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

Retail Food Facility Health Permit (permanent food facility)

Yolo County Environmental Health's Permanent Food Facilities page says permanent food facilities 'are those operating in a permanently constructed structure. Examples are restaurants, cafeterias, markets, delis, bakeries and bars.' Its Retail Food Program page says 'We permit and inspect over 1,330 food establishments including restaurants, grocery stores, bakeries, hospitals, school cafeterias, cottage food operations, mobile food facilities, and temporary food vendors.' A new facility passes plan review and a final Environmental Health inspection before the health permit is issued; the annual fee 'covers one or two routine inspections per year, depending on the type of facility' and one follow-up inspection for each routine inspection. The page says 'permits are non-transferable': a new owner re-applies and pays the annual permit fee. Amounts are from the Yolo County Environmental Health Fees 2025-2026 sheet (Resolution 25-71.01, effective December 9, 2025), and the same amounts appear in the Current Master Fee Schedule with a revised date of 12/09/2025.

Food Facility Plan Check

The county's Permanent Food Facilities page sets out the steps for a new food business: 'Submit a New Food Facility Plan Review through the Citizen's Portal', after which 'Inspectors have 20 business days to review and approve or reject plan checks' and incomplete plans are rejected. Once plans are approved the page says to 'contact your local building department to obtain the required building permit before beginning construction'. For a remodel, 'If remodeling is to be done or any changes in equipment are being made, plans must be submitted to Environmental Health for approval prior to beginning work.' A change of ownership can also trigger a plan check or onsite review. Amounts are from the Environmental Health Fees 2025-2026 sheet (Resolution 25-71.01, effective December 9, 2025), matching the Current Master Fee Schedule lines revised 12/09/2025.

Catering Operation Permit

The county's Catering Food Operations page says 'YCEH regulates all catering operations' and defines a catering operation as 'a food service that is conducted by a permanent food facility approved for food preparation' where food is served at a location other than its permitted location, at a contracted offsite private event or alongside a host facility. It says a catering operation may be 'a restaurant facility that already holds a health permit as a permanent food facility (an additional catering operation permit will be required if operating at a host facility)'. Applicants submit a catering application, a commissary agreement, a food safety manager certificate, catering standard operating procedures and a sample menu. Amounts are from the Current Master Fee Schedule (Catering and Catering at Host Facility revised 12/09/2025; Catering - Single Event revised 12/09/2025) and the Environmental Health Fees 2025-2026 sheet (Resolution 25-71.01, effective December 9, 2025).

Shared with other businesses in Yolo County

• County Business License (unincorporated Yolo County) — Yolo County Department of Community Services, Planning Division — Business License, New license: Business License Fee $294 per license, plus Disability Access (CASp) fee $4 per business license, plus the Technology Recovery Fee of 10% of permit cost (Master Fee Schedule). The county's Business License page states: "In general, a Business License not requiring a Fire Life Safety inspection or subject to other departments' fees is $327.40 (includes a technology fee of 10%)". Renewal: Business License Renewal Fee $82 per license (Master Fee Schedule), plus the $4 state CASp fee that Government Code §4467(a)(2)(A) applies to renewals. Where Environmental Health review applies, the schedule lists Business License Review at $251 per application; a Business Site Inspection is a $700 deposit ("use hourly rates for actual cost")., 1 year; every business license terminates on January 31 each year (County Code §12-1.512). Also required for coffee shops, retail stores, auto repair shops, salons and barbers and childcare centres; what it involves is set out on the auto repair shops page.
• Temporary Food Facility Permit (community events) — Yolo County Department of Community Services, Environmental Health Division, Single event: RC1 $311 / RC2 $329 / RC3 $347 per event. Annual: RC1 $371 / RC2 $421 / RC3 $480. Sampling only, annual $250. Certified agriculture / farmers' market vendor $253. Swap meet / flea market $443. Event organizer permit $688., per event, or annual for 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.