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Santa Barbara County

County of Santa Barbara Public Health Department, Environmental Health Services

In short

County of Santa Barbara Public Health Department, Environmental Health Services issues 6 permits we publish for Santa Barbara County, last verified 2026-10-13. Each carries the fee as the agency publishes it, with a link to the schedule it was read from.

What this agency issues

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Mobile Food Facility Health PermitCounty of Santa Barbara Public Health Department, Environmental Health ServicesMFF: Food Prepared in a Commissary $410; MFF: Fully Labeled Prepacked Food $295; MFF: Food Prepared in the Vehicle $558; Compact Mobile Food Operation $351.annual2026-10-13
Temporary Food Facility Permit (community events)only if it applies to youCounty of Santa Barbara Public Health Department, Environmental Health ServicesOne Time Event (fixed fee): TFF: Booth (max 500 sf) - One Time Event $352; TFF: Booth - Low Risk (max 500 sf) - One Time Event $177; TFF: Event Coordinator - One Time Event $737. Recurring Events (annual fee): TFF: Booth (max 500 sf) - Recurring Event $496; TFF: Booth - Low Risk (max 500 sf) - Recurring Event $278; TFF: Event Coordinator - Recurring Event $973.per event for one-time events; calendar year for recurring events2026-10-13
Public Swimming Pool / Spa Permitonly if it applies to youCounty of Santa Barbara Public Health Department, Environmental Health ServicesSwimming Pool $398; Spa $398; Wading Pool $398 — each per year. Plan review (new, remodel, changes in operation): application fee $149 plus $220 per hour.annual2026-10-13
Retail Food Facility Annual Health PermitCounty of Santa Barbara Public Health Department, Environmental Health ServicesAnnual Health Permit: <500 square feet $398; 501-1500 square feet $577; 1501-3000 square feet $848; 3001-10,000 square feet $924; over 10,000 square feet $1,164; Low Risk $367; Shared Kitchen Use Only $367. Plan review (new, remodel, changes in operation): application fee $149 plus $220 per hour.annual; the billing cycle runs from the month the permit is approved2026-10-13
Body Art Facility Permit and Practitioner Registrationonly if it applies to youCounty of Santa Barbara Public Health Department, Environmental Health ServicesBody Art Facility $586; Body Art Vehicle $481; Practitioner Registration $123 — each an annual fee.annual2026-10-13
CUPA Hazardous Materials Business Plan / Hazardous Waste Generator Permitonly if it applies to youCounty of Santa Barbara Public Health Department, Environmental Health ServicesBusiness Plan: BP Level 1 $434; BP Level 2 $452; BP Level 3 $470; BP Level 4 $488; BP Level 5 $524. Hazardous waste generators: Very Small Quantity $357; Small Quantity Generator $468.annual2026-10-13

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

About each permit

Mobile Food Facility Health Permit

A food truck or food cart needs a Santa Barbara County mobile food facility health permit; the Mobile Food & Commissaries page says approved vehicles and carts carry 'a decal on their mobile food vehicle or on the side of a permitted food cart reflecting the Month and Year of Expiration', that 'Vehicles operating without a valid permit are subject to closure', and that 'Vehicles with permits that have lapsed for 60 days or more will need to meet current California Retail Food Code requirements, which may involve upgrades and plan submittal before a new permit is issued.' The same page says 'A health permit is not required if selling less than 25 square feet of prepackaged (and labeled), non-potentially hazardous food'. A Compact Mobile Food Operation is a pushcart, other non-motorized sidewalk vending cart or temporary stand. Amounts are from the EHS Fee Schedule effective August 1, 2026; the base fees were adopted in Resolution 25-191 on 26 August 2025 and the adopted base fees are adjusted each year by the EHS Director under the Consumer Price Index clause of the adopting resolution or ordinance, effective no earlier than July 1; the county's public notice of 27 May 2026 applies a 3.0% increase effective August 1, 2026.

Temporary Food Facility Permit (community events)

Selling food at a community event needs a temporary food facility permit. The Temporary Food Facility page says 'California law requires the organizer of any event where food is available to obtain a permit from Environmental Health. Additionally, all vendors (both for-profit and non-profit) authorized to be at the event must have a Health Permit issued from Environmental Health.' The organizer files the Event Organizer Application, each booth files the Temporary Food Facility (Booth) Application, and the forms 'must be submitted to Environmental Health Services at least two weeks prior to the date the community event is scheduled to commence.' Adopted Resolution 25-191 describes a recurring event as '25 days max within 90-day period at the same location', with the recurring permit 'issued for the calendar year Jan 1 - Dec 31'. Amounts are from the EHS Fee Schedule effective August 1, 2026, labelled as printed there; the base fees were adopted in Resolution 25-191 on 26 August 2025 and the adopted base fees are adjusted each year by the EHS Director under the Consumer Price Index clause of the adopting resolution or ordinance, effective no earlier than July 1; the county's public notice of 27 May 2026 applies a 3.0% increase effective August 1, 2026.

Public Swimming Pool / Spa Permit

A gym or fitness studio that operates a pool, spa or wading pool used by members or the public holds an annual permit from Environmental Health Services for each one; the Pools & Spas page says 'Public pools and spas are inspected for health and safety requirements' and links the 'Application for Pool and Spa Plan Check-Permit'. A studio without a pool or spa has no pool permit. The fee is $398 per swimming pool, $398 per spa and $398 per wading pool each year, with plan review for new or remodelled pools at $149 plus $220 per hour, per the EHS Fee Schedule effective August 1, 2026. The adopted pool resolution (Resolution 25-104, 13 May 2025) also says: 'In addition to the fees authorized by this resolution, Environmental Health Services shall collect any state surcharge required by state law.' Under that resolution the adopted base fees are adjusted each year by the EHS Director under the Consumer Price Index clause of the adopting resolution or ordinance, effective no earlier than July 1; the county's public notice of 27 May 2026 applies a 3.0% increase effective August 1, 2026.

Retail Food Facility Annual Health Permit

A restaurant, coffee shop or store selling food needs an annual health permit from Environmental Health Services. The Step 2 page says 'A valid Health Permit is required for all food facilities to operate' and 'A health permit issued from Santa Barbara County Environmental Health Services is necessary for you to operate a food facility in this county'; permits are non-transferable, so a buyer of an existing business applies in their own name. The annual billing cycle starts in the month the permit is approved: 'if your application for a health permit is approved in April, then your annual permit cycle will be valid through April 30 of each year.' The fee is set by floor area, with Low Risk and Shared Kitchen Use Only lines at $367. Amounts are from the EHS Fee Schedule effective August 1, 2026; the base fees were adopted in Resolution 25-191 on 26 August 2025 and the adopted base fees are adjusted each year by the EHS Director under the Consumer Price Index clause of the adopting resolution or ordinance, effective no earlier than July 1; the county's public notice of 27 May 2026 applies a 3.0% increase effective August 1, 2026.

Body Art Facility Permit and Practitioner Registration

A salon or studio offering tattooing, body piercing or permanent cosmetics needs a body art facility health permit, and each practitioner registers every year. The Body Art page says 'The owner of the body art facility must obtain an annual health permit to operate', 'Practitioners must register annually with the local enforcement agency', 'If a practitioner performs body art in a vehicle, a health permit is required', and 'Facilities should apply at least 60 days prior to opening to allow time for plan check review and pre-opening inspection.' The page also says the law allows EHS to exempt 'those individuals or businesses who only perform ear lobe piercing with a mechanical device that forces a single-use stud or solid needle through the lobe of the ear.' A salon offering only hair, nail or skin services without body art has no body art permit. The fees are $586 for a facility, $481 for a body art vehicle and $123 for practitioner registration, per the EHS Fee Schedule effective August 1, 2026; the base fees were adopted in Resolution 25-107 on 13 May 2025 and the adopted base fees are adjusted each year by the EHS Director under the Consumer Price Index clause of the adopting resolution or ordinance, effective no earlier than July 1; the county's public notice of 27 May 2026 applies a 3.0% increase effective August 1, 2026.

CUPA Hazardous Materials Business Plan / Hazardous Waste Generator Permit

The Hazardous Materials page says 'The County of Santa Barbara Health Department is certified by the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) as the Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) for the County of Santa Barbara.' A business handling reportable amounts of hazardous materials submits a Hazardous Materials Business Plan through the California Environmental Reporting System; the page gives the general reporting thresholds as 55 gallons for a liquid, 500 pounds for a solid and 200 cubic feet for a gas. An auto-repair shop, or a contractor, veterinary clinic or salon that stores chemicals at those levels or generates hazardous waste, falls under these permits, and the page says 'All generators of hazardous waste are required to have active hazardous waste generator ID number issued either by DTSC or the Federal Environmental Protection Agency.' Amounts are from the EHS Fee Schedule effective August 1, 2026; the base fees were adopted in Ordinance 5255 on 3 June 2025 and the adopted base fees are adjusted each year by the EHS Director under the Consumer Price Index clause of the adopting resolution or ordinance, effective no earlier than July 1; the county's public notice of 27 May 2026 applies a 3.0% increase effective August 1, 2026.

Contact

Jurisdiction
Santa Barbara County
Phone
(805) 681-4900

Contact details are taken from the agency’s own site or its published fee schedule. Where we have not verified a phone number we leave it blank rather than guess.

Sources

Every fee and term above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.

  1. Adopted Ordinance 5255 — Certified Unified Program Agency fees (adopted 3 June 2025)County of Santa Barbara Board of Supervisors · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
  2. Adopted Resolution 25-104 — Swimming pool fees (adopted 13 May 2025)County of Santa Barbara Board of Supervisors · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
  3. Adopted Resolution 25-107 — Body art fees (adopted 13 May 2025)County of Santa Barbara Board of Supervisors · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
  4. Adopted Resolution 25-191 — Retail Food Facility fees (adopted 26 August 2025)County of Santa Barbara Board of Supervisors · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
  5. Body ArtCounty of Santa Barbara Public Health Department, Environmental Health Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
  6. Environmental HealthCounty of Santa Barbara Public Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
  7. Environmental Health Services - Fee Schedule, Effective August 1, 2026 (FY 2026/27 Revised Fee Schedule)County of Santa Barbara Public Health Department, Environmental Health Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
  8. File #25-00382 — Environmental Health Services fee resolutions and ordinancesCounty of Santa Barbara Board of Supervisors · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
  9. File #25-00746 — Environmental Health Services Retail Food Program fees (Resolution 25-191)County of Santa Barbara Board of Supervisors · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
  10. Hazardous Materials (Certified Unified Program Agency)County of Santa Barbara Public Health Department, Environmental Health Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
  11. Mobile Food & CommissariesCounty of Santa Barbara Public Health Department, Environmental Health Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
  12. Pools & SpasCounty of Santa Barbara Public Health Department, Environmental Health Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
  13. Public Notice to Revise Environmental Health Services Fees for Fiscal Year 2026-2027, Effective August 1, 2026 (27 May 2026)County of Santa Barbara Public Health Department, Environmental Health Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
  14. Step 2 - Your Health PermitCounty of Santa Barbara Public Health Department, Environmental Health Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
  15. Temporary Food FacilityCounty of Santa Barbara Public Health Department, Environmental Health Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13

Other offices serving Santa Barbara County

The full permit list for this jurisdiction

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California jurisdictions

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