What permits do you need to open a restaurant in St Joseph County In?

Retail Food Service/Store Establishment Permit (St. Joseph County Department of Health)

St. Joseph County Code 117.02(A)(1) makes it unlawful to operate a retail food service/store establishment "in St. Joseph County without first obtaining a valid permit from the health officer", so the permit applies in South Bend, Mishawaka and the towns as well as the unincorporated area. A separate permit is needed for each establishment, and for each entity sharing a building (117.02(I)); permits are not transferable between locations, operators or owners and must be posted where customers can see them. The applicant must pay the fee with the application and pass an opening inspection. The permit runs from January 1 to January 31 of the following year. Under 117.04(B) the fee is based on the establishment's total gross sales of food, including all beverages and alcohol, for the preceding year; a new operation's fee is based on gross sales from application to December 31 (117.04(A)(4)). As set in the Food Services Unit Fee Schedule in the Appendix: Schedule of Fines and Fees of the St. Joseph County Code (Ord. 95-19, 12-3-2019; Ord. 149-22, 12-13-2022; Ord. 90-24, 12-10-2024; Ord. 61-25, 10-14-2025), the annual fee runs from $85 for sales under $50,000 to $425 for $1.5 million and up. Under 117.04(E) a late fee of 100% of the permit cost applies for renewing after January 31, for operating before obtaining a permit, and for failing to obtain the permit within one week of the opening inspection approval; a change of ownership without notifying the Department of Health also carries a 100% late fee. A new owner of a continuously operating establishment may obtain a nonrenewable interim permit valid up to 90 days (117.02(G)). Under 117.04(D) an organisation exempt under IC 6-3-2 selling food at an event held for its own benefit pays no fee. The Department of Health's Permit Deadlines page lists January 31 for food service and food store annual permits; the department's phone is (574) 235-9750.

Food Establishment Plan Review (St. Joseph County Department of Health)

Under St. Joseph County Code 117.03(A)(1) the owner or agent of an existing or proposed retail food service/store establishment or mobile retail food establishment submits plans and specifications to the county Department of Health for review and approval before constructing the establishment, converting an existing structure to one, or extensively remodelling one where the department finds plans necessary. The plans show the type of operation, the type of food preparation and the menu, and the interior and exterior layout, and must be approved before construction starts; a pre-operational (opening) inspection then checks the work against the approved plans (117.03(A)(2)–(4)). Under 117.04(G) a newly constructed or renovated establishment pays a nonrefundable administrative fee for the review. As set in the Food Services Unit Fee Schedule in the Appendix: Schedule of Fines and Fees of the St. Joseph County Code (Ord. 95-19, 12-3-2019; Ord. 149-22, 12-13-2022; Ord. 90-24, 12-10-2024; Ord. 61-25, 10-14-2025), the plan review fee for a permanent establishment is $100 under 3,000 square feet, $180 for 3,001 to 30,000, $260 for 30,001 to 40,000, $340 for 40,001 to 60,000 and $400 for 60,001 square feet and over, excluding the $85 Administration/Application fee and the annual permit fee; the square-footage table is titled for permanent establishments. Failing to notify the department of new construction brings a fine equal to the plan review cost. Under 117.03(D)(1) every retail food service establishment installs a grease interceptor unless the St. Joseph County Building Department exempts it, and an establishment on a private septic system must meet state and county rules.

Alcoholic Beverage Permit — St. Joseph County Local Board Hearing (Indiana ATC)

Alcoholic beverage permits in Indiana are issued by the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission (ATC), which lists the local alcoholic beverage board hearings for each county on its Local Board Hearings page. For St. Joseph County, the page lists the hearing location as the St. Joseph County-City Building, 227 W. Jefferson Blvd, South Bend, IN, on the 4th Tuesday of the month at 9:00 a.m., with a remote-attendance link. A restaurant or retail store seeking an ATC permit for a premises in St. Joseph County, inside or outside South Bend and Mishawaka, should contact the ATC for when its application will come before the St. Joseph County local board. The page publishes no fee for the hearing; the permit fee is a state matter handled by the ATC.

Shared with other businesses in St Joseph County In

• Temporary Food Establishment Permit (St. Joseph County Department of Health) — St. Joseph County Department of Health, Temporary Permit: one-day event $35; two-to-three-day event $75; four-to-ten-day event $150; annual permit $375 a year. Late fee 100% of the permit cost; replacement permit $25., a specified number of consecutive days for a single event or location; a new permit for each temporary event (County Code 117.02(J), 117.05(A)). Also required for food trucks and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
• Certified Food Protection Manager — Indiana Department of Health, Food Protection Division, No fee, 5 years. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
• Retail Food Establishment Permit — Indiana Department of Health, Food Protection Division, $300–$1,690 a year, set by the local health department — there is no state fee, annual. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.