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Douglas County

Douglas County Health Department

In short

Douglas County Health Department issues 4 permits we publish for Douglas County, last verified 2026-10-12. 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
Food Establishment Permit (Douglas County Health Department)only if it applies to youDouglas County Health DepartmentAnnual DCHD permit fee by permit type (Food & Drink, Drink Only, Caterer, Commissary, Retail Food, Separate Facility), plus a DCHD initial permit fee for a new establishment and the Nebraska Department of Agriculture's one-time state ID fee (a state fee). The current DCHD amounts are not published in a dated 2026 schedule: the Permit Types page is headed "PERMIT TYPES FOR 2025" and the Board of Health approved a 2026 Environmental Health fee resolution on September 17, 2025 whose text is not published. Contact DCHD for the current amount.annual permit; non-transferable (a change of ownership requires a new permit)2026-10-12
Mobile Food Unit and Pushcart Sticker Permit (Douglas County Health Department)only if it applies to youDouglas County Health DepartmentMobile Food & Drink Vendor $583.00 (plus $200.00 initial permit fee for a new unit); Mobile Drink Only Vendor $249.00 (plus $100.00 initial); Mobile Retail Vendor $168.00 (plus $50.00 initial); Ice Cream Push Carts 1-10 $189.00; Ice Cream Push Carts 11+ $284.00. A new unit also pays the Nebraska Department of Agriculture's one-time state ID fee (a state fee), which DCHD may collect and forward.permit year April 1 to March 31 (current year April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027); all mobile sticker permits expire March 312026-10-12
Public/Commercial Swimming Pool and Spa Operating Permit (Douglas County Health Department)only if it applies to youDouglas County Health DepartmentYearly $575.00; Seasonal $380.00; Spa/Condo $191.00.annual (yearly or seasonal permit); non-transferable2026-10-12
Private Sewage Disposal System Permit (Douglas County Health Department)only if it applies to youDouglas County Health Department$309 per system permit application, as printed on DCHD's application form (Rev. 1/2026)per system installation2026-10-12

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 Establishment Permit (Douglas County Health Department)

DCHD's "Do I Need A Food Permit?" page states: "All Food Establishments must apply", defining a food establishment as "An operation that stores, prepares, packages, serves, vends, or otherwise provides food for human consumption." It states that food permits are non-transferable, that a change of ownership requires a new permit, and that establishments must comply with the current Nebraska Food Code before receiving a new permit; inspectors are assigned by DCHD's county territory map. The page lists as exempt from a DCHD permit cottage food vendors, whole produce stands (which may also sell pre-packaged non-TCS food from a licensed manufacturer), and bottle clubs that only open or sell non-TCS pre-packaged drinks (a permit is needed if they wash dishes, prepare mixed drinks or use ice); warehouses, distributors, co-packers and manufacturers apply to the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA). DCHD's Permit Types page lists the permit types (Food & Drink, Drink Only, Caterer, Commissary, Retail Food by number of checkouts, Separate Facility) and states that the inspector makes the final determination of the type. DCHD's Permit Types page is headed "PERMIT TYPES FOR 2025", and the Douglas County Board of Health minutes of September 17, 2025 (item F) record approval of a "Resolution for Douglas County Health Department regarding 2026 Environmental Health Fee increases"; the text of that resolution is not published on DCHD's site. DCHD's pages state that every new establishment also pays a one-time permit fee to the NDA for a state ID, which DCHD may collect and forward. Neb. Rev. Stat. 81-2,281(2) lets the NDA contract with a political subdivision for regulatory functions other than the issuance, suspension or revocation of permits, and exempts permit holders inspected under such a contract from the state inspection fees "if such holders pay license or inspection fees to the political subdivision performing the inspections"; the Board of Health's August 19, 2026 agenda lists an agreement with the NDA for a cooperative program of inspection and regulation of food establishments. Contact the Douglas County Health Department, 1111 S. 41st St., Suite 130, Omaha, NE 68105.

Mobile Food Unit and Pushcart Sticker Permit (Douglas County Health Department)

DCHD's Mobile Units & Pushcart Permits page states: "All Mobile Vendor Sticker Permits expire on March 31st annually" and "Mobile permits run from April 1st, 2026 thru March 31st, 2027"; a permitted unit displays a DCHD sticker (pink this year) in a conspicuous place. As published on that page, the fees are Mobile Food & Drink Vendor $583.00 with a $200.00 initial permit fee, Mobile Drink Only Vendor $249.00 with a $100.00 initial fee, Mobile Retail Vendor $168.00 with a $50.00 initial fee, and Ice Cream Push Carts $189.00 (1-10) or $284.00 (11+); the Permit Types table shows the mobile fees unchanged in every quarter. New units apply online and pass a pre-opening inspection; renewal is by inspection appointment with the assigned inspector, who needs an updated Commissary Kitchen Certification Form (if the operator is not the commissary's permit holder), a current Certified Food Protection Manager certification and, if the commissary is outside Douglas County, the current Nebraska Department of Agriculture permit. A unit must operate from a licensed commissary, may not operate without hot and cold running water, and sticker permits are non-transferable: a buyer of a permitted unit applies as a new unit. DCHD allows one free commissary switch per year (March to March), but the NDA state ID fee applies again. DCHD fees are paid by check, cashier's check, money order or exact cash to "DCHD". Contact the Douglas County Health Department, 1111 S. 41st St., Suite 130, Omaha, NE 68105.

Public/Commercial Swimming Pool and Spa Operating Permit (Douglas County Health Department)

DCHD's pool program covers public and commercial swimming pools and spas. Its Application for Swimming Pool/Spa, revised January 2026, lists the permit fee as Yearly $575.00, Seasonal $380.00 or Spa/Condo $191.00, and states: "PERMITS ARE NON-TRANSFERRABLE. ANY CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP WILL REQUIRE A NEW PERMIT APPLICATION"; the application names the certified operator or manager and is mailed or brought with the fee to DCHD, Attn: Sanitary Engineering - Permits, 1111 S. 41st St., Ste 130, Omaha, NE 68105, (402) 444-7485. The county's pool regulations state that "Fees as determined by the Board are payable ... to the Health Department annually for the permit to operate a public and/or commercial swimming pool", that construction also needs a building permit, and they classify pools as Class A (public), Class B (hotels, motels, apartments and similar adjunct pools) and Class C (special use pools, "including but not limited to whirlpool baths or cold plunges"). Every Class A and B pool is supervised by a certified operator holding a DCHD certificate of competency. A studio or centre without a pool, spa or cold plunge has no pool permit.

Private Sewage Disposal System Permit (Douglas County Health Department)

A business whose site is not served by public sewer and needs a new private sewage disposal (septic) system applies to DCHD's Sanitary Engineering section. DCHD's Application for Permit for Private Sewage Disposal System (Rev. 1/2026) states: "Enclose $309.00" and "Percolation test results are required before a permit can be issued", and its applicant section is headed "County City and three (3) mile limit". The form records the system's fixtures, lot size, water supply, distances to wells and lot lines, and states that a garage floor drain must go to a holding tank under a separate permit. Douglas County Environmental Services states that it will not issue a permit for new home construction until the site is served by public water and sewer or the Douglas County Department of Health has approved private septic and well. Contact DCHD, Attn: Sanitary Engineering - Permits, 1111 S. 41st St., Ste 130, Omaha, NE 68105, (402) 444-7485.

Contact

Jurisdiction
Douglas County
Phone
402-444-7485

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. Application for Permit for Private Sewage Disposal System (Rev. 1/2026)Douglas County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  2. Application for Swimming Pool/Spa (Rev. 01/2026)Douglas County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  3. Board of Health Agenda, August 19, 2026Douglas County Board of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  4. Board of Health Minutes, September 17, 2025Douglas County Board of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  5. Do I Need A Food Permit?Douglas County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  6. Mobile Units & Pushcart Permits — DCHD's live mobile permit fee table (Mobile Food & Drink Vendor $583.00 plus a $200.00 Initial Permit Fee; Mobile Drink Only Vendor $249.00 plus $100.00; Mobile Retail Vendor $168.00 plus $50.00; Ice Cream Push Carts $189.00 for 1-10 carts or $284.00 for 11 or more), the April 1-March 31 sticker-permit year, the commissary, water and change-of-ownership rules, the one-time NDA state-ID fee, and the other permits required: the City of Omaha Mobile Food Vendor Permit (issued by Park Omaha) and the Peddler Permit (OMC §19-89, issued by City of Omaha Permits and Inspections)Douglas County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-18
  7. Neb. Rev. Stat. 81-2,281, Nebraska Pure Food Act; department contracts with political subdivisionsNebraska Legislature · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  8. Permit Types — DCHD's fee table headed 'Permit Types for 2025', pro-rated by quarter (100/75/50/25%): Food & Drink $583.00 plus a $200.00 Initial Permit Fee; Drink Only $249.00 plus $100.00; caterer, commissary, retail, separate-facility, mobile and pushcart categories; with a description of each permit type and of the Initial Permit FeeDouglas County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-18
  9. Permits / InspectionsDouglas County Environmental Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  10. Swimming PoolsDouglas County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  11. Swimming Pools (Public) regulationsDouglas County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12

Other offices serving Douglas County

The full permit list for this jurisdiction

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Nebraska jurisdictions

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