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Kent County

Kent County Health Department, Environmental Health

In short

Kent County Health Department, Environmental Health issues 6 permits we publish for Kent 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
Special Transitory Food Unit — Notice and Two Evaluations per Licensing YearKent County Health Department, Environmental Health$90 per evaluation, two evaluations required each licensing year ($180 a year), as set by MCL 289.6137(2)(d); the amount is set by state statute, not by the county.two evaluations each licensing year, spaced over the operating season2026-10-10
Child Care Facility Sanitation Inspectiononly if it applies to youKent County Health Department, Environmental HealthInspection fees are not published on the Health Department's Care Facilities page; contact Kent County Health Department Environmental Health at 616-632-6900 or KCEHmail@kentcountymi.gov for the current amount.per inspection, as part of state child care licensing2026-10-10
Food Service License (Kent County Health Department)Kent County Health Department, Environmental HealthThe food license fee is not published on the Health Department's Food Safety Services page; the page states that a change-of-ownership application is brought to the Health Department with the change-of-ownership fee and the food license fee. Contact Kent County Health Department Environmental Health at 616-632-6900 or KCEHmail@kentcountymi.gov for the current amounts.license held by the operator before and during operation; a new owner needs a new license (licenses are non-transferable)2026-10-10
Body Art Facility Plan Review and Annual Inspection (conditional — tattoo, piercing, branding)only if it applies to youKent County Health Department, Environmental HealthPlan review, inspection and temporary license fees are not published on the Health Department's Body Art page; the page states that temporary event applications received at least 14 days before the event avoid additional fees. Contact Kent County Health Department Environmental Health at 616-632-6900 or KCEHmail@kentcountymi.gov for the current amounts.at least one inspection a year; temporary licenses per event2026-10-10
Septic (On-Site Sewage Disposal) and Well (Water Supply) Permits (conditional — premises off public sewer or water)only if it applies to youKent County Health Department, Environmental HealthA $50 processing fee applies to all applications cancelled before fieldwork, and failure to show up for an appointment may result in a $75 charge (Health Department Septic & Well page). The permit application fees themselves are not published on that page; contact Kent County Health Department Environmental Health at 616-632-6900 or KCEHmail@kentcountymi.gov for the current amounts.permits and site evaluations are valid for 2 years and are non-transferable2026-10-10
Public Swimming Pool Inspection and Licensing (conditional — studio with a pool or spa)only if it applies to youKent County Health Department, Environmental HealthPool fees are not published on the Health Department's Public Swimming Pools page; contact Kent County Health Department Environmental Health at 616-632-6900 or KCEHmail@kentcountymi.gov for the current amount.ongoing licensing, with monthly water samples and monthly operation reports while open to bathers2026-10-10

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

Special Transitory Food Unit — Notice and Two Evaluations per Licensing Year

A special transitory food unit (a food truck licensed to operate throughout Michigan) must, while in operation, 'request and receive 2 evaluations per licensing year spaced generally over the span of the operating season', and under MCL 289.6137(2)(d) 'A local health department and the department shall charge a fee of $90.00 for such an evaluation.' The figure is set by statute, not by the county. MCL 289.6137(2)(c) requires the license holder to notify the local health department in writing of each location, date and hours of service not less than 4 business days before any food is served in its jurisdiction. The Kent County Health Department's Food Truck Finder page lists the same conditions for operating in Kent County: notification to the local health department, a permanently affixed sticker for the current license year visible to the public (pink for the 2026-27 licensing year), two inspections each license year, and operation under approved standard operating procedures kept on the unit.

Child Care Facility Sanitation Inspection

The Kent County Health Department's Care Facilities page describes an 'Inspection program to ensure sanitary conditions at child care and adult foster care facilities, conducted in cooperation with the Michigan Family Independence Agency' and states that these facilities are required by law to be licensed. The page links the state child care centre licensing rules and the state child care licensing application, and lists a Childcare Plan Review Application Worksheet among the county materials for child care facilities. The child care license itself is issued by the state. No inspection fee figure is published on that page.

Food Service License (Kent County Health Department)

The Kent County Health Department's Food Safety Services page states that the department is responsible for the licensure and auditing of food facilities in Kent County that sell or serve food to the public, including restaurants, concession stands, bars, school lunch programs, catering operations, mobile food carts, coffee shops, cafes and temporary food events, and that 'All food facilities (permanent, temporary, fixed, or mobile) are required to obtain a food license before operation.' A new facility under construction, or an existing facility being remodelled, must submit an application for plan review to the Health Department and have it approved before construction may begin. When a food facility changes ownership, the new owner must apply for a food license before operating, because food licenses are non-transferable. The page lists food processing plants, butcher shops, produce markets, convenience stores and grocery stores as licensed by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development instead. Most facilities regulated by the county receive two unannounced risk-based food audits a year. The license fee is not published on that page.

Body Art Facility Plan Review and Annual Inspection (conditional — tattoo, piercing, branding)

The Kent County Health Department's Body Art page states that body art shops must obtain a license from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and must receive at least one annual inspection by the local health department. A facility that is newly constructed, remodelled or changing ownership must go through plan review, a combination of document review and an on-site inspection, and newly constructed or remodelled facilities must first receive an on-site inspection approving them to operate; a new facility then has 30 days after approval to apply for the inspection that counts as its annual inspection. For a temporary body art event, applications go to both MDHHS and the Kent County Health Department, must be received at least 14 days before the start of the event to avoid additional fees, and the county inspects before issuing a temporary license. No body art fee figure is published on that page. A salon without tattooing, piercing or branding has no body art requirement under this record.

Septic (On-Site Sewage Disposal) and Well (Water Supply) Permits (conditional — premises off public sewer or water)

The Kent County Health Department's Septic & Well page describes a required permit for installation of on-site sewage disposal (septic) systems, with an application that includes a detailed site plan and floor plans for new construction, and a required permit for installation of on-site water supply (well) systems, with a separate non-residential well and septic permit application. A Type II non-community public water supply, one serving 25 or more people at least 60 days a year or with 15 or more service connections, has its own application to install or alter the system. The page states that permits and site evaluations are valid for 2 years and are non-transferable, that a $50 processing fee applies to applications cancelled before fieldwork, that failure to show up for an appointment may result in a $75 charge, and that application fees are non-refundable after 90 days from application or after field activity begins. The record applies to a premises served by its own septic system or well.

Public Swimming Pool Inspection and Licensing (conditional — studio with a pool or spa)

The Kent County Health Department's Public Swimming Pools page describes an 'Inspection and licensing program to ensure public swimming pools are maintained in safe and sanitary conditions' and states that 'Public swimming pools are required by law to be licensed.' The department requires public swimming pools and spas to submit water samples at least once a month when open to bathers, and monthly operation reports are due to the health department by the 10th of the following month; the page also provides an equipment change form and a seasonal opening checklist. No pool fee figure is published on that page. A fitness studio without a pool or spa has no pool requirement under this record.

Contact

Jurisdiction
Kent County
Phone
616-632-6900

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. Body ArtKent County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
  2. Care Facilities — child care and adult foster careKent County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
  3. Food Truck Finder — who can operate a transitory food unit in MichiganKent County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
  4. Kent County Health Department — Food Safety Services: licensing, plan review and change of ownershipKent County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-18
  5. MCL 289.6137, Michigan Food Law — special transitory food unit notice and evaluationsMichigan Legislature · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-09
  6. Public Swimming PoolsKent County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
  7. Septic & Well (Permits & Evaluations)Kent County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10

Other offices serving Kent County

The full permit list for this jurisdiction

Industry permit lists that include this agency

Michigan jurisdictions

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