Tacoma
Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department
In short
Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department issues 2 permits we publish for Tacoma, last verified 2026-09-05. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Establishment Permit | Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department | Annual, effective January 1, 2026: 0–25 seats $1,080; 26–74 seats $1,200; 75+ seats $1,500; buffet with 125+ seats $2,400; bakery $540; low-risk (incl. tasting room, tavern without food) $660; grocery 1–2 checkstands $480, 3+ checkstands $660; mobile food unit $240 (low risk) or $900 (high risk); vending $120. | annual | 2026-09-05 |
| Food Worker Card | Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department | $10 first card, valid 2 years; a renewal card is valid 3 years | 2 years initially, 3 years on renewal | 2026-09-05 |
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
Tacoma itself runs no food permitting program — TPCHD, a joint city-county department, is the sole authority. Plan review is billed separately: $1,140 for a new establishment, $960 for a change in menu/equipment/process/remodel, $600 for a commissary kitchen.
Food Worker Card
A statewide Washington requirement, not Tacoma-specific, confirmed directly against TPCHD's own current page. Separately, TPCHD requires most food establishments to have at least one employee holding a Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) certificate (effective March 1, 2023) — TPCHD's own in-person course costs $180 and the certificate is valid 5 years; other accredited providers may price it differently.
Contact
- Jurisdiction
- Tacoma
- Phone
- (253) 649-1703
- Website
- tpchd.org/
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.
- Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department — Certified Food Protection ManagerTacoma-Pierce County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-05
- Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department — Fee Schedule, effective January 1, 2026Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-05
- Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department — Food Worker CardTacoma-Pierce County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-05
Other offices serving Tacoma
The full permit list for this jurisdiction
Industry permit lists that include this agency
Washington jurisdictions
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.