FL Dept of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR) - Division of Hotels & Restaurants (restaurants/caterers/mobile); FL Dept of Agriculture & Consumer Services (FDACS) - Division of Food Safety (grocery/markets/food processing) · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Seminole County food-facility health permits run about $242–$357 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Confirm the exact amount with FL Dept of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR) - Division of Hotels & Restaurants (restaurants/caterers/mobile); FL Dept of Agriculture & Consumer Services (FDACS) - Division of Food Safety (grocery/markets/food processing) 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 FL Dept of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR) - Division of Hotels & Restaurants (restaurants/caterers/mobile); FL Dept of Agriculture & Consumer Services (FDACS) - Division of Food Safety (grocery/markets/food processing) issues the health permit.
About 980 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 484,271. (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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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
Public Food Service Establishment License (DBPR Hotels & Restaurants)
Full year by seats:
$242 nonseating
$262 (1-49 seats)
$273 (50-149)
$294 (150-249)
$315 (250-349)
$336 (350-499)
$357 (500+)
Plus $50 application (new or change of ownership) and $10 Hospitality Education Program fee
State-administered; Florida restaurants are licensed by DBPR (not the county health dept); fees are statewide by license classification and seat count; Half-year (prorated) fees are roughly half the annual amount; the $10 HEP fee is not prorated
State DBPR Division of Hotels & Restaurants inspects; outcome is met-standards / warning / emergency closure with violations listed, no letter grade; searchable statewide online database.
Food truck / mobile permit
Mobile Food Dispensing Vehicle (DBPR)
$347/yr (half year $178.50)
Licensed by DBPR statewide (same as hot dog carts); Florida law (2020) preempts local governments from regulating mobile food vendor licensing/registration, so no separate Seminole County health license; a local business tax receipt may still apply; Mobile units selling ONLY prepackaged/non-hazardous food are permitted by FDACS instead
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
How Seminole County’s permit cost compares
At about $242/year, Seminole County’s restaurant health permit is about the Florida median ($242) and above the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 80% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 55th-lowest of 66 Florida 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 980 food & drinking establishments serve ~484,271 residents in Seminole County — one per ~494 residents, denser than the Florida average (one per ~701).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$242 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
DBPR divides Florida into 7 licensing districts; Seminole County falls in the Orlando-area district
Groceries, convenience stores, retail meat/seafood markets, bakeries and food-processing are permitted by FDACS (Rule 5K-4.020), NOT DBPR
A separate Seminole County/city local business tax receipt is required in addition to the state license
DBPR offers free voluntary plan review before construction/remodel
Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction
Category
Annual fee
Notes
caterer
$263.00/yr full year ($136.50 half year)
DBPR Hotels & Restaurants license class; Plus $50 application and $10 HEP fee
grocery/market with deli
permitted by FDACS (not DBPR) as a Retail Food Establishment under Rule 5K-4.020, F.A.C.; fee varies by food activities and is not published as a single flat figure; Confirm with FDACS Division of Food Safety (1-800-435-7352)
Supermarkets, grocery/convenience stores, retail meat/seafood markets fall under FDACS
bakery/food processing
FDACS-permitted (Retail Food Establishment or food processing, Rule 5K-4.020); amount varies by activity, confirm with FDACS
Retail bakeries and food manufacturing/processing are regulated by FDACS, not DBPR
temporary/special-event
$91.00-$456.00 (DBPR Temporary Food Service event license; varies by event duration)
DBPR Hotels & Restaurants temporary food service event vendor license
pushcart/mobile vending
$347.00/yr (DBPR Mobile Food Dispensing Vehicle / hot dog cart)
Same DBPR class as food trucks; Florida law preempts local licensing of mobile food vendors
vending machine
$21.00/yr ($15.50 half year)
DBPR food vending machine license
Equipment your Seminole 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 year by seats: $242 nonseating; $262 (1-49 seats); $273 (50-149); $294 (150-249); $315 (250-349); $336 (350-499); $357 (500+); Plus $50 application (new or change of ownership) and $10 Hospitality Education Program fee These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Seminole County?
Plan review is generally not required, but confirm with the department. Typical fees: $0 (DBPR plan review provided at no charge)
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Seminole County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Licensed by DBPR statewide (same as hot dog carts); Florida law (2020) preempts local governments from regulating mobile food vendor licensing/registration, so no separate Seminole County health license; a local business tax receipt may still apply; Mobile units selling ONLY prepackaged/non-hazardous food are permitted by FDACS instead
Who issues food permits in Seminole County?
Food permits here are issued by FL Dept of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR) - Division of Hotels & Restaurants (restaurants/caterers/mobile); FL Dept of Agriculture & Consumer Services (FDACS) - Division of Food Safety (grocery/markets/food processing). 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