Restaurants and food trucks.
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 Boston Inspectional Services Department (ISD) - Health Division (with Boston Public Health Commission) issues the health permit.
Cities with their own health department: Boston, Chelsea, Revere, Winthrop. Food businesses inside these cities apply to the city health department (with its own fees and rules), not Suffolk County. Confirm which authority covers your exact address.
About 2,595 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 768,425. (U.S. Census 2023 estimate; County Business Patterns 2022, NAICS 722)
ISD issues the annual food service permit; base health permit component is $100/yr, but the full restaurant permit fee is set by seating capacity/type and is not published as a single figure online (verify with ISD, 617-635-5326); A separate Common Victualler license from the Licensing Board is also required for sit-down service
Local boards of health inspect under 105 CMR 590 / FDA Food Code; no letter grade; inspection reports are public records posted online by the municipality.
~$500/yr annual food-truck permit; plus $100 annual health permit and $150 fire-permit inspection (dual health + fire required); Mobile permit add-ons: $30 each if selling milk/ice cream; $100 manufacturing fee for soft-serve; Boston runs a citywide food-truck program with designated public vending locations/seasons
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
A code-compliant kitchen in Suffolk County needs more than the health permit — these approvals are handled by separate offices. Confirm current requirements with each.
| Category | Annual fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| caterer | — | Caterers overseen by Boston Inspectional Services Health Division; caterer-specific fee not published on the food-service permit page |
| market/grocery with deli | $100 min (<2,500 sq ft); $100 + $50 per additional 1,000 sq ft (>2,500 sq ft) | "Retail Food" permit covers grocery/market/retail food stores |
| temporary/seasonal/special-event | $30 first day + $5 per additional consecutive day (max 14 days) | "Temporary Food Service Permit," issued to an organization for a period not exceeding 14 days |
| bar/tavern | $100 + $1/seat (Common Victualler); $210 take-out only | A Common Victualler License (issued by the Licensing Board) is required in addition to the ISD food-service health permit for establishments serving food/drink |
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 Suffolk 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 →