13 permits · verified 2026-10-13
What permits do you need to open a restaurant in Tulare County?
In short
A restaurant in Tulare County, CA has 4 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 9 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). 5 of the 13 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 Tulare County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary Food Facility, Event Organizer and Catering Permitsonly if it applies to you | Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency, Environmental Health Division | Temporary Food Single Event – Vendor: Low Risk $47; Moderate Risk $96; High Risk $143. Temporary Food Multi Event – Annual Vendor: Low Risk $65; Moderate Risk $283; High Risk $533. Temporary Food Single Event – Organizer $241; Temporary Food Multiple Event – Organizer $641. Caterer $448; Catering Host Permit $481. | per event (single-event permits) or annual (multi-event, caterer and catering host permits) | 2026-10-13 |
| Food Facility Health Permit (restaurant / retail food) | Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency, Environmental Health Division | Restaurant: Low Risk $745; Moderate Risk $743; High Risk $867. Retail Facility: Low Risk $661; Moderate Risk $757; High Risk $1,031. Bakery $632; Deli $113; Fish/Meat Department $126; Additional Food Prep Operation $122; Walk-Up $653; Food Vending Machine $70. Plan Review – Retail Food Facility $122/hr. | one year from the date of issuance (Ordinance Code §4-19-1005) | 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 Tulare County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Building Permit / Tenant Improvement (unincorporated area)only if it applies to you | Tulare County Resource Management Agency, Planning & Building | Varies — formula on the Tulare County page | per project (one-time) | 2026-10-13 |
| Special Use Permit / Administrative Special Use Permit / Temporary Use Permitonly if it applies to you | Tulare County Resource Management Agency, Planning & Building | Varies — formula on the Tulare County page | per application (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 Tulare County?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 13 records listed for a restaurant in Tulare County, CA, 4 apply to every business of this type and 9 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. 5 of the 13 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:
Temporary Food Facility, Event Organizer and Catering Permits: Temporary Food Single Event – Vendor: Low Risk $47; Moderate Risk $96; High Risk $143. Temporary Food Multi Event – Annual Vendor: Low Risk $65; Moderate Risk $283; High Risk $533. Temporary Food Single Event – Organizer $241; Temporary Food Multiple Event – Organizer $641. Caterer $448; Catering Host Permit $481.
Food Facility Health Permit (restaurant / retail food): Restaurant: Low Risk $745; Moderate Risk $743; High Risk $867. Retail Facility: Low Risk $661; Moderate Risk $757; High Risk $1,031. Bakery $632; Deli $113; Fish/Meat Department $126; Additional Food Prep Operation $122; Walk-Up $653; Food Vending Machine $70. Plan Review – Retail Food Facility $122/hr.
The other 3 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Tulare County permits page and the CA state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Tulare County?
Permits for a restaurant in Tulare County, CA come from 6 separate offices: Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency, Environmental Health Division, Tulare County Resource Management Agency, Planning & Building, 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.
- Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency, Environmental Health DivisionIssues 2 permits on this page: Temporary Food Facility, Event Organizer and Catering Permits, Food Facility Health Permit (restaurant / retail food)5957 S. Mooney Blvd., Visalia, CA 93277 · (559) 624-7400tularecountyeh.org/eh/our-services
- Tulare County Resource Management Agency, Planning & BuildingIssues 2 permits on this page: Commercial Building Permit / Tenant Improvement (unincorporated area), Special Use Permit / Administrative Special Use Permit / Temporary Use Permit5961 S. Mooney Blvd., Visalia, CA 93277 · (559) 624-7000tularecounty.ca.gov/rma/planning-building/building-department
- 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 Tulare County that other businesses do not?
Food Facility Health Permit (restaurant / retail food)
Environmental Health's 'How to Get a Food Facility Permit' page says: 'If you would like to make, sell, and/or donate food to the public, you need an Environmental Health Permit', and its food FAQ says an application and fee 'must be submitted to the Environmental Health Division prior to opening'; a new or remodelled facility should contact the Division at (559) 624-7400 before applying. The County's public-health permit ordinance (Ch. 4-19, which applies where there is no provision made in State law, §4-19-1000) sets a one-year term, requires renewal at least 30 days before expiry and requires the permit to be posted conspicuously on the premises. Fees are per Environmental Health's Fee Schedule FY 2026-2027; EH's permit-holder notice states the Board of Supervisors approved the increases on April 14, 2026, effective July 1, 2026, and the county-wide Schedule of Fees (as of July 1, 2026) prints the same amounts, including the Restaurant Low Risk $745 and Moderate Risk $743 figures exactly as shown.
Shared with other businesses in Tulare County
- Temporary Food Facility, Event Organizer and Catering Permits — Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency, Environmental Health Division, Temporary Food Single Event – Vendor: Low Risk $47; Moderate Risk $96; High Risk $143. Temporary Food Multi Event – Annual Vendor: Low Risk $65; Moderate Risk $283; High Risk $533. Temporary Food Single Event – Organizer $241; Temporary Food Multiple Event – Organizer $641. Caterer $448; Catering Host Permit $481., per event (single-event permits) or annual (multi-event, caterer and catering host permits). Also required for food trucks and coffee shops; 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 2 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Tulare County, CA; what each one involves is set out on the Tulare 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 Tulare County?
The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 4 of these permits. A coffee shop needs Weighing and Measuring Device Registration, which a restaurant does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a restaurant | Only a restaurant needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee shops | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| Retail stores | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| Food trucks | 6 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| Auto repair shops | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Childcare centres | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Contractors and trades | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Fitness studios | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Salons and barbers | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Veterinary clinics | 3 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
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 Tulare County permits page and the CA state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- County of Tulare Environmental Health Fee Schedule FY 2026-2027 (New Fee Schedule July 1, 2026)Tulare County HHSA Environmental Health Division · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- County of Tulare Schedule of Fees FY 2026/27 (as of July 1, 2026)County of Tulare · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- New Fee Schedule July 1, 2026 Notice (Dear Permit Holder)Tulare County HHSA Environmental Health Division · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- Fee ScheduleTulare County Environmental Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- How to Get a Food Facility PermitTulare County Environmental Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- Food FAQsTulare County Environmental Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
- Tulare County Ordinance Code, Ch. 4-19 — Public Health PermitsCounty of Tulare / eCode360 · 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.