Restaurants, commercial kitchens, and food trucks.
Riverside County food-facility health permits run about $246–$1,682 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $498–$3,184. Confirm the exact amount with Riverside County Department of Environmental Health (DEH) 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 Riverside County Department of Environmental Health (DEH) issues the health permit.
About 4,174 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 2,492,442. (U.S. Census 2023 estimate; County Business Patterns 2022, NAICS 722)
Fees enabled by Ord; 492 (food) and set annually via Ord; 640 Attachment A adopted by the Board of Supervisors; Permit valid one year from issuance (expires last day of issuance month); Verified from Ordinance 640.15 fee schedule PDF
Turnaround: Not published on plan-check page; plan approval must be obtained before constructing or remodeling; Plans discarded if not picked up within 60 days of approval/denial
Riverside issues A (100-90, only passing grade) / B / C grade cards that must be posted; A is the only pass.
MFF permit valid until Dec 31 of the calendar year issued; Commissary agreement required; DEH does plan check and inspection of all new/remodeled trucks and carts
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
Comparison uses the lowest published annual restaurant-permit figure in each county; confirm your exact tier with the department.
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Plus building, fire, and business-license fees that vary locally — use the cost calculators and the checklist below to budget the full stack.
A code-compliant kitchen in Riverside County needs more than the health permit — these approvals are handled by separate offices. Confirm current requirements with each.
| Building / plans | Riverside County Building & Safety (TLMA) · 951-955-1800 |
| Fire marshal | Riverside County Fire Department - Office of the Fire Marshal · 951-940-6900 |
| Zoning / planning | Riverside County Planning Department (TLMA) · 951-955-3200 |
| Sewer / grease | Riverside County Dept. of Waste Resources - grease/grease-trap waste (FOG via local sewer district) · 951-486-3200 |
| Business license | Riverside County Business Licenses & Permits (regulated businesses; general licensing via cities) |
| Category | Annual fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| caterer | $588 | Caterer (Non-Storefront) $588. Artisan (Non-Storefront; limited foods from kitchen w/ agreement letter) $299 |
| commissary/central kitchen | $649 | Commissary $649. Host Facility $398 |
| bar/tavern | $763 | Bar tiered by risk (Tier 1/2/3): $763 / $1,045 / $1,455 |
| market/grocery with deli | $714 | Food Market tiered by risk (Tier 1/2/3): $714 / $1,076 / $1,498. Micro Market $246 |
| temporary/seasonal/special-event | $156 | Non-Profit Seasonal Snack Bar $156; Holiday Operation (30-45 days) $132; Certified Farmers Market $522. Community-event vendor booth: Food Booth $108 (occasional) / $223 (temporary); 100% Prepackaged Food Booth $68 / $121 |
| pushcart/limited operation | $256 | 100% Pre-Packaged Non-PHF <300 sq ft $256; Additional Food Operations within a facility $212; Produce Stand $389; Farm Stand $291; 100% Pre-Packaged (tiered) $572/$861/$1,197 |
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.
Permit costs and rules change at the county line — compare Riverside County with its neighbors.
This is a typical sequence — confirm the exact sequence with your authority having jurisdiction.
Official plan-check requirements: plan-check guide →