Commercial Compliance Hub
Check requirements

Adams County

Adams County Health Department, Environmental Health

In short

Adams County Health Department, Environmental Health issues 6 permits we publish for Adams County, last verified 2026-10-10. 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
Retail Food Establishment License (annual; fixed and mobile)Adams County Health Department, Environmental HealthAmounts the Adams County Health Department publishes for 2026 under "Fees Set by Colorado Legislature" (C.R.S. 25-4-1607(1.1), as enacted by SB25-285): restaurant or caterer 0-100 seats $481, 101-200 seats $538, over 200 seats $581; limited food service establishment $338; grocery store without deli up to 15,000 sq. ft. $244, over 15,000 sq. ft. $441; grocery store with deli up to 15,000 sq. ft. $469, over 15,000 sq. ft. $894; mobile unit full service $481, prepackaged food $338. The statutory schedule changes on 1/1/2027; contact ACHD for the amounts it charges from that date.annual, valid January 1 through December 31; mobile licenses expire December 31 regardless of issue date; not prorated and not transferable2026-10-10
Special Event Retail Food Licenseonly if it applies to youAdams County Health Department, Environmental HealthSpecial events license $165 a year per license; special event plan review application $160 per event; late fee $50 per late application; special event inspection $80 per hour per inspector (ACHD 2026 fee page).annual (the license fee is charged annually per license); plan review per event2026-10-10
Retail Food Establishment Plan Review (fixed and mobile)only if it applies to youAdams County Health Department, Environmental Health$155 application fee at submission; plan review and pre-opening inspection billed at an hourly rate and not to exceed $900, due at licensing (C.R.S. 25-4-1607(2)). HACCP plan review at actual cost, not to exceed $620 for a process already conducted at the facility and $100 for a specific written process (25-4-1607(4)). Optional site evaluation of a potential location: $120 or the actual cost, whichever is greater, with $120 billed when requested (25-4-1607(5)).one-time, before a new, extensively remodelled or never-licensed establishment or mobile unit opens2026-10-10
Child Care Facility Health Inspection and Plan ReviewAdams County Health Department, Environmental HealthRoutine inspection $255 per inspection; plan review $160 per plan review (based on a two-hour minimum); site evaluations $80 per hour (ACHD 2026 fee page).inspection before opening and at least every two years after, more often based on risk2026-10-10
Recreational Pool and Spa Inspection and Plan Review (conditional: facilities with a pool or spa)only if it applies to youAdams County Health Department, Environmental HealthAnnual inspection $210 per filtration system; plan review $190 per plan review (based on a 2-hour minimum); additional plan review hours $95 per hour (ACHD 2026 fee page).annual; ACHD inspects pools and spas twice a year2026-10-10
On-Site Wastewater Treatment System (Septic) Permit (conditional: sites not on public sewer)only if it applies to youAdams County Health Department, Environmental HealthNew permit $1,156; major repair or expansion permit $775; minor repair $450; each new and repair permit also carries the state's $23 fee ($20 to CDPHE, $3 retained by ACHD) under C.R.S. 25-10-107 (ACHD 2026 fee page).per permit (installation, repair or expansion)2026-10-10

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

Retail Food Establishment License (annual; fixed and mobile)

A restaurant, coffee shop, grocery or other retail food establishment, and every food truck, trailer and push cart, needs an annual Retail Food Establishment License from the Adams County Health Department (ACHD). The ACHD Retail Food page states: "All food establishments and businesses must be licensed to operate in Adams County." ACHD's official 2026 Licensing and Inspections Fees page publishes these amounts under "Fees Set by Colorado Legislature": restaurant $481 for 0-100 seats, $538 for 101-200 and $581 for over 200; limited retail food services $338; grocery without deli $244 up to 15,000 sq. ft. or $441 over; grocery with deli $469 up to 15,000 sq. ft. or $894 over; mobile unit full services $481 and prepackaged food $338. They are the amounts ACHD publishes under C.R.S. 25-4-1607(1.1), enacted by SB25-285, which sets the annual license fee schedule and lets a county board of health set lower fees (25-4-1607(1.1)(d)(I)(B)); the statutory schedule changes on 1/1/2027, and ACHD publishes the amounts it charges from that date. Under 25-4-1607(1.1)(d)(II) these are the only annual license fees a county may charge; $55 of each fee goes to the state food protection cash fund (C.R.S. 25-4-1608(2)). ACHD's 2026 Retail Food Guide states that the license runs January 1 through December 31, fees are not prorated, a separate license is required for each facility or unit, and licenses are non-transferable, so a change of ownership or of the Colorado sales tax number needs a new application. ACHD's food truck page states that mobile licenses expire on December 31 each year regardless of issue date.

Special Event Retail Food License

A food vendor at a special event in Adams County licenses through the Adams County Health Department. Under C.R.S. 25-4-1607(1.1)(b)(II), as enacted by SB25-285, a county or district public health agency sets the license fees for a retail food establishment at a special event, so this is a county fee rather than one of the state-set annual license fees. ACHD's 2026 fees are $165 a year per Special Events License, $160 per event for the special event plan review application, a $50 late fee per late application, and $80 per hour per inspector for special event inspection. The figure is from the Adams County Health Department's official "2026 Licensing and Inspections Fees" page, which states that the table sets the Environmental Health fees for 2026 under C.R.S. 25-1-508(5)(j) and 25-10-107(1); the page does not link or date the Board of Health resolution that adopted the 2026 fees.

Retail Food Establishment Plan Review (fixed and mobile)

New construction, an extensively remodelled food establishment, and a mobile food unit never licensed by the Adams County Health Department need a plan review before opening. ACHD's 2026 Retail Food Guide defines extensive remodelling to include a 20% increase in seating, a 25% or greater change in non-public space, alterations requiring a building permit, significant menu changes and extensive equipment changes; a change of ownership with no major changes needs no plans but does need an inspection before opening. ACHD's 2026 fixed-establishment plan review packet and its 2026 mobile plan review application both list a $155 application fee and state that plan review fees, separate from the application fee, are due at licensing, are set at an hourly rate and will not exceed $900. Those amounts match C.R.S. 25-4-1607(2) as amended by SB25-285. Under 25-4-1607(4), a HACCP plan review costs the actual cost of review, capped at $620 for a process already conducted at the facility and at $100 for a specific written process. Under 25-4-1607(5), a requested review of a potential food establishment site costs $120 or the actual cost, whichever is greater. The packets state that responses are made by email within 14 working days (fixed) or 14 business days (mobile). Contact: ACHD plan review, 720.713.6200, EHPlanReviewSupport@adamscountyco.gov.

Child Care Facility Health Inspection and Plan Review

ACHD's Child Care Center Resources page states that health inspections for child care facilities are required before opening a child care facility and at least every two years after, though they may happen more often based on risk, and that plan reviews are required for all new or remodelled facilities within Adams County. The same page states: "Our team does not license child care centers but offers inspections to meet the" requirements of the Colorado Department of Early Childhood's licensing division, so the child care license itself is a state license and this record covers the county health inspection. ACHD's 2026 fees are $255 per routine inspection, $160 per plan review (based on a two-hour minimum) and $80 per hour for site evaluations. The figure is from the Adams County Health Department's official "2026 Licensing and Inspections Fees" page, which states that the table sets the Environmental Health fees for 2026 under C.R.S. 25-1-508(5)(j) and 25-10-107(1); the page does not link or date the Board of Health resolution that adopted the 2026 fees.

Recreational Pool and Spa Inspection and Plan Review (conditional: facilities with a pool or spa)

A fitness studio or health club with a public or semi-public pool, spa or spray pool pays the Adams County Health Department an annual inspection fee of $210 per filtration system; a studio without a pool or spa has no pool permit. ACHD's Recreational Pools & Spas page states that its team inspects pools and spas twice a year, checking the pump room, facility, bodies of water and water chemistry against Colorado's swimming pools and mineral baths regulations, and that plans and specifications must be submitted at least 30 days before the construction, enlarging, remodelling or modification of a public or semi-public pool. Plan review is $190 (based on a 2-hour minimum), plus $95 per hour beyond the two-hour minimum; plans go to the Environmental Health office at 7190 Colorado Blvd., Ste. 200, Commerce City. The figure is from the Adams County Health Department's official "2026 Licensing and Inspections Fees" page, which states that the table sets the Environmental Health fees for 2026 under C.R.S. 25-1-508(5)(j) and 25-10-107(1); the page does not link or date the Board of Health resolution that adopted the 2026 fees.

On-Site Wastewater Treatment System (Septic) Permit (conditional: sites not on public sewer)

A business site in rural Adams County that is served by an on-site wastewater treatment system (septic system) needs an ACHD permit to install, repair or expand it; a site on a public sewer has no septic permit. ACHD's 2026 fees are $1,156 for a new permit, $775 for a major repair or expansion permit and $450 for a minor repair. The fee page notes that since July 1, 2007, C.R.S. 25-10-107 has allowed the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to assess a $23 fee on each new and repair on-site wastewater permit, of which $20 goes to CDPHE and $3 is retained by the local health department. The figure is from the Adams County Health Department's official "2026 Licensing and Inspections Fees" page, which states that the table sets the Environmental Health fees for 2026 under C.R.S. 25-1-508(5)(j) and 25-10-107(1); the page does not link or date the Board of Health resolution that adopted the 2026 fees.

Contact

Jurisdiction
Adams County
Phone
720.713.6200

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. Adams County Health Department — 2026 Licensing and Inspection FeesAdams County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-18
  2. Child Care Center Resources pageAdams County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
  3. Food Truck & Push Cart Licensing pageAdams County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
  4. Mobile Food Establishment Plan Review application (2026)Adams County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
  5. Recreational Pools & Spas pageAdams County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
  6. Retail Food Establishment Plan Review packet (2026)Adams County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
  7. Retail Food Guide (2026)Adams County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
  8. Retail Food pageAdams County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
  9. Retail Food Plan Reviews pageAdams County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
  10. Senate Bill 25-285, signed act (amending C.R.S. 25-4-1607 and 25-4-1608: retail food establishment fees)Colorado General Assembly · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10

Other offices serving Adams County

The full permit list for this jurisdiction

Industry permit lists that include this agency

Colorado jurisdictions

Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.