Restaurants, commercial kitchens, and food trucks.
County of San Diego Dept. of Environmental Health and Quality (DEHQ), Food, Water & Housing Division · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
San Diego County food-facility health permits run about $587–$2,087 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $197–$3,407. Confirm the exact amount with County of San Diego Dept. of Environmental Health and Quality (DEHQ), Food, Water & Housing 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 County of San Diego Dept. of Environmental Health and Quality (DEHQ), Food, Water & Housing Division issues the health permit.
About 7,639 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 3,269,973. (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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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
Food Facility Health Permit (annual) - Restaurant
By employee count (fee schedule effective 7/10/2026):
1-10 $842
11-25 $987
26-100 $1,170
101 or more $2,087. Low Risk Food Facility / Restricted Food Service Facility $587. Each restaurant-type prep area in excess of 3 adds $649
Tier is driven by number of employees, not square footage; revised annually by ordinance; Verified against the DEHQ Food Fee Schedule (Rev; 7/29/2026, effective July 10, 2026)
Plan review — required
Food plan check by size (eff; 7/10/2026):
0-1,999 sq ft $1,534
2,000-5,999 $1,931
6,000-9,999 $3,153
10,000+ (one prep area only) $3,407. Food plan revision $670
food minor remodel (restrooms, equipment) $545
plan resubmittal $408. Environmental Health Specialist plan-check hourly rate $197
San Diego County requires an A/B/C grade card in the window (not the green/yellow/red placard used by other CA counties).
Inspection scores & grading
Grading system: Letter grade A/B/C (100-point scale). San Diego County Dept. of Environmental Health & Quality grades on a 100-point scale: 90-100=A, 80-89=B, below 80=C. Searchable via the SD Food Info site.
mobile support unit $814. Plus a Mobile Food Plan Check ($186-$578 by type: mobile food support unit $186, prepackaged truck $293, open food prep truck $302, limited food prep truck $545, unpackaged CMFO $518, prepackaged CMFO $578)
Requires a Mobile Food Plan Check before permitting; an approved commissary/mobile support unit is required
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
How San Diego County’s permit cost compares
At about $587/year, San Diego 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 25th-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 7,639 food & drinking establishments serve ~3,269,973 residents in San Diego County — one per ~428 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 ~$587 annual health permit + $197 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.
The full approval stack
A code-compliant kitchen in San Diego County needs more than the health permit — these approvals are handled by separate offices. Confirm current requirements with each.
No standalone bakery permit; permitted as a Retail Food Processing Facility ($763, 6FA08) or restaurant
Bar / tavern
—
No standalone bar/tavern permit; permitted as a restaurant by employee count
Market / grocery with deli
$946
Retail Market with Deli 1-10 employees $946, 11 or more employees $1,267 (6FA55, includes up to 3 prep areas; each prep area over 3 adds $562); Prepackaged Retail Market $255 (6FA50); Eff; 7/10/2026
Temporary / special event
$360
Temp Event Prepackaged Foods 1-4 days $360 / annual $251; Temp Event Unpackaged Foods 1-4 days $685 / annual $479; Temp Event Organizer 1-4 days $664; Certified Farmers Market without temp food facilities $792. Eff; 7/10/2026
Low risk / restricted / limited
$587
Low Risk Food Facility / Restricted Food Service Facility $587 (6FA05); Satellite Food Service Operation $150 (6FASAT); Eff; 7/10/2026
Food processing / wholesale
$763
Retail Food Processing Facility $763 (6FA08); Wholesale Food Warehouse 1-19,999 sq ft $612, 20,000+ sq ft $763 (6FA10); Eff; 7/10/2026
Equipment your San Diego 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.
By employee count (fee schedule effective 7/10/2026): 1-10 $842; 11-25 $987; 26-100 $1,170; 101 or more $2,087. Low Risk Food Facility / Restricted Food Service Facility $587. Each restaurant-type prep area in excess of 3 adds $649 These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in San Diego County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: Food plan check by size (eff; 7/10/2026): 0-1,999 sq ft $1,534; 2,000-5,999 $1,931; 6,000-9,999 $3,153; 10,000+ (one prep area only) $3,407. Food plan revision $670; food minor remodel (restrooms, equipment) $545; plan resubmittal $408. Environmental Health Specialist plan-check hourly rate $197
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in San Diego County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Requires a Mobile Food Plan Check before permitting; an approved commissary/mobile support unit is required
Who issues food permits in San Diego County?
Food permits here are issued by County of San Diego Dept. of Environmental Health and Quality (DEHQ), Food, Water & Housing 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