Restaurants and food trucks.
Shelby County food-facility health permits run about $100–$360 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Confirm the exact amount with Shelby County Health Department - Environmental Health & Food Safety Program 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 Shelby County Health Department - Environmental Health & Food Safety Program issues the health permit.
About 1,816 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 910,042. (U.S. Census 2023 estimate; County Business Patterns 2022, NAICS 722)
Fees captured from the Shelby County Health Dept / shelbycountytn.gov FAQ; Tennessee food service is administered by Shelby as a delegated county health department under TN state rule
Shelby County (Memphis) food inspections scored 0–100 by TN Dept. of Health; scores available online and posted at the establishment.
Requires a notarized Commissary Agreement, a Wastewater Disposal Agreement, a floor plan showing equipment/sinks/toilets, and TN Dept of Revenue business registration; Grocery/gas-station food is regulated by the TN Dept of Agriculture instead
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 Shelby County needs more than the health permit — these approvals are handled by separate offices. Confirm current requirements with each.
| Category | Annual fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| temporary/seasonal/special-event | — | Temporary events permitted (max 14 consecutive days; no more than 2 permits per location/person per 6 months); apply 10 business days prior; fee not itemized |
| market/grocery with deli | — | Farmers' markets permitted (listed among issued permits); fee not published; Retail food service fees range $57.50-$622.50 by square footage |
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 Shelby 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 →