Snohomish County
Snohomish County Health Department (formerly the Snohomish Health District), Food Safety and Environmental Health
In short
Snohomish County Health Department (formerly the Snohomish Health District), Food Safety and Environmental Health issues 9 permits we publish for Snohomish County, last verified 2026-10-06. 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 Unit Annual Permit | Snohomish County Health Department (formerly the Snohomish Health District), Food Safety and Environmental Health | New mobile food unit plan review (SCBHC 1.40.040(A)(b)): $1,155 from November 1, 2026 through October 31, 2027; $1,190 after October 31, 2027. Annual permit for each unit, priced by risk category (low, medium, high): set in SCBHC 1.40.043 as amended by Ord. BOH26-03 §8, effective November 1, 2026; contact the Snohomish County Health Department for the annual permit amount in effect. | annual permit; each mobile food unit is permitted separately | 2026-10-06 |
| Water Recreational Facility (Pool, Spa, Plunge, Float Pod) Annual Permit and Plan Reviewonly if it applies to you | Snohomish County Health Department (formerly the Snohomish Health District), Food Safety and Environmental Health | Annual permit set in SCBHC 1.40.081: year-round and seasonal pools priced for the first pool and each additional pool, temporarily closed pools at 50% of the fee, float pods and cold or hot plunges priced separately. Plan review set in SCBHC 1.40.080 by pool size (50,000 gallons or more, or under 50,000 gallons), per spa, spray or wading pool, and per plan revision. Ord. BOH26-03 sets new amounts for both sections from November 1, 2026; contact the Snohomish County Health Department for the amount in effect. | annual; permits are valid June 1 to May 31 | 2026-10-06 |
| Food Service Establishment Annual Permit | Snohomish County Health Department (formerly the Snohomish Health District), Food Safety and Environmental Health | $525–$1,365 a year per establishment from November 1, 2026 through October 31, 2027, by risk and seats: low risk $525; 0-50 seats medium $780, high $1,075; 51-150 seats medium $890, high $1,210; 151 seats or over medium $985, high $1,365. After October 31, 2027: $540; $805 / $1,105; $915 / $1,245; $1,015 / $1,405 | annual permit (SCBHC 1.40.041 prices it as an annual permit fee) | 2026-10-06 |
| Food Worker Card | Snohomish County Health Department (formerly the Snohomish Health District), Food Safety and Environmental Health | $10 per card, State-set; replacement for a lost card $10 | two-year initial card; three-year or five-year renewal (five-year renewal requires ANSI-approved Certified Food Protection Manager certification) | 2026-10-06 |
| Food Establishment Plan Review (general plan review and pre-operation inspection) | Snohomish County Health Department (formerly the Snohomish Health District), Food Safety and Environmental Health | $1,155 per general plan review, including the pre-operation inspection, from November 1, 2026 through October 31, 2027; $1,190 after October 31, 2027 | one-time per project | 2026-10-06 |
| Unplumbed Espresso Stand Plumbing Variance (application fee waiver)only if it applies to you | Snohomish County Health Department (formerly the Snohomish Health District), Food Safety and Environmental Health | No fee | one-time variance application; the fee waiver covers applications submitted on or before December 31, 2026 | 2026-10-06 |
| Temporary Food Service Permit (single event, recurring event, blanket event, food demonstrator)only if it applies to you | Snohomish County Health Department (formerly the Snohomish Health District), Food Safety and Environmental Health | Set in SCBHC 1.40.044 by permit type and risk category: single event; recurring events, including farmers' markets, with an added fee per additional location; blanket event (judged cooking); food demonstrator (single, recurring, recurring additional); a processing fee for an event vendor exempt from permit; and a late fee for an application filed 1-13 days before the event. Ord. BOH26-03 §9 sets new amounts for every line from November 1, 2026; contact the Snohomish County Health Department for the amount in effect. | per event, or per recurring-event permit | 2026-10-06 |
| Food Service with On-Site Sewage System Reviewonly if it applies to you | Snohomish County Health Department (formerly the Snohomish Health District), Food Safety and Environmental Health | $245 per review, charged with the annual food service permit fee, from November 1, 2026 through October 31, 2027; $255 after October 31, 2027 | charged each year with the annual food service permit | 2026-10-06 |
| On-Site Sewage (Septic) System Permitonly if it applies to you | Snohomish County Health Department (formerly the Snohomish Health District), Food Safety and Environmental Health | Set in SCBHC 1.40.090-1.40.092 by permit type: new permit (all types except community systems), redesign, renewal within 30 days, alteration of the absorption or reserve area, tank only, repair, and community system application review plus a per-connection charge. Ord. BOH26-03 sets new amounts for these sections from November 1, 2026; contact the Snohomish County Health Department for the amount in effect. | per permit; SCBHC 1.40.090 lists a separate fee for renewal within 30 days | 2026-10-06 |
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 Unit Annual Permit
A food truck, trailer or cart operating in Snohomish County needs an annual mobile food unit permit from the Snohomish County Health Department, one permit per unit, priced by risk category under SCBHC 1.40.043. A new unit first pays the general plan review fee, which takes effect at $1,155 on November 1, 2026 and rises to $1,190 after October 31, 2027 under Ordinance No. BOH26-03; the Health Department's Mobile Food Units page lists $1,100 for a new mobile food unit under the schedule in force before November 1, 2026, and lists the annual permit fee as a separate charge on top of plan review. According to that page, 'Mobile Food Units that have not been inspected and approved for use by' the Washington Department of Labor and Industries 'will not be permitted,' the pre-operational inspection takes place at the approved commissary, the annual permit is invoiced after the inspection is passed, and the unit may open once the annual fee is paid; the annual operating permit must be posted where customers can see it. A unit already permitted in another Washington county can apply by reciprocity under RCW 43.20.148. Ordinance No. BOH26-03 also re-prices the annual permit itself from November 1, 2026; ask the Health Department for that amount.
Water Recreational Facility (Pool, Spa, Plunge, Float Pod) Annual Permit and Plan Review
A gym, fitness studio or club that operates a swimming pool, spa, hot tub, wading or spray pool, float pod or cold or hot plunge needs an annual water recreational facility permit from the Snohomish County Health Department, county-wide; SCBHC 1.40.081 states that permits are valid June 1 to May 31. The annual fee is priced for the first pool and each additional pool, separately for year-round and seasonal pools, with temporarily closed pools at half the fee and float pods and plunges on their own lines. Building or altering a pool or spa first requires plan review under SCBHC 1.40.080, priced by pool size and per spa, spray or wading pool. Board of Health Ordinance No. BOH26-03 re-prices both sections from November 1, 2026, on a two-step schedule (November 1, 2026 through October 31, 2027, then after October 31, 2027); ask the Health Department for the amount that applies. A studio without a pool, spa, hot tub, float pod or plunge has no water recreational facility permit under these sections.
Food Service Establishment Annual Permit
Every restaurant, cafe and other food service establishment in Snohomish County needs an annual food service permit from the Snohomish County Health Department, in Everett, every other city and the unincorporated area alike. The amounts shown take effect November 1, 2026 under Board of Health Ordinance No. BOH26-03 (adopted April 14, 2026), which sets one schedule for November 1, 2026 through October 31, 2027 and a higher one after that. From November 1, 2026 a low-risk establishment pays $525; an establishment with 0-50 seats pays $780 (medium risk) or $1,075 (high risk); 51-150 seats $890 or $1,210; 151 seats or over $985 or $1,365. After October 31, 2027 these become $540, $805 / $1,105, $915 / $1,245 and $1,015 / $1,405. Before November 1, 2026 the codified SCBHC 1.40.041 (Ord. BOH25-08, effective November 1, 2025) sets $500 low risk, $745 / $1,025 for 0-50 seats, $850 / $1,150 for 51-150 seats and $940 / $1,300 for 151 seats or over. Operating without a permit costs double the prescribed fee. An office conference that includes a reinspection costs $440 from November 1, 2026 and $455 after October 31, 2027 under the same ordinance. Plan review, catering endorsements and the on-site sewage review are separate charges. Alcohol is licensed by the State, not the Health Department.
Food Worker Card
Food workers in Snohomish County restaurants, cafes, food trucks and other food establishments need a food worker card. SCBHC 1.40.045 states that 'Food worker card fees are set by the state at $10.00,' so the $10 fee is a State-set amount, with no separate county portion, and a replacement for a lost card is also $10. The first card runs two years; a renewal runs three years, or five years for a worker holding ANSI-approved Certified Food Protection Manager certification. Board of Health Ordinance No. BOH26-03, which re-prices most Health Department fees from November 1, 2026, keeps both food worker card lines at $10.00 in both of its schedule periods, so the amount is the same before and after that date. The establishment's own annual food service permit is recorded separately.
Food Establishment Plan Review (general plan review and pre-operation inspection)
A new food establishment, including a new mobile food unit, goes through Health Department plan review before it can be permitted. The general plan review fee, which covers the plan review and the pre-operation inspection, is $1,155 from November 1, 2026 through October 31, 2027 and $1,190 after October 31, 2027 under Board of Health Ordinance No. BOH26-03, §5, amending SCBHC 1.40.040; the codified fee before November 1, 2026 is $1,100 (Ord. BOH25-08), the same $1,100 the Health Department's Mobile Food Units page lists for a new mobile food unit. The Mobile Food Units page states that the plan review fee is nonrefundable and is submitted with the plan review checklist, that the first pre-operational inspection carries no added charge, and that a reinspection is charged. SCBHC 1.40.040 also prices tap room, tasting room and vending reviews, additional permits at a multiple-permit facility, change of ownership, HACCP review, remodels and plan revisions and plan review consultations as separate lines; contact the Snohomish County Health Department, 3020 Rucker Avenue, Suite 104, Everett, for the amount in effect for those.
Unplumbed Espresso Stand Plumbing Variance (application fee waiver)
There is no variance application fee for an eligible unplumbed espresso stand that applies on time. Under SCBHC 1.40.040, the owner of an unplumbed espresso stand, as defined in SCBHC 3.05.050, that was legally operating on or before March 1, 2022 pays no application fee when seeking a variance from the plumbing requirements of chapter 246-215 WAC, provided the variance application reaches the Health Department on or before December 31, 2026. An application submitted after that date pays the regular variance application fee. Ordinance No. BOH26-03, effective November 1, 2026, keeps the same waiver and the same December 31, 2026 cut-off, allows only one waived variance fee per stand, and states that a new owner of a stand that is sold or transferred must either obtain a variance with payment of any applicable fees or plumb the stand. Under BOH26-03, a stand without a current annual food service establishment permit is ineligible for a plumbing variance. The stand still needs its annual food service permit, recorded separately.
Temporary Food Service Permit (single event, recurring event, blanket event, food demonstrator)
A vendor selling food at a fair, festival, market or other event in Snohomish County needs a temporary food service permit from the Snohomish County Health Department. SCBHC 1.40.044 prices it by type and risk: a single-event permit; a recurring-events permit, which also covers farmers' markets (defined there, following WAC 246-215-01115, as five or more Washington growers selling what they grew or raised at a fixed location), with an extra charge for each additional location; a blanket event permit for judged cooking events; food demonstrator permits; and a processing fee for a vendor exempt from permit. Filing 1 to 13 days before the event adds a late fee. Board of Health Ordinance No. BOH26-03 re-prices every line of this section from November 1, 2026, on a two-step schedule (November 1, 2026 through October 31, 2027, then after October 31, 2027); ask the Health Department for the amount that applies to a given event date.
Food Service with On-Site Sewage System Review
A food service establishment on an on-site sewage (septic) system, rather than public sewer, pays a Health Department on-site sewage review fee each year with its annual food service permit. From November 1, 2026 the fee is $245, rising to $255 after October 31, 2027, under SCBHC 1.40.097 as amended by Board of Health Ordinance No. BOH26-03 §25. The same ordinance amends SCBHC 1.40.045 so that its food-service on-site sewage line carries no dollar figure and reads 'See SCBHC 1.40.097 for review fees,' leaving 1.40.097 as the one section that sets this fee from November 1, 2026. Both sections state that the fee is 'charged at time of annual food service permit fee' and that the paid review fee and a current on-site sewage monitoring and maintenance report are required before the annual permit is issued. A restaurant or cafe on public sewer is outside this fee. Septic installation, repair and certification permits are recorded separately.
On-Site Sewage (Septic) System Permit
A business whose premises are not on public sewer and are served by an on-site sewage (septic) system needs a Snohomish County Health Department permit to install, redesign, alter, replace a tank on or repair that system, county-wide. SCBHC 1.40.090 through 1.40.092 price each permit type separately: a new permit for all system types except community systems, a redesign, a renewal within 30 days, an alteration of the absorption or reserve area, a tank-only permit, a repair, and community system application review with a per-connection charge. Installers, monitoring specialists and pumpers hold their own annual Health Department certificates. Board of Health Ordinance No. BOH26-03 re-prices these sections from November 1, 2026, on a two-step schedule (November 1, 2026 through October 31, 2027, then after October 31, 2027); ask the Health Department for the amount that applies. A food service establishment on septic also pays the annual food-service on-site sewage review fee, recorded separately. A business on public sewer is outside this permit.
Contact
- Jurisdiction
- Snohomish County
- Phone
- Not verified — use the website
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.
- Mobile Food Units — plan review process, Mobile Food Unit Fees table, L&I approval and reciprocitySnohomish County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-06
- Ordinance No. BOH25-08 enactment record (adopted October 14, 2025; effective November 1, 2025)Snohomish County Board of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-06
- Ordinance No. BOH26-03 enactment record — amends SCBHC chapter 1.40 fees; adopted April 14, 2026; effective November 1, 2026Snohomish County Board of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-06
- Ordinance No. BOH26-03, 'Relating to Health Department Fees; Amending Chapter 1.40 of the Snohomish County Board of Health Code' (enacted text; fee schedules from November 1, 2026 through October 31, 2027 and after October 31, 2027)Snohomish County Board of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-06
- SCBHC 1.40.090-1.40.097, on-site sewage and miscellaneous land use feesSnohomish County Board of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-06
- Snohomish County Board of Health Code chapter 1.40, Fees (§§1.40.040-1.40.045, 1.40.080-1.40.081), as amended by Ord. BOH25-08Snohomish County Board of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-06
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