Skagit County
Skagit County Public Health, Environmental Health
In short
Skagit County Public Health, Environmental Health issues 5 permits we publish for Skagit County, last verified 2026-10-26. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Food Establishment Permit (fixed, mobile and independent catering) | Skagit County Public Health, Environmental Health | $335–$625 a year by risk level (2026 column of the Public Health Schedule of Charges; the 2026 application's '2026 Food Establishment Annual Permit Fees'): Risk Level 1 $335, Risk Level 2 $535, Risk Level 3 $625; surcharges listed in the notes | annual; the county invoices about one month before the permit expires | 2026-10-26 |
| Food Establishment Plan Reviewonly if it applies to you | Skagit County Public Health, Environmental Health | $360–$745 per project (2026 column of the Public Health Schedule of Charges): Tier 1 $360, Tier 2 $515, Tier 3 $745, each including one pre-opening inspection; reviews over 5 hours at the $130 hourly rate | one-time per project | 2026-10-26 |
| Temporary, Seasonal and Multi-Event Food Establishment Permitsonly if it applies to you | Skagit County Public Health, Environmental Health | 2026 column of the Public Health Schedule of Charges: single event — low-risk menu $120, standard menu $185; seasonal at a single location — low-risk $245, standard $340; multi-event/multi-location — low-risk $275, standard $400; food sampler/demonstrator (low-risk menu) $65; umbrella permit for a temporary food event, maximum 10 participants, $400 for the first 3 hours; exempt-from-permit application review $35. Late fee: $60 for an application submitted 10 to 6 business days before the event, $120 for one submitted 5 or fewer business days before. A temporary food vendor operating without a permit pays double the permit fee plus an amount equal to the 5-day late fee. | Event Permit: one event at a single location for up to 21 consecutive days; Market Permit: one recurring seasonal event at a single location operating no more than 3 days per week | 2026-10-26 |
| Food & Beverage Worker Permit (Food Worker Card) | Skagit County Public Health, Environmental Health | $10 per card, the amount set by state rule (WAC 246-217-025(2)); reprint of an active card $5 | fee paid per card issued; the card is the Washington State food worker card under WAC 246-217 | 2026-10-26 |
| Water Recreation Facility (Pool and Spa) Permitonly if it applies to you | Skagit County Public Health, Environmental Health | $345–$515 a year (2026 column of the Public Health Schedule of Charges): Risk Level 1 seasonal facility $345, Risk Level 2 year-round facility $515; additional water feature $130 seasonal or $205 year-round | annual (seasonal permit for 6 or fewer consecutive months, or year-round) | 2026-10-26 |
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
Annual Food Establishment Permit (fixed, mobile and independent catering)
A restaurant, coffee shop, food truck, independent caterer or store that sells food anywhere in Skagit County, inside a city or in the unincorporated area, needs an annual food establishment permit from Skagit County Public Health, Environmental Health. RCW 70.05.030(1) makes the local board of health's jurisdiction coextensive with the county's boundaries. The fee is set by risk level in the county's published Public Health Schedule of Charges; its 2026 column, as published on the county's Permit Fee Schedule page and in the 2026 permit application (Rev. 2026.08.24), sets Risk Level 1 at $335, Risk Level 2 at $535 and Risk Level 3 at $625 a year. The county's definitions sheet (Rev. 2026.02.01) gives examples: Risk Level 1 covers packaged food markets, espresso stands and hot dog stands; Risk Level 2 covers fast food restaurants and sandwich cafes that do not cool hot potentially hazardous foods, meat markets and smoothie bars; Risk Level 3 covers full-service restaurants. A surcharge of $170 each applies for high volume (more than 75 seats or a drive-up window), catering, or an additional area. The 2026 application lists an 'On-site Septic System' surcharge of $120, and the schedule's liquid waste rows price that on-site sewage surcharge at $120 for five or fewer on-site sewage systems, $215 for 5 to 25 and $270 for more than 25. A commissary kitchen permit is $105. The 2026 application lists a 'Late fee (30 days)' of $75 and an hourly rate of $130. Mobile units must keep an approved commissary agreement or an approved commissary waiver. The application states that 'permits are not transferrable between people or establishments'. Contact Environmental Health at 360-416-1500.
Food Establishment Plan Review
Before a food establishment opens, changes hands, remodels or changes its menu in Skagit County, Environmental Health reviews its plans. Under the 2026 column of the Public Health Schedule of Charges, as published on the county's Permit Fee Schedule page, plan review costs $360 for Tier 1 (change in permit holder, continuous operation), $515 for Tier 2 (menu change, remodel, or re-opening an establishment closed one year or less) and $745 for Tier 3 (new construction, conversion of an existing building, or reopening an establishment closed more than one year). Each tier includes one pre-opening inspection; any review over five hours or needing additional site inspections is billed at the hourly rate, which the 2026 permit application lists as $130. The county's annual food permits page states that review takes 1-2 months and that 'The new owner must apply for a change in ownership plan review BEFORE the transition'; for a Tier 1 change the county issues an interim operating permit. The plan review is separate from, and in addition to, the annual permit. Contact Environmental Health at 360-416-1500.
Temporary, Seasonal and Multi-Event Food Establishment Permits
A vendor serving food at a fair, festival, farmers market or other event in Skagit County, in a city or the unincorporated area, needs a temporary food establishment permit from Skagit County Public Health. The county's temporary food permits page states that 'An Event Permit is valid for one event in a single location for up to 21 consecutive days' and that a Market Permit covers one approved recurring seasonal event, such as a farmers market, 'that operates no more than 3 days per week.' Under the 2026 column of the Public Health Schedule of Charges, as published on the county's Permit Fee Schedule page, a single-event permit costs $120 for a low-risk menu or $185 for a standard menu; a seasonal permit at a single location $245 or $340; and a multi-event/multi-location permit $275 or $400. A food sampler or demonstrator with a low-risk menu pays $65, and an umbrella permit for an event with up to 10 participants costs $400 for the first three hours. Late applications pay $60 when submitted 10 to 6 business days before the event and $120 when submitted 5 or fewer business days before; operating without a permit costs double the permit fee plus the 5-day late fee. The page also states: 'Starting 1/1/2027, Skagit County will no longer accept commissary agreements for kitchens that do not have a valid local health permit.' Contact Environmental Health at 360-416-1500.
Food & Beverage Worker Permit (Food Worker Card)
Food workers at restaurants, coffee shops and food trucks in Washington hold a state food worker card, and the fee is set by state rule, not by the county: WAC 246-217-025(2) states that 'Each applicant for a food worker card must pay a fee in the amount of ten dollars.' Skagit County Public Health's Schedule of Charges, as published on the county's Permit Fee Schedule page, lists the 'Food & beverage workers permit' at '$10.00 (or as set by WAC 246-217-025)' and a reprint of an active card at $5.00. The $10 is the state-set amount and the same figure applies in every Washington county; the county lists it because its Environmental Health office administers the card locally. The reprint charge is the county's own schedule figure. Contact Environmental Health at 360-416-1500 with questions about the card in Skagit County.
Water Recreation Facility (Pool and Spa) Permit
A gym, fitness studio or club that operates a pool or spa anywhere in Skagit County needs a water recreation facility permit from Skagit County Public Health, whose jurisdiction is county-wide under RCW 70.05.030(1). Under the 2026 column of the Public Health Schedule of Charges, as published on the county's Permit Fee Schedule page, a Risk Level 1 seasonal facility (open 6 or fewer consecutive months) pays $345 and a Risk Level 2 facility open the entire year, general or limited purpose pool or spa, pays $515. Each additional water feature adds $130 seasonal or $205 year-round. A pre-operational inspection of a newly constructed or remodeled facility costs $385, a change-in-ownership review and inspection $260 for the first two hours, and a reinspection after a closure for a major violation $310. A studio without a pool, spa or water feature has no pool permit. Contact Environmental Health at 360-416-1500.
Contact
- Jurisdiction
- Skagit County
- Phone
- 360-416-1500
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.
- Annual Food PermitsSkagit County Public Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-26
- Food Establishment Definitions (Rev. 2026.02.01)Skagit County Public Health, Environmental Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-26
- Food Establishment Permit Application (Rev. 2026.08.24), with '2026 Food Establishment Annual Permit Fees'Skagit County Public Health, Environmental Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-26
- Permit Fee Schedule (Planning and Development Services fees; Public Health Department Schedule of Charges, Effective February 1, 2025, with a column for each year)Skagit County · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-26
- RCW 70.05.030, Counties without home rule charters — Local board of healthWashington State Legislature · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-26
- Temporary Food PermitsSkagit County Public Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-26
- WAC 246-217-025 — food worker card feeWashington State Department of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
Other offices serving Skagit County
The full permit list for this jurisdiction
Industry permit lists that include this agency
Washington jurisdictions
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