Washington County, VT Food Facility Permits & Fees
Restaurants and food trucks.
Vermont Department of Health, Food & Lodging Program (license fees set by statute, 18 V.S.A. § 4353). Retail grocery/meat/dairy establishments are licensed separately by the VT Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets. · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Washington County food-facility health permits run about $105–$1,000 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Confirm the exact amount with Vermont Department of Health, Food & Lodging Program (license fees set by statute, 18 V.S.A. § 4353). Retail grocery/meat/dairy establishments are licensed separately by the VT Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets. 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 Vermont Department of Health, Food & Lodging Program (license fees set by statute, 18 V.S.A. § 4353). Retail grocery/meat/dairy establishments are licensed separately by the VT Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets. issues the health permit. Vermont sets food-establishment permit fees at the state level; Vermont Department of Health, Food & Lodging Program (license fees set by statute, 18 V.S.A. § 4353). Retail grocery/meat/dairy establishments are licensed separately by the VT Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets. is the licensing authority. If your city or county runs its own health department, local fees and rules may also apply — confirm for your exact address.
About 130 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 60,142. (U.S. Census 2023 estimate; County Business Patterns 2022, NAICS 722)
Last verified: 2026-08-21 — 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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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 establishment permit / license (state-set)
Food service establishment, annual, by indoor seating capacity:
0-25 seats $105.00
26-50 seats $180.00
51-100 seats $300.00
101-200 seats $385.00
201-599 seats $450.00
600+ seats $1,000.00. Home Caterer $155.00
Commercial Caterer $260.00
Limited Operations $140.00
Set at the state level by Vermont Department of Health, Food & Lodging Program (license fees set by statute, 18 V.S.A; § 4353); Retail grocery/meat/dairy establishments are licensed separately by the VT Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets; a single statewide fee schedule; Effective Current text of 18 V.S.A; § 4353 as of 2026-08-21. Where a city or county runs its own health department it may set local fees instead
How inspection results are scored/posted here is pending verification — ask the department.
Food truck / mobile permit
Mobile food establishment (state-set)
No separate mobile-unit fee in statute
a mobile/pushcart operation is licensed as a food service establishment under the seating-capacity tiers or as Limited Operations ($140.00)
Fair Stand (special events): $125.00 if <
4 days/yr, $230.00 if 4+ days/yr
State-set mobile-food fee; confirm commissary and local requirements
How to apply
See the department site above.
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
How Washington County’s permit cost compares
At about $105/year, Washington County’s restaurant health permit is about the Vermont median ($105) and below the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 46% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 12th-lowest of 14 Vermont 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 130 food & drinking establishments serve ~60,142 residents in Washington County — one per ~463 residents, sparser than the Vermont average (one per ~456).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$105 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.
Equipment your Washington 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.
This is a typical sequence — confirm the exact sequence with your authority having jurisdiction.
Confirm whether Washington County or another local jurisdiction (city/district) handles your exact address.
Confirm zoning and permitted use.
Prepare your menu and scaled plans.
Include an equipment schedule with ANSI/NSF spec sheets.
Submit water-heater and hood documentation.
Pay plan-review fees.
Respond to plan-check corrections.
Obtain Environmental Health plan approval.
Obtain building, plumbing, mechanical and fire approvals.
Schedule rough-plumbing, pre-final and final health inspections.
Pay the operating-permit / application fees.
Receive approval before storing or preparing food.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a food permit in Washington County?
Food service establishment, annual, by indoor seating capacity: 0-25 seats $105.00; 26-50 seats $180.00; 51-100 seats $300.00; 101-200 seats $385.00; 201-599 seats $450.00; 600+ seats $1,000.00. Home Caterer $155.00; Commercial Caterer $260.00; Limited Operations $140.00 These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Washington County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. State-set mobile-food fee; confirm commissary and local requirements
Who issues food permits in Washington County?
Food permits here are issued by Vermont Department of Health, Food & Lodging Program (license fees set by statute, 18 V.S.A. § 4353). Retail grocery/meat/dairy establishments are licensed separately by the VT Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets.. 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