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Douglas County

Douglas County Health Department, Environmental Health

In short

Douglas County Health Department, Environmental Health issues 6 permits we publish for Douglas 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 (restaurants, grocery, mobile units)Douglas County Health Department, Environmental HealthRestaurant: 0-100 seats $481, 101-200 seats $538, more than 200 seats $581; limited food service (convenience, other) $338; grocery store 0-15,000 sq. ft. $244, more than 15,000 sq. ft. $441; grocery store with deli 0-15,000 sq. ft. $469, more than 15,000 sq. ft. $894; mobile unit (prepackaged, non-TCS) $338, mobile unit (full service) $481; K-12 schools and non-profits $0. Change of ownership or site evaluation (initial inspection) $120; plan review application $155 (DCHD 2026 Environmental Health fee schedule, fees set by state legislation effective September 1, 2025).annual; the license is not transferable2026-10-10
Body Art License (conditional — tattoo, piercing, permanent cosmetics)only if it applies to youDouglas County Health Department, Environmental HealthBody art license $355 a year; plan review application $100; special event inspection, additional plan review hours, change of owner, site assessment or additional inspections $60 an hour (DCHD 2026 Environmental Health fee schedule).annual2026-10-10
Child Care Facility Environmental Health Inspectiononly if it applies to youDouglas County Health Department, Environmental HealthPart day program (less than 4 hours in care) $175 per routine inspection; full day or 24-hour care program (4 hours or more in care) $240 per routine inspection; plan review application $100; additional plan review hours, change of owner, site assessment or additional inspections $60 an hour (DCHD 2026 Environmental Health fee schedule).per routine inspection2026-10-10
Special Event Retail Food License and Plan Reviewonly if it applies to youDouglas County Health Department, Environmental HealthSpecial events license $135 a year; special event plan review application $115 per event (2-5 vendors) or $230 per event (5+ vendors); late application fee $60 (DCHD 2026 Environmental Health fee schedule).annual license; plan review per event2026-10-10
Pool / Spa / Spray Pad License (conditional — studio with a pool or spa)only if it applies to youDouglas County Health Department, Environmental Health$180 a year per filtration system; plan review application $100; plan review beyond the first hour, change of owner, site assessment or additional inspections $60 an hour (DCHD 2026 Environmental Health fee schedule).annual2026-10-10
Onsite Wastewater Treatment System (Septic) Permit (conditional — premises on a septic system)only if it applies to youDouglas County Health Department, Environmental HealthNew permit $1,060; major repair or expansion permit $695; minor repair $390; use permit application $65; new/repair permit renewal $55; re-inspection $100 (DCHD 2026 Environmental Health fee schedule).per permit2026-10-10

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 (restaurants, grocery, mobile units)

A restaurant, coffee shop, grocery store or food truck in Douglas County needs a Retail Food Establishment License from the Douglas County Health Department. These are the amounts DCHD publishes on its 2026 Environmental Health fee schedule under C.R.S. 25-4-1607(1.1), as amended by SB25-285, in the section headed 'Fees Set By State Legislation - Effective September 1, 2025': restaurants $481 (0-100 seats), $538 (101-200) or $581 (more than 200); limited food service $338; grocery stores $244 or $441 by floor area, or $469 or $894 with a deli; mobile units $338 (prepackaged, non-TCS) or $481 (full service). The DCHD figures match the statute's 2026 schedule. Under C.R.S. 25-4-1608(2) as amended, $55 of each license fee is paid to the state. A change of ownership or site evaluation costs $120, and the plan review application fee is $155; the DCHD food business page states that the plan review fee is collected when the plan review packet is submitted, that an hourly fee is charged for review time and final inspection, and that all fees must be paid before DCHD issues a license. The same page states that Retail Food Establishment licenses are not transferrable, so a new owner needs a new license before operating. The statute schedules new amounts from January 1, 2027; DCHD's 2027 schedule is not yet published.

Body Art License (conditional — tattoo, piercing, permanent cosmetics)

A salon or studio in Douglas County that offers tattooing, body piercing or permanent cosmetics needs a Body Art License from the Douglas County Health Department, $355 a year. The plan review application fee is $100, and special event inspections, additional plan review hours, change of owner, site assessments and additional inspections are billed at $60 an hour. The figure is from the Douglas County Health Department's 2026 Environmental Health fee schedule, in the fees set by the Douglas County Board of Health effective November 1, 2025. A salon without body art services has no body art license under this record.

Child Care Facility Environmental Health Inspection

A child care program in Douglas County pays the Douglas County Health Department for each routine environmental health inspection: $175 for a part day program (less than 4 hours in care) and $240 for a full day or 24-hour care program (4 hours or more in care). A new facility pays a $100 plan review application fee, and additional plan review hours, change of owner, site assessments and additional inspections are billed at $60 an hour. The figure is from the Douglas County Health Department's 2026 Environmental Health fee schedule, in the fees set by the Douglas County Board of Health effective November 1, 2025. The child care license itself is a state license, separate from this county inspection.

Special Event Retail Food License and Plan Review

A food vendor selling at special events in Douglas County needs a Special Events retail food license from the Douglas County Health Department, $135 a year. Each event carries a special event plan review application fee of $115 for an event with 2-5 vendors or $230 for an event with 5 or more vendors, and a late application costs an extra $60. The figure is from the Douglas County Health Department's 2026 Environmental Health fee schedule, in the fees set by the Douglas County Board of Health effective November 1, 2025. The schedule cites C.R.S. 25-4-1607 for the license and plan review lines and C.R.S. 25-1-508 for the late fee.

Pool / Spa / Spray Pad License (conditional — studio with a pool or spa)

A fitness studio that operates a pool, spa or spray pad pays the Douglas County Health Department an annual recreational water license fee of $180 for each filtration system. A new or remodelled facility pays a $100 plan review application fee, and additional plan review hours, change of owner, site assessments and additional inspections are billed at $60 an hour. The figure is from the Douglas County Health Department's 2026 Environmental Health fee schedule, in the fees set by the Douglas County Board of Health effective November 1, 2025. A studio without a pool, spa or spray pad has no recreational water license under this record.

Onsite Wastewater Treatment System (Septic) Permit (conditional — premises on a septic system)

A business premises in Douglas County served by an onsite wastewater treatment system (septic system) needs a permit from the Douglas County Health Department for a new system or a repair: $1,060 for a new permit, $695 for a major repair or expansion and $390 for a minor repair. A use permit application costs $65, renewal of a new or repair permit $55 and a re-inspection $100. The figure is from the Douglas County Health Department's 2026 Environmental Health fee schedule, in the fees set by the Douglas County Board of Health effective November 1, 2025. A premises on a public sewer has no septic permit under this record.

Contact

Jurisdiction
Douglas County
Phone
720-643-2400

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. 2026 DCHD Environmental Health Fee Schedule (Board of Health fees effective November 1, 2025; state-set fees effective September 1, 2025)Douglas County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
  2. Douglas County Health Department — How to Start a Food BusinessDouglas County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-08
  3. 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 Douglas 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.