Tennessee Department of Health - Division of General Environmental Health (state-administered; Sullivan County Regional Health Department) · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Sullivan County food-facility health permits run about $210–$360 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Confirm the exact amount with Tennessee Department of Health - Division of General Environmental Health (state-administered; Sullivan County Regional Health Department) 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 Tennessee Department of Health - Division of General Environmental Health (state-administered; Sullivan County Regional Health Department) issues the health permit.
About 326 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 162,135. (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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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
Food Service Establishment Permit
$210.00/year (0-50 seats)
$360.00/year (51 or more seats)
State permit fee set by TCA 68-14-713. Sullivan County is state-administered (not one of TN's local/metro health departments), so the statewide fee schedule applies; Auxiliary food service operations pay $100.00
Plan review — required
Tennessee requires plan submission/review for new and remodeled food service establishments
no separate state plan-review fee is charged beyond the permit fee
Tennessee 0–100 inspection score; report posted prominently and searchable in the state inspection portal.
Food truck / mobile permit
Mobile Food Service Establishment Permit
$210.00/year (mobile units are permitted as food service establishments and fall in the 0-50 seat tier under the state schedule)
TCA 68-14-713 sets fees by seating; a mobile unit (0 seats) falls in the 0-50 seat tier at $210.00. Some cities levy a separate business/vendor fee (e.g., Bristol, TN charges a $400/year city mobile food vendor license, which is separate from the state health permit)
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
How Sullivan County’s permit cost compares
At about $210/year, Sullivan County’s restaurant health permit is above the Tennessee median ($100) and above the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 78% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 91st-lowest of 94 Tennessee 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 326 food & drinking establishments serve ~162,135 residents in Sullivan County — one per ~497 residents, denser than the Tennessee average (one per ~706).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$210 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
Environmental health / food service in Sullivan County is administered by the Tennessee Department of Health, not a county-run program; state fee schedule applies
Statutory fee schedule (TCA 68-14-713): food service establishment 0-50 seats $210, 51+ seats $360; auxiliary food service operations $100; temporary food service $30; child care/congregate-meal food service 0-50 seats $50, 51+ seats $80; school food service $80
Delinquent permit fees (>30 days) incur a penalty of one-half the permit fee
Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction
Category
Annual fee
Notes
Caterer
$100.00/year
Catering/off-premises support falls under 'auxiliary food service operations' in TCA 68-14-713, permit fee $100
Temporary / seasonal event
$30.00
Temporary food service establishment permit fee (TCA 68-14-713)
Bar / limited food service
$210.00/year (0-50 seats); $360.00/year (51 or more seats)
Permitted as a food service establishment; seating-based fee under the statewide schedule
Equipment your Sullivan 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.
$210.00/year (0-50 seats); $360.00/year (51 or more seats) These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Sullivan County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: Tennessee requires plan submission/review for new and remodeled food service establishments; no separate state plan-review fee is charged beyond the permit fee
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Sullivan County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. TCA 68-14-713 sets fees by seating; a mobile unit (0 seats) falls in the 0-50 seat tier at $210.00. Some cities levy a separate business/vendor fee (e.g., Bristol, TN charges a $400/year city mobile food vendor license, which is separate from the state health permit)
Who issues food permits in Sullivan County?
Food permits here are issued by Tennessee Department of Health - Division of General Environmental Health (state-administered; Sullivan County Regional Health Department). 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