Rock County Public Health Department, Environmental Health Division, acting as a licensing AGENT of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) under Wis. Admin. Code ch. ATCP 75. As an agent, Rock County establishes and collects its own license fees; the department instructs applicants not to submit fees until amounts are verified by staff (608-757-5440). · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Rock County food-facility health permits run about $320–$770 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Confirm the exact amount with Rock County Public Health Department, Environmental Health Division, acting as a licensing AGENT of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) under Wis. Admin. Code ch. ATCP 75. As an agent, Rock County establishes and collects its own license fees; the department instructs applicants not to submit fees until amounts are verified by staff (608-757-5440). 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 Rock County Public Health Department, Environmental Health Division, acting as a licensing AGENT of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) under Wis. Admin. Code ch. ATCP 75. As an agent, Rock County establishes and collects its own license fees; the department instructs applicants not to submit fees until amounts are verified by staff (608-757-5440). issues the health permit.
About 357 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 164,278. (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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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 →
Rock County is a DATCP agent and sets its own fee schedule, which is NOT published online
the department directs applicants to verify amounts by phone (608-757-5440) before paying
For reference only, the DATCP statewide (state-licensed) schedule for restaurants serving meals is: Simple license $320, Moderate $470, Complex $770 (new-license pre-inspection $749)
Establishments are classified simple/moderate/complex per ATCP 75. Rock County regulates 600+ restaurants and 200+ retail food establishments as a state agent
Plan review — required
Rock County plan-review / pre-inspection fee not published online
Wisconsin DATCP/agent local health departments inspect under the Wisconsin Food Code (priority/core violations); no letter grade or score. Reports online via DATCP's inspection portal.
Food truck / mobile permit
Mobile Restaurant / Mobile Retail Food Establishment License
agent fee not published online
verify with Rock County Public Health at (608) 757-5440
Mobile food trucks or carts require a license prior to operation, issued by Rock County as a DATCP agent
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
How Rock County’s permit cost compares
At about $320/year, Rock County’s restaurant health permit is above the Wisconsin median ($159) and above the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 93% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 16th-lowest of 18 Wisconsin 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 357 food & drinking establishments serve ~164,278 residents in Rock County — one per ~460 residents, sparser than the Wisconsin average (one per ~430).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$320 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
Rock County is a DATCP AGENT under Wis; Admin; Code ch; ATCP 75 and sets/collects its own fees
The department's application page explicitly states: do not submit fees until amounts are verified by staff (608-757-5440)
No Rock County-specific dollar fee schedule was published online as of 2026-08-07
State DATCP reference schedule (state-licensed, not agent counties): Serving Meals; Simple $320 / Moderate $470 / Complex $770; Prepackaged $130; Not-Serving-Meals categories range roughly $60-$685 depending on TCS/gross-receipt tier
Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction
Category
Annual fee
Notes
Grocery / market with deli
Rock County is a DATCP agent; retail-food (not-serving-meals) fees are set locally and not published online; Verify at (608) 757-5440
State DATCP reference (state-licensed only): not-serving-meals categories range roughly $60-$685 by TCS status and gross-receipts tier
Bakery / food processing
food processing plants are licensed separately by DATCP (state), not by the Rock County agent program
See DATCP Food Processing Plant fee schedule for state-licensed processors
Temporary / seasonal event
temporary food stand fee set by Rock County agent program; not published online; Verify at (608) 757-5440
Temporary food stands require a license prior to operation
Pushcart / mobile vending
mobile food truck/cart license fee set by Rock County agent program; not published online; Verify at (608) 757-5440
Mobile restaurants/carts licensed by Rock County as a DATCP agent under ATCP 75
Equipment your Rock 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.
Rock County is a DATCP agent and sets its own fee schedule, which is NOT published online; the department directs applicants to verify amounts by phone (608-757-5440) before paying; For reference only, the DATCP statewide (state-licensed) schedule for restaurants serving meals is: Simple license $320, Moderate $470, Complex $770 (new-license pre-inspection $749) These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Rock County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: Rock County plan-review / pre-inspection fee not published online; verify with the department at (608) 757-5440
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Rock County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Mobile food trucks or carts require a license prior to operation, issued by Rock County as a DATCP agent
Who issues food permits in Rock County?
Food permits here are issued by Rock County Public Health Department, Environmental Health Division, acting as a licensing AGENT of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) under Wis. Admin. Code ch. ATCP 75. As an agent, Rock County establishes and collects its own license fees; the department instructs applicants not to submit fees until amounts are verified by staff (608-757-5440).. 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