Palm Beach County, FL Food Facility Permits & Fees
Restaurants and food trucks.
State-issued: Florida DBPR, Division of Hotels & Restaurants (restaurants & food trucks are licensed by the STATE, not the county). County-level Florida DOH-Palm Beach handles only certain non-DBPR food operations (schools, institutions, temporary events); a local Business Tax Receipt is also required. · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Palm Beach County food-facility health permits run about $242–$357 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $50. Confirm the exact amount with State-issued: Florida DBPR, Division of Hotels & Restaurants (restaurants & food trucks are licensed by the STATE, not the county). County-level Florida DOH-Palm Beach handles only certain non-DBPR food operations (schools, institutions, temporary events); a local Business Tax Receipt is also required. 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 State-issued: Florida DBPR, Division of Hotels & Restaurants (restaurants & food trucks are licensed by the STATE, not the county). County-level Florida DOH-Palm Beach handles only certain non-DBPR food operations (schools, institutions, temporary events); a local Business Tax Receipt is also required. issues the health permit.
About 3,122 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 1,533,801. (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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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
Public Food Service Establishment License (DBPR, statewide)
Annual license by seating (statewide DBPR fee schedule):
Nonseating $242
1-49 seats $262
50-149 $273
150-249 $294
250-349 $315
350-499 $336
500+ $357. Half-year rates roughly half
Plus a $50 application fee for new/change-of-ownership
All fees include a $10 Hospitality Education Program surcharge
Fees are set by the state and are identical in every Florida county (Palm Beach included); Verified on official DBPR Food Service Fees page 2026-08-06
Plan review — required
$0
DBPR provides plan review at no charge (only the $50 application fee applies to a new license)
Turnaround: Plan review recommended before construction; DBPR does not charge for it; No county turnaround published because review is state-run
State DBPR Division of Hotels & Restaurants inspects; outcome is met-standards / warning / emergency closure with violations listed, no letter grade; searchable statewide online database.
Inspection scores & grading
Grading system: violation-based (High Priority / Intermediate / Basic). Restaurant inspections are run by the State of Florida DBPR Division of Hotels & Restaurants (not the county). Reports list violation counts by tier and a disposition (met/not met standards); no letter grade or numeric score. Searchable via DBPR public records / inspection search.
Mobile Food Dispensing Vehicle (MFDV) License (DBPR, statewide)
Mobile Food Vehicles / Hot Dog Carts:
$347 annual ($178.50 half-year), including the $10 HEP surcharge, plus $50 application fee for new/change of ownership
MFDVs are state-licensed by DBPR; under FL law (s; 509.102) local governments cannot require a separate local MFDV license or charge a separate MFDV license fee, though a general Business Tax Receipt may still apply
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
How Palm Beach County’s permit cost compares
At about $242/year, Palm Beach County’s restaurant health permit is about the Florida median ($242) and above the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 80% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 52nd-lowest of 66 Florida 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 3,122 food & drinking establishments serve ~1,533,801 residents in Palm Beach County — one per ~491 residents, denser than the Florida average (one per ~701).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$242 annual health permit.
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 Palm Beach County needs more than the health permit — these approvals are handled by separate offices. Confirm current requirements with each.
Florida restaurants and food trucks are licensed by the STATE (DBPR), so fees are uniform statewide; Palm Beach County does not set its own restaurant permit fee
DBPR plan review is free; the only up-front state charge for a new license is the $50 application fee
Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction
Category
Annual fee
Notes
caterer
$263/yr
DBPR statewide caterer license; any licensed food service establishment may also cater without a separate license
theme-park/entertainment-complex food cart
$262-$357/yr
Tiered by number of carts: 1-5 $262, 6-10 $273, 11-15 $294, 16-20 $315, 21-25 $336, 26+ $357
vending machine
$21/yr
Per machine dispensing prepared/potentially hazardous food
temporary/special-event food vendor
1-3 day $91; 4-30 day $105; annual $456
DBPR temporary event vendor license
Equipment your Palm Beach 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.
Annual license by seating (statewide DBPR fee schedule): Nonseating $242; 1-49 seats $262; 50-149 $273; 150-249 $294; 250-349 $315; 350-499 $336; 500+ $357. Half-year rates roughly half; Plus a $50 application fee for new/change-of-ownership; All fees include a $10 Hospitality Education Program surcharge These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Palm Beach County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: $0; DBPR provides plan review at no charge (only the $50 application fee applies to a new license)
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Palm Beach County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. MFDVs are state-licensed by DBPR; under FL law (s; 509.102) local governments cannot require a separate local MFDV license or charge a separate MFDV license fee, though a general Business Tax Receipt may still apply
Who issues food permits in Palm Beach County?
Food permits here are issued by State-issued: Florida DBPR, Division of Hotels & Restaurants (restaurants & food trucks are licensed by the STATE, not the county). County-level Florida DOH-Palm Beach handles only certain non-DBPR food operations (schools, institutions, temporary events); a local Business Tax Receipt is also required.. 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