Restaurants, commercial kitchens, 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 Yavapai County Community Health Services (YCCHS) - Environmental Health (Prescott; also Prescott Valley & Cottonwood offices) issues the health permit.
About 495 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 249,081. (U.S. Census 2023 estimate; County Business Patterns 2022, NAICS 722)
Locally administered by YCCHS Environmental Health under the Yavapai County Health Code & Ordinance (aligned with Arizona Administrative Code Title 9, Ch; 8); Arizona counties typically price the annual food establishment permit by risk/type and size
No letter grade; Yavapai Community Health posts food-facility inspection results online (Golden Plate recognition program).
Mobile units serving the public in Yavapai County must hold either an annual operating license or a special event food license from YCCHS; A commissary/base of operations is required
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).
| Category | Annual fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Caterer | a caterer is permitted by Yavapai County Community Health Services as a food establishment (fee by type/size); amounts are not published accessibly (county site HTTP 403); Confirm at 928-771-3149 | Locally administered |
| Commissary / central preparation kitchen | a commissary/base of operations is required for mobile units and is permitted as a food establishment; fee not published accessibly; Confirm at 928-771-3149 | Base of operations required for mobile units |
| Bakery / food processing | a retail bakery is permitted by YCCHS as a food establishment; wholesale/manufactured food is regulated at the state level (AZ Dept of Agriculture / ADHS); Fee not published accessibly; Confirm at 928-771-3149 | Split authority for wholesale/manufactured food |
| Bar / limited food service | a bar serving food is a food establishment permitted by YCCHS; fee not published accessibly; Confirm at 928-771-3149 | Alcohol licensing is separate (AZ DLLC) |
| Grocery / market with deli | a grocery/market with prepared/deli food is permitted by YCCHS as a food establishment; fee not published accessibly; Confirm at 928-771-3149 | Locally administered |
| Temporary / seasonal event | Special Event food license (valid up to 14 consecutive days); base fee not published accessibly; A $55 late fee applies if the application is not submitted at least 21 days before the event (additional $55 if received less than 2 working days prior); Confirm at 928-771-3149 | Late-fee amounts ($55) are published; the base license fee is not |
| Pushcart / mobile vending | Mobile Food Unit annual operating license or special event license; fee not published accessibly (unofficial third-party estimate ~$300-$400); AZ reciprocity: units already permitted in another Arizona county skip repeat plan review; Confirm at 928-771-3149 | Commissary/base of operations required |
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 Yavapai 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 →