What permits do you need to open a restaurant in San Bernardino County?

Liquor License — State ABC License; County Planning Review Fee Applies (San Bernardino County)

The County's own Business Information document lists 'Liquor License — Alcoholic Beverage Control, 951-782-4400,' the state agency, and names no county-level alcohol license or registration, so the County charges no fee for an alcohol license. The County does have one fee tied to state alcohol licensing: the County Fee Ordinance effective July 1, 2026 (County Code §16.0215A, Planning) prices a flat $907.00 'ABC letter of convenience or necessity' and a $301.00 'Record review,' charged when the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control requires the County's input on an application in an over-concentrated or high-crime census tract. The County's fee and business-information documents do not say whether an on-site or off-site alcohol use in an unincorporated commercial zone also needs a full Planning Division Conditional Use Permit, as it does in many California counties; confirm that trigger for a specific parcel with LUS Planning.

Retail Food Facility Health Permit — Public Eating Place

Every restaurant in San Bernardino County needs an EHS health permit before opening, priced as a 'Public Eating Place' by seat count: $622 annually for 0-24 seats, $731 for 25-99 seats and $841 for 100 or more seats, each figure from the current EHS Fee Schedule (Data Date 6/30/2026). A 6-month option also exists at $311/$366/$421 respectively. Plan review before construction, remodel or change of ownership is a separate one-time fee, recorded in the County's Retail Food Plan Check requirement. EHS describes itself as San Bernardino County's Local Health Department, and its fee schedule carries no unincorporated-only caveat. Call 800.442.2283.

Retail Food Plan Check

Charged before a restaurant, coffee shop or food-selling retail store may build, remodel or change ownership. New construction of a Public Eating Place/School Prep facility under 1,500 square feet costs $1,534, rising to $1,845 for 6,000-plus square feet; a major remodel of the same category ranges $1,358-$1,683, a minor remodel $1,144-$1,360, and a plan change alone $885-$1,002. A Convenience Store/Prepackaged/Satellite/School-Prep facility under 2,500 square feet costs $1,273 new, $1,233 for a major remodel, $1,068 for a minor remodel or $792 for a plan change alone, rising with square footage to $1,508/$1,456/$1,257/$902 at 20,000-plus square feet, per the current EHS Fee Schedule (Data Date 6/30/2026). The $792-$1,845 range in this record's fee field is the full span across every scenario; the specific figure for a given project depends on its exact category, size and scenario.

Temporary Food Facility (TFF) Permit

Applies to a restaurant, coffee shop or food truck vending at a temporary event — a fair, farmers market or festival — rather than, or in addition to, its fixed or mobile permit. An event organizer pays $675 annually or $393 for a single event; a vendor selling only prepackaged food pays $429 annually or $169 per single event up to six months; a vendor preparing food on site pays $582 annually or $237 per single event. Non-profit vendors and organizers pay the same figures under a mirrored fee code. Filing an event application under two weeks out, or a vendor application under 48 hours out, adds a $138 late fee. Every figure is from the current EHS Fee Schedule (Data Date 6/30/2026), Section 12.

Shared with other businesses in San Bernardino County

• Environmental Health Services Referral Fee (component of a CUP/MUP/Tentative Tract application) — San Bernardino County Department of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health Services, $1,020 flat, one-time, per referral, one-time, per application referral. Also required for coffee shops, auto repair shops, childcare centres, veterinary clinics and fitness studios; what it involves is set out on the childcare centres page.
• Conditional Use Permit / Minor Use Permit (Planning Division Entitlement) — San Bernardino County Land Use Services Department, Planning Division, Conditional Use Permit — Initial Deposit $16,468.00 (actual-cost basis: the deposit is drawn down against staff review time, additional deposits may be billed for further work, and any unused balance is refunded). Minor Use Permit — Initial Deposit $8,420.00, same actual-cost basis. Both are County Code §16.0215A fees, effective July 1, 2026, and are separate from — and far larger than — the $1,020 Environmental Health Services 'Tentative Tract Review/CUP/MUP/TUP' referral fee charged within the same application (recorded as its own line item for the County)., one-time per application; the permit itself then runs subject to the conditions the Planning Commission or Planning Director imposes. Also required for coffee shops, auto repair shops, childcare centres, veterinary clinics and fitness studios; what it involves is set out on the veterinary clinics 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.