Restaurants and food trucks.
Stark County food-facility health permits run about $28–$1,582.20 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $28–$1,554.20. Confirm the exact amount with Stark County Health Department (Stark County Combined General Health District) - Division of 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 Stark County Health Department (Stark County Combined General Health District) - Division of Environmental Health, Food Safety Program issues the health permit.
About 748 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 372,716. (U.S. Census 2023 estimate; County Business Patterns 2022, NAICS 722)
Locally administered by the Stark County Health Department (a combined general health district covering Canton and Stark County); Ohio licenses restaurants as Food Service Operations (FSO) and grocery/markets as Retail Food Establishments (RFE); both are priced identically on the county's risk-based (Risk Level I-IV) schedule; A full-service restaurant is typically Risk Level III or IV; Non-commercial (churches/schools) rates are lower; Late fee applies as of March 2nd
Ohio local health districts inspect under the Ohio Uniform Food Safety Code (risk-based, critical/non-critical violations); no letter grade or score.
Ohio operates a statewide Mobile FSO/RFE license framework; Stark County issues and inspects the local mobile license; A separate Mobile Plan Review Application applies for new units, and a commissary/servicing base is required
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.
| Category | Annual fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Grocery / market with deli | Retail Food Establishment (RFE) on the same risk-based schedule as restaurants: commercial under 25,000 sq ft $329.00 (Risk I), $362.60 (Risk II), $635.60 (Risk III), $788.90 (Risk IV); over 25,000 sq ft $447.30-$1,582.20 by risk; (2026) | Ohio licenses grocery/markets as RFE; a store with a deli/prep area rises in risk level; Priced identically to FSO (restaurants) |
| Temporary / seasonal event | $77.00 (Temporary; Commercial); $38.50 (Temporary; Non-Commercial) | Flat temporary FSO/RFE license fees on the 2026 schedule |
| Pushcart / mobile vending | $293.00 (Mobile; High Risk); $160.50 (Mobile; Low Risk) | Mobile FSO/RFE license priced by risk; a commissary/servicing base is required; (Vending machines are a separate $35.99 line.) |
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 Stark 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 →