16 permits · verified 2026-10-13
What permits do you need to open a restaurant in Monterey County?
In short
A restaurant in Monterey County, CA has 4 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 12 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division charges $20 per filing, biennial for the statement of information (llc). 8 of the 16 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-13 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a restaurant in Monterey County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Food Facility Health Permit | County of Monterey Health Department, Environmental Health Bureau | Restaurants/Deli/Bars: Tier 1 Bar only (no food prep) $1,205; Tier 2 $1,495; Tier 3 $1,876. Retail Markets: Tier 1 Retail Market No Food Preparation $1,084; Tier 2 Limited Food Preparation $1,425. Retail Markets with Food Preparation: Tier 2 $1,954; Tier 3 $2,511. Retail Store with Incidental Food Sales $632. Catering Operation $759. Operating without a valid or current health permit: 'Two times the permit fee'. Reinspection $259 per hour. | annual; the Environmental Health application refers to 'the annual expiration date of June 30th' | 2026-10-13 |
| Weighing and Measuring Device Registrationonly if it applies to you | County of Monterey Agricultural Commissioner, Weights and Measures (County Sealer) | Statutory amounts under Bus. & Prof. Code §12240: business location fee up to $120 per business location; computing scales (under 100 lb capacity) up to $25 per device; weighing devices of at least 100 lb but under 2,000 lb up to $50 per device; jewelry, prescription and Class II scales up to $80 per device; all other commercial weighing or measuring devices not listed in the statute (including retail motor-fuel meters) up to $26 per device. The county Sealer collects the registration fee; its schedule says annual fees 'consist of device fee(s), location fee, and California Division of Measurement Standards (DMS) Administrative Fee.' | calendar year; registrations expire at the end of the calendar year | 2026-10-13 |
| Food Facility Plan Checkonly if it applies to you | County of Monterey Health Department, Environmental Health Bureau | New facility with food preparation (i.e. plumbing, electrical, hood ventilation) $4,140; existing facility major remodel $3,321; existing facility minor remodel, or new facility with limited or no food preparation, $1,682; request for service $259 per hour. | per project (one-time) | 2026-10-13 |
| Temporary Food Facility Permit (community events)only if it applies to you | County of Monterey Health Department, Environmental Health Bureau | Temporary food facility: 1-3 days (for profit) $519; 1-3 days (non-profit, after 4 events in a fiscal year) $362; 4-7 days (for profit) $628; 4-7 days (non-profit, after 4 events in a fiscal year) $459; temporary food facility with food preparation, annual permit $1,100. Facility offering only nonperishable prepackaged food, beverages or whole uncut produce: per event $132; annual permit $500. | per event, or annual for the annual permits | 2026-10-13 |
| Food Facility Permit | California Department of Public Health, Food and Drug Branch | No fee | set by the local enforcement agency | 2026-09-03 |
| Food Handler Card | California Department of Public Health, Food and Drug Branch | $15 statutory maximum for at least one accredited course | 3 years | 2026-09-03 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
Local permits that apply to every type of business in Monterey County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Onsite Wastewater Treatment System (Septic) Permitsonly if it applies to you | County of Monterey Health Department, Environmental Health Bureau | Varies — formula on the Monterey County page | construction permit per project; operating permit annual | 2026-10-13 |
| Land-Use Permits (use permit, administrative permit, design approval, variance, zoning verification)only if it applies to you | County of Monterey Housing and Community Development (Building Services and Planning) | Varies — formula on the Monterey County page | per application (one-time) | 2026-10-13 |
| Building Permit (commercial new construction or tenant improvement)only if it applies to you | County of Monterey Housing and Community Development (Building Services and Planning) | Varies — formula on the Monterey County page | per project (one-time) | 2026-10-13 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
CA registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statement of Information (LLC)only if it applies to you | California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division | $20 per filing, biennial | biennial | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to you | California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division | $70 one-time filing | no expiry, but a Statement of Information is due biennially | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division | $100 one-time filing | no expiry, but a Statement of Information is due annually | 2026-09-03 |
| Statement of Information (Corporation)only if it applies to you | California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division | $25 per filing, annual | annual | 2026-09-03 |
| Seller's Permitonly if it applies to you | California Department of Tax and Fee Administration | No fee — no fee to apply | no expiry while actively engaged in business as a seller | 2026-09-03 |
| Annual LLC Tax and Minimum Franchise Taxonly if it applies to you | California Franchise Tax Board | Varies — formula on the CA page | annual, until the entity is cancelled | 2026-09-03 |
| General Business License — California position (city or county, not state) | California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division | No fee | set by the issuing city or county | 2026-09-03 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
How much does it actually cost to permit a restaurant in Monterey County?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 16 records listed for a restaurant in Monterey County, CA, 4 apply to every business of this type and 12 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.
Of the 4 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $15.00. That is a floor, not a total. 8 of the 16 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 2 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
Retail Food Facility Health Permit: Restaurants/Deli/Bars: Tier 1 Bar only (no food prep) $1,205; Tier 2 $1,495; Tier 3 $1,876. Retail Markets: Tier 1 Retail Market No Food Preparation $1,084; Tier 2 Limited Food Preparation $1,425. Retail Markets with Food Preparation: Tier 2 $1,954; Tier 3 $2,511. Retail Store with Incidental Food Sales $632. Catering Operation $759. Operating without a valid or current health permit: 'Two times the permit fee'. Reinspection $259 per hour.
Weighing and Measuring Device Registration: Statutory amounts under Bus. & Prof. Code §12240: business location fee up to $120 per business location; computing scales (under 100 lb capacity) up to $25 per device; weighing devices of at least 100 lb but under 2,000 lb up to $50 per device; jewelry, prescription and Class II scales up to $80 per device; all other commercial weighing or measuring devices not listed in the statute (including retail motor-fuel meters) up to $26 per device. The county Sealer collects the registration fee; its schedule says annual fees 'consist of device fee(s), location fee, and California Division of Measurement Standards (DMS) Administrative Fee.'
Food Facility Plan Check: New facility with food preparation (i.e. plumbing, electrical, hood ventilation) $4,140; existing facility major remodel $3,321; existing facility minor remodel, or new facility with limited or no food preparation, $1,682; request for service $259 per hour.
Temporary Food Facility Permit (community events): Temporary food facility: 1-3 days (for profit) $519; 1-3 days (non-profit, after 4 events in a fiscal year) $362; 4-7 days (for profit) $628; 4-7 days (non-profit, after 4 events in a fiscal year) $459; temporary food facility with food preparation, annual permit $1,100. Facility offering only nonperishable prepackaged food, beverages or whole uncut produce: per event $132; annual permit $500.
The other 4 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Monterey County permits page and the CA state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Monterey County?
Permits for a restaurant in Monterey County, CA come from 7 separate offices: County of Monterey Health Department, Environmental Health Bureau, County of Monterey Agricultural Commissioner, Weights and Measures (County Sealer), County of Monterey Housing and Community Development (Building Services and Planning), California Department of Public Health, Food and Drug Branch, California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division, California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, California Franchise Tax Board. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- County of Monterey Health Department, Environmental Health BureauIssues 4 permits on this page: Retail Food Facility Health Permit, Onsite Wastewater Treatment System (Septic) Permits, Food Facility Plan Check, Temporary Food Facility Permit (community events)1270 Natividad Road, Salinas, CA 93906 · (831) 755-4505www.countyofmonterey.gov/government/departments-a-h/health/environmental-health/general/fees
- County of Monterey Agricultural Commissioner, Weights and Measures (County Sealer)Issues 1 permit on this page: Weighing and Measuring Device Registration(831) 759-7382www.countyofmonterey.gov/government/departments-a-h/agricultural-commissioner/weights-measures/device-registration
- County of Monterey Housing and Community Development (Building Services and Planning)Issues 2 permits on this page: Land-Use Permits (use permit, administrative permit, design approval, variance, zoning verification), Building Permit (commercial new construction or tenant improvement)1441 Schilling Place, 2nd Floor - South, Salinas, CA 93901 · (831) 755-5025www.countyofmonterey.gov/government/departments-a-h/housing-community-development/permit-center/permits-fees-types
- California Department of Public Health, Food and Drug BranchIssues 2 permits on this page: Food Facility Permit, Food Handler Cardwww.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CEH/DFDCS/Pages/FDBPrograms/FoodSafetyProgram/RetailFood.aspx
- California Secretary of State, Business Programs DivisionIssues 5 permits on this page, including Statement of Information (LLC), Articles of Organization (LLC), Articles of Incorporation(916) 657-5448bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov
- California Department of Tax and Fee AdministrationIssues 1 permit on this page: Seller's Permitonlineservices.cdtfa.ca.gov
- California Franchise Tax BoardIssues 1 permit on this page: Annual LLC Tax and Minimum Franchise Taxwww.ftb.ca.gov
What does a restaurant need in Monterey County that other businesses do not?
Food Facility Plan Check
Building a new food facility or remodelling an existing one requires Environmental Health plan check before the health permit is issued; the Consumer Health Protection FAQ says plans 'must be submitted to the EHD before the application for a permit can be approved'. The FAQ also answers 'Is the first year's permit fee included with the plan check fee?' with: 'No. Payment for the first annual permit fee will be billed after your establishment is permitted with a health permit.' So the plan check fee is charged in addition to the annual retail food facility permit. Amounts are from Article I.E of the County Master Fee Resolution, adopted as Resolution No. 26-074 on 24 March 2026 and effective July 1, 2026. The plan check is separate from any building permit the city or county requires for the same work.
Shared with other businesses in Monterey County
- Retail Food Facility Health Permit — County of Monterey Health Department, Environmental Health Bureau, Restaurants/Deli/Bars: Tier 1 Bar only (no food prep) $1,205; Tier 2 $1,495; Tier 3 $1,876. Retail Markets: Tier 1 Retail Market No Food Preparation $1,084; Tier 2 Limited Food Preparation $1,425. Retail Markets with Food Preparation: Tier 2 $1,954; Tier 3 $2,511. Retail Store with Incidental Food Sales $632. Catering Operation $759. Operating without a valid or current health permit: 'Two times the permit fee'. Reinspection $259 per hour., annual; the Environmental Health application refers to 'the annual expiration date of June 30th'. Also required for coffee shops and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
- Weighing and Measuring Device Registration — County of Monterey Agricultural Commissioner, Weights and Measures (County Sealer), Statutory amounts under Bus. & Prof. Code §12240: business location fee up to $120 per business location; computing scales (under 100 lb capacity) up to $25 per device; weighing devices of at least 100 lb but under 2,000 lb up to $50 per device; jewelry, prescription and Class II scales up to $80 per device; all other commercial weighing or measuring devices not listed in the statute (including retail motor-fuel meters) up to $26 per device. The county Sealer collects the registration fee; its schedule says annual fees 'consist of device fee(s), location fee, and California Division of Measurement Standards (DMS) Administrative Fee.', calendar year; registrations expire at the end of the calendar year. Also required for retail stores and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
- Temporary Food Facility Permit (community events) — County of Monterey Health Department, Environmental Health Bureau, Temporary food facility: 1-3 days (for profit) $519; 1-3 days (non-profit, after 4 events in a fiscal year) $362; 4-7 days (for profit) $628; 4-7 days (non-profit, after 4 events in a fiscal year) $459; temporary food facility with food preparation, annual permit $1,100. Facility offering only nonperishable prepackaged food, beverages or whole uncut produce: per event $132; annual permit $500., per event, or annual for the annual permits. Also required for food trucks, coffee shops and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
- Food Facility Permit — California Department of Public Health, Food and Drug Branch, No fee, set by the local enforcement agency. Also required for coffee shops, retail stores and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
- Food Handler Card — California Department of Public Health, Food and Drug Branch, $15 statutory maximum for at least one accredited course, 3 years. Also required for coffee shops, retail stores and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
The other 3 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Monterey County, CA; what each one involves is set out on the Monterey County permits page. The 7 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across CA and are covered on the CA state page.
How does a restaurant compare with other businesses in Monterey County?
The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 6 of these permits. A coffee shop needs Mobile Food Facility Health Permit, which a restaurant does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a restaurant | Only a restaurant needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee shops | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| Retail stores | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| Food trucks | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Auto repair shops | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| Childcare centres | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| Contractors and trades | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| Fitness studios | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| Salons and barbers | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 |
| Veterinary clinics | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 |
Sources
Every figure for the permits explained on this page was read from one of these government pages on the date shown. Sources for the permits shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the coffee shops page, retail stores page and food trucks page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Monterey County permits page and the CA state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- County Master Fee Resolution Article I.E — Health Department, Environmental Health Bureau Fees, Effective July 1, 2026County of Monterey Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- Resolution No. 26-074 — amending Article I.E of the Monterey County Master Fee Resolution, effective July 1, 2026 (RES 26-036)County of Monterey Board of Supervisors · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- Board Order, Agenda Item No. 24, 24 March 2026 — Resolution No. 26-074 (RES 26-036)County of Monterey Board of Supervisors · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- Consumer Health Protection FAQCounty of Monterey Health Department, Environmental Health Bureau · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.