Columbus
Columbus Public Health, Food Protection Program
In short
Columbus Public Health, Food Protection Program issues 3 permits we publish for Columbus, last verified 2026-09-04. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile Food Service License | Columbus Public Health, Food Protection Program | $171.50–$315 a year — $171.50 for low risk, prepackaged or refrigerated-only service, $315 for high risk | annual | 2026-09-04 |
| Food Establishment License | Columbus Public Health, Food Protection Program | $322–$1,502 a year, by risk level (1-4) and by whether the space is under or over 25,000 square feet | annual — renewal payment due by March 1, with late fees after that date | 2026-09-04 |
| Food Manager Certification Course | Columbus Public Health, Food Protection Program | $200 for the two-day ServSafe Food Manager course; a Person-in-Charge half-day course is $35, and a retest is $70 | set by the certification standard rather than the city | 2026-09-04 |
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
Mobile Food Service License
This Public Health license covers the food side only — operating within Columbus city limits also requires a separate Mobile Food Vendors license from the Department of Public Safety, layered on top rather than instead of this one. Trucks manufactured or first titled on or after May 1, 2026 must carry an on-board fire suppression system.
Food Establishment License
A commercial restaurant under 25,000 square feet runs $322 at the lowest risk level to $755 at the highest; the same categories run higher again above 25,000 square feet, up to $1,502. New construction or a remodel adds a separate plan review fee of $440 or $1,150 depending on size, with an expedited option at $1,400 plus the standard review fee. This is a Columbus Public Health license, distinct from Franklin County Public Health, which covers the rest of the county outside Columbus and Worthington.
Food Manager Certification Course
The underlying requirement — a person in charge present during all hours of operation — is set by Ohio's Uniform Food Code, not a Columbus-specific add-on. Columbus Public Health simply offers the classes that satisfy it, at these prices, rather than mandating its own separate local standard.
Contact
- Jurisdiction
- Columbus
- Phone
- (614) 645-7005
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.
- Columbus Public Health — 2026 food protection workshops, class feesColumbus Public Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
- Columbus Public Health — food facility plan review and license fee tableColumbus Public Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
- Columbus Public Health — mobile food service licensing checklistColumbus Public Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
Other offices serving Columbus
The full permit list for this jurisdiction
Industry permit lists that include this agency
Ohio jurisdictions
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.