Kansas Dept. of Agriculture (KDA), Food Safety & Lodging Program - STATE licenses retail food establishments statewide (KDA is headquartered in Manhattan, Riley County). The Riley County-Manhattan Health Department handles local public-health functions, not retail food licensing. · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Riley County food-facility health permits run about $250–$750 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $350. Confirm the exact amount with Kansas Dept. of Agriculture (KDA), Food Safety & Lodging Program - STATE licenses retail food establishments statewide (KDA is headquartered in Manhattan, Riley County). The Riley County-Manhattan Health Department handles local public-health functions, not retail food licensing. 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 Kansas Dept. of Agriculture (KDA), Food Safety & Lodging Program - STATE licenses retail food establishments statewide (KDA is headquartered in Manhattan, Riley County). The Riley County-Manhattan Health Department handles local public-health functions, not retail food licensing. issues the health permit.
About 140 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 71,402. (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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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 →
Statutory maximum annual retail food establishment license fees (K.S.A
65-688), tiered by square footage: up to $250 (under 5,000 sq ft)
up to $300 (5,000-10,000 sq ft)
higher tiers up to $750 (50,000+ sq ft)
One-time application fee not to exceed $350 per location
Kansas licenses retail food establishments through KDA statewide; the figures above are the statutory not-to-exceed amounts in K.S.A; 65-688 (KDA's administrative fee schedule is set within these caps); Source: https://law.justia.com/codes/kansas/chapter-65/article-6/section-65-688/
Plan review — required
KDA requires plan review/pre-operational inspection for new or remodeled establishments but does not publish a separate plan-review dollar fee (application fee up to $350 covers new-license processing)
Kansas Dept of Agriculture Food Safety & Lodging inspects statewide under the Kansas Food Code (risk-based); no letter grade or score. Reports on KDA's online inspection portal.
Food truck / mobile permit
Mobile Food Establishment License (KDA)
KDA licenses mobile food units as food establishments
the specific KDA mobile fee is set within the K.S.A
The City of Manhattan has no separate general food-truck license
Kansas is state-licensed; a mobile unit needs a KDA Food Establishment License and an approved servicing area/commissary
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
How Riley County’s permit cost compares
At about $250/year, Riley County’s restaurant health permit is above the Kansas median ($190) and above the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 82% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 104th-lowest of 105 Kansas 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 140 food & drinking establishments serve ~71,402 residents in Riley County — one per ~510 residents, denser than the Kansas average (one per ~514).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$250 annual health permit + $350 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
STATE-administered: retail food establishments in Riley County (Manhattan) are licensed by the Kansas Dept; of Agriculture, not by the county
KDA is headquartered in Manhattan, KS (1320 Research Park Dr.)
Fee amounts cited are statutory maximums from K.S.A; 65-688 (retail food establishment license tiered by square footage; application fee capped at $350)
The Riley County-Manhattan Health Department covers local public health, not retail food licensing
Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction
Category
Annual fee
Notes
Bakery / food processing
Food Processing Plant license (K.S.A; 65-688): statutory maximum $200/yr (under 5,000 sq ft) or $400/yr (5,000+ sq ft); application fee up to $350
State-licensed by KDA; amounts are statutory not-to-exceed caps
Grocery / market with deli
grocery/market is licensed by KDA as a retail food establishment; fee is the square-footage-tiered establishment fee (up to $250/$300/.../$750), not a distinct grocery fee
Statewide KDA licensing; deli operations included in the establishment license
Pushcart / mobile vending
KDA licenses mobile food units as food establishments; the specific mobile fee (within K.S.A
State-administered by the Kansas Dept; of Agriculture; approved servicing area/commissary required
Equipment your Riley 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.
Statutory maximum annual retail food establishment license fees (K.S.A; 65-688), tiered by square footage: up to $250 (under 5,000 sq ft); up to $300 (5,000-10,000 sq ft); higher tiers up to $750 (50,000+ sq ft); One-time application fee not to exceed $350 per location These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Riley County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: KDA requires plan review/pre-operational inspection for new or remodeled establishments but does not publish a separate plan-review dollar fee (application fee up to $350 covers new-license processing)
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Riley County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Kansas is state-licensed; a mobile unit needs a KDA Food Establishment License and an approved servicing area/commissary
Who issues food permits in Riley County?
Food permits here are issued by Kansas Dept. of Agriculture (KDA), Food Safety & Lodging Program - STATE licenses retail food establishments statewide (KDA is headquartered in Manhattan, Riley County). The Riley County-Manhattan Health Department handles local public-health functions, not retail food licensing.. 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