating (annual): 0-25 seats $275; 26-50 seats $300; 51-100 seats $350; 101-200 seats $400; >200 seats $450 (Orange County DOH Fee Schedule effective Jan 1, 2023) These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Orange County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: Food Service Establishment Layout Plan Review: Remodeling of Existing Facility $200; New Construction and/or Conversion $300 (first 2 review comment letters included; ~$100 discretionary fee for additional reviews)
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Orange County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. A commissary/commissary letter is required (the county's Mobile Food Service application includes a commissary letter); Locally administered by Orange County DOH Environmental Health
Who issues food permits in Orange County?
Food permits here are issued by Orange County Department of Health - Division of Environmental Health (Goshen; serves Middletown, Newburgh). 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