Maryland — statewide
Maryland Department of Health, Office of Food Protection
In short
Maryland Department of Health, Office of Food Protection issues 2 permits we publish for Maryland — statewide, last verified 2026-09-03. Each carries the fee as the agency publishes it, with a link to the schedule it was read from.
What this agency issues
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Service Facility License | Maryland Department of Health, Office of Food Protection | $100–$525 a year, set by the county health department — there is no state fee | 1 year from issue unless local law says otherwise | 2026-09-03 |
| Certified Food Service Manageronly if it applies to you | Maryland Department of Health, Office of Food Protection | No fee | no state period; three to five years where a county requires a card | 2026-09-03 |
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
Food Service Facility License
The state health department writes the regulations and licenses only processing, warehousing and dairy; retail food service belongs to the twenty-four local health departments, and the statute says the county governing body sets the fee schedule and the money is paid to the county. Both examples band by risk rather than size. Montgomery charges $200 for a low-priority facility, $375 for moderate and $525 for high, with a $100 non-profit rate and a $100 late fee, and its licenses expire on 31 January. Howard charges $415, $325 and $100 on the same three tiers, adds a ten per cent technology surcharge to everything, and prices plan review separately at up to $485. Statutory caps exist only in odd corners — a mobile reciprocity license cannot exceed $300, and seasonal on-farm processing $70 outside four jurisdictions.
Certified Food Service Manager
No state fee and, unusually, no statewide requirement either — the retail food regulations contain no manager certification provision at all, only a duty that employees be trained for their assigned work. Certification is a county matter where it exists: Montgomery charges $50 for a card valid five years, Howard $37 for one it accepts for three, and the exam itself comes from an accredited provider at that provider's price. This is a watch item rather than a settled position. The health department's own October 2025 fact sheet lists a certified food protection manager on site during all hours of operation among the new requirements it proposes to adopt with the federal food code, which would replace the county patchwork with a statewide mandate. No adoption date has been set.
Contact
- Jurisdiction
- Maryland — statewide
- Phone
- (410) 767-8400
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.
- COMAR 10.15.03.28 — a food service facility license must be obtained from the approving authorityMaryland Department of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
- Howard County Health Department — environmental health fee scheduleHoward County, Maryland · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
- Maryland Department of Health — food code fact sheet listing the certified food protection manager as a proposed new requirementMaryland Department of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
- Maryland Health-General section 21-308 — county governing bodies set the food establishment license fee scheduleMaryland General Assembly · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
- Montgomery County Licensure and Regulatory Services — fee scheduleMontgomery County, Maryland · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
Other Maryland statewide offices
- Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation, Corporate Charter Division
- Comptroller of Maryland, Revenue Administration Division
- Comptroller of Maryland, State License Bureau
- Maryland Home Improvement Commission, Department of Labor
- Maryland Office of the Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division
- Maryland State Board of Barbers, Department of Labor
- Maryland State Board of Cosmetologists, Department of Labor
- Maryland State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, Department of Agriculture
- Maryland State Department of Education, Office of Child Care
Maryland jurisdictions
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.