Restaurants, commercial kitchens, and food trucks.
Placer County Health and Human Services Department, Environmental Health Division · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Placer County food-facility health permits run about $600–$1,718 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $714–$3,582. Confirm the exact amount with Placer County Health and Human Services Department, Environmental Health Division 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 Placer County Health and Human Services Department, Environmental Health Division issues the health permit.
About 967 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 423,561. (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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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
Restaurant (annual health permit, by seating)
$1,192 (0-49 seats)
$1,493 (50-99 seats)
$1,718 (100+ seats)
Seasonal (<
6 mo/yr): $600 / $729 / $826
Annual food facility permit; Fee Schedule effective July 1, 2025 (revised 3/3/2026); Double-fee penalty for operating without a permit
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
How Placer County’s permit cost compares
At about $600/year, Placer County’s restaurant health permit is above the California median ($491) and above the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 99% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 27th-lowest of 40 California 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 967 food & drinking establishments serve ~423,561 residents in Placer County — one per ~438 residents, denser than the California average (one per ~491).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$600 annual health permit + $714 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
A 3.21% CPI fee increase was proposed effective July 1, 2026 for FY2026-27, plus a new 'Food Plan Check; Remodel Without Hood' category
Applications and payments handled through the My Health Department online portal (myhealthdepartment.com/pchd)
Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction
Category
Annual fee
Notes
caterer
$225
Caterer; $0 if same owner from a permitted food facility; $125 caterer; out of county commissary
No pushcart category; nearest low-risk: Produce Stand $350; Market pre-pkg w/sampling, limited non-PHF prep $1,129
Equipment your Placer 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.
$1,192 (0-49 seats); $1,493 (50-99 seats); $1,718 (100+ seats); Seasonal (<6 mo/yr): $600 / $729 / $826 These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Placer County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: New facility with hood $3,582; new without hood $2,444; new prepackaged only $1,159; equipment only $714; remodel with hood $2,203; remodel without hood $1,410
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Placer County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Annual permit; classification depends on level of food preparation
Who issues food permits in Placer County?
Food permits here are issued by Placer County Health and Human Services Department, Environmental Health Division. 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