Restaurants, commercial kitchens, and food trucks.
Porter County Health Department, Food Service Division · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Porter County food-facility health permits run about $150–$600 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Confirm the exact amount with Porter County Health Department, Food Service 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 Porter County Health Department, Food Service Division issues the health permit.
About 338 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 175,335. (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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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
Annual Retail Food Establishment Permit
Full-service Retail Food Establishment, tiered by size:
<
3,000 sq ft $300.00
3,000-<
10,000 sq ft $400.00
10,000-<
15,000 sq ft $500.00
15,000+ sq ft $600.00. Limited (prepackaged only) $150.00. Bed &
Breakfast $250.00
Compliance with Indiana Retail Food Establishment Sanitation Requirements (410 IAC 7-26); Partial-year (seasonal, 6 consecutive months) permit $150.00. Fees confirmed unchanged against the live permit-fees page on 2026-08-10
Plan review — required
Plan review required for new construction, remodels, and mobile units
page states '
additional plan review inspection fees may apply'
but no dollar amount is published (confirmed still unpublished 2026-08-10)
Porter County inspects under Indiana Retail Food code (410 IAC 7-26); no letter grade. Reports are public records available on request.
Food truck / mobile permit
Mobile Food Unit / Pushcart Permit
Mobile food units and pushcarts are permitted as Retail Food Establishments
the annual RFE permit fee (base $300.00) applies
No separate mobile-specific fee is published
Requires proof of a licensed commissary / servicing location and a pre-operational inspection at PCHD (219-465-3525); food handler certificate attached if applicable
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
How Porter County’s permit cost compares
At about $150/year, Porter County’s restaurant health permit is above the Indiana median ($100) and above the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 66% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 50th-lowest of 63 Indiana 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 338 food & drinking establishments serve ~175,335 residents in Porter County — one per ~519 residents, denser than the Indiana average (one per ~577).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$150 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.
Watch out for
Annual RFE permit is tiered by square footage ($300 to $600)
Temporary event vendor fee is per-day and escalates with less advance notice: $20/day (7+ days ahead, max $100), $30/day (3-7 days, max $150), $40/day (<=48 hours, max $200)
Mobile units are permitted under the same RFE framework rather than a distinct mobile license
Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction
Category
Annual fee
Notes
Grocery / market with deli
$300.00-$600.00 (annual Retail Food Establishment permit, tiered by square footage: <3,000 sq ft $300; 3,000-<10,000 $400; 10,000-<15,000 $500; 15,000+ $600)
A deli/prepared-food component makes it a full-service RFE rather than limited
Bar / limited food service
$150.00 (Limited / prepackaged-only permit) if no on-site prep; $300.00+ full RFE if preparing food
Commissary / central preparation kitchen
Proof of a licensed commissary/servicing location is required for mobile units; a commissary is itself licensed as a Retail Food Establishment ($300+ by size); No separate commissary fee published
Temporary / seasonal event
$20/$30/$40 per day by advance notice (max $100/$150/$200 per event); Partial-Year (seasonal, up to 6 consecutive months) permit $150.00
Expedited surcharge: +$10 (3-7 days ahead), +$20 (<=48 hours)
Pushcart / mobile vending
Mobile food units and pushcarts are permitted as Retail Food Establishments; the base annual RFE fee ($300.00) applies; No separate mobile/pushcart fee published
Requires licensed commissary and pre-operational inspection
Equipment your Porter 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.
Full-service Retail Food Establishment, tiered by size: <3,000 sq ft $300.00; 3,000-<10,000 sq ft $400.00; 10,000-<15,000 sq ft $500.00; 15,000+ sq ft $600.00. Limited (prepackaged only) $150.00. Bed & Breakfast $250.00 These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Porter County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: Plan review required for new construction, remodels, and mobile units; page states 'additional plan review inspection fees may apply' but no dollar amount is published (confirmed still unpublished 2026-08-10)
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Porter County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Requires proof of a licensed commissary / servicing location and a pre-operational inspection at PCHD (219-465-3525); food handler certificate attached if applicable
Who issues food permits in Porter County?
Food permits here are issued by Porter County Health Department, Food Service 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