Restaurants, commercial kitchens, and food trucks.
Skagit County Public Health - Environmental Health (Food & Living Environment) · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Skagit County food-facility health permits run about $150–$560 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $350–$725. Confirm the exact amount with Skagit County Public Health - Environmental Health (Food & Living Environment) 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 Skagit County Public Health - Environmental Health (Food & Living Environment) issues the health permit.
About 315 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 131,417. (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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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
Annual Food Establishment Permit (by risk level)
Risk Level 1 $320
Risk Level 2 $475
Risk Level 3 $560. Surcharge $150 each for high volume (>
75 seats/drive-up) or catering or each additional distinct food-prep area
2025 Schedule of Charges; Risk level assigned by menu/process complexity per WAC 246-215. Annual permit covers fixed, mobile, and independent catering operations; Up to 3% card-processing surcharge may apply
No grade or placard; Skagit provides inspection reports to operators and on request — not posted in a public online database.
Food truck / mobile permit
Mobile Food Establishment (annual food establishment permit)
Uses the same Risk Level fees:
$320 (RL1) / $475 (RL2) / $560 (RL3) based on the unit'
s menu/processes
Annual permits explicitly apply to fixed, mobile, and independent catering operations; Mobile units also need WA L&I approval and a commissary; separate mobile plan review applies
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
How Skagit County’s permit cost compares
At about $150/year, Skagit County’s restaurant health permit is below the Washington median ($292) and above the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 66% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 6th-lowest of 30 Washington 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 315 food & drinking establishments serve ~131,417 residents in Skagit County — one per ~417 residents, denser than the Washington average (one per ~521).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$150 annual health permit + $350 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.
Watch out for
Prompt used a risk x square-foot framing, but Skagit's 2025 schedule is risk-level-based (RL1-3) with a $150 surcharge per high-volume/catering/extra prep area; square footage is not a direct fee axis
Commissary permit $100; Donated Food Distributing Organization no fee
Temporary permits: single-event low-risk $95 / standard $170; seasonal and multi-event tiers up to $390; food sampler/demonstrator $65; umbrella permit (up to 10 booths) $375
Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction
Category
Annual fee
Notes
Caterer
$150 catering surcharge added to a fixed Risk Level permit; independent catering operations pay the Risk Level 1-3 fees ($320 / $475 / $560)
Independent catering operating from a commissary it does not own is charged 'Use Risk Level Fees'
Commissary / central preparation kitchen
$100
Requires plan review and annual inspection; kitchen-for-hire serving other operators must hold this permit
Grocery / market with deli
Base Risk Level 3 permit $560 (deli) + $150 surcharge per additional distinct prep area (bakery RL1, meat/seafood RL2, packaged foods RL1)
Supermarket example totals $1,010 for four areas
Temporary / seasonal event
Single event: $95 (low-risk) / $170 (standard); Single seasonal location: $210 / $300; Multi-event/multi-location: $210 / $390; Umbrella permit (up to 10 booths) $375
Annual food establishment permit covers mobile operations; separate mobile plan review (Tier 1-3, $350-$725) applies
Equipment your Skagit 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.
Risk Level 1 $320; Risk Level 2 $475; Risk Level 3 $560. Surcharge $150 each for high volume (>75 seats/drive-up) or catering or each additional distinct food-prep area These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Skagit County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: Plan Review Tier 1 $350; Tier 2 $500; Tier 3 $725
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Skagit County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. Annual permits explicitly apply to fixed, mobile, and independent catering operations; Mobile units also need WA L&I approval and a commissary; separate mobile plan review applies
Who issues food permits in Skagit County?
Food permits here are issued by Skagit County Public Health - Environmental Health (Food & Living Environment). 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