What permits do you need to open a food truck in Lorain County?

Food Plan Review

Building, remodeling or changing the use of a kitchen, coffee bar, deli or food sales area in Lorain County outside the City of Vermilion takes a plan review by Lorain County Public Health before work starts. LCPH's Plan Review Application for Food Service Operations and Retail Food Establishments, updated 1/3/2025, says to 'Submit plans and payment prior to construction or remodel' and prints the fee as '$100 for facilities less than 25,000 sq. ft., $200 for facilities 25,000 sq. ft. or greater'; the same two figures appear under PLAN REVIEW in 'LORAIN COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH FEES 2026', LCPH's adopted fee schedule, which prints 'Effective: 1/1/2026' and 'Revised: 1/21/2026'. The application states that LCPH 'will review the plans within 30 days of receiving complete plan review packet', that 'approved plans are valid for one year unless additional time is requested in writing', and that the operator must contact LCPH for a licensing inspection before operating. A food truck uses the separate Plan Review Application for Mobiles, which states 'There is no plan review fee for mobile operations.' Plan review sits alongside the food license, not in place of it.

Mobile Food Service Operation / Mobile Retail Food Establishment License

A food truck, trailer or cart based in Lorain County is licensed by Lorain County Public Health as a mobile food service operation or mobile retail food establishment. Lorain County Public Health's About page states that LCPH 'provides public health services for cities, townships, and villages in Lorain County, Ohio. The exception is the City of Vermilion, which receives services from the Erie County Health Department.' The fee is a combined LCPH and state figure, printed in 'LORAIN COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH FEES 2026', LCPH's adopted fee schedule, which prints 'Effective: 1/1/2026' and 'Revised: 1/21/2026' as Mobile – High Risk $102.00 Health Department fee plus $28.00 State fee, total $130.00, and Mobile – Low Risk $51.00 plus $28.00, total $79.00. LCPH's food safety page publishes a mobile diagram form and a separate Plan Review Application for Mobiles, which states 'There is no plan review fee for mobile operations.' The schedule's late fee of 25% of the local fee applies to mobile licenses as to other food licenses. The 2027 food fees are in the Board of Health's reading process: its October 2026 agenda lists 'Proposed 2027 Food Service Fees – First Reading #2026-116' with no amounts printed, so the 2026 schedule remains the one LCPH links.

Temporary Food Service Operation / Retail Food Establishment License

Serving food at a festival, fair, market or other short event in Lorain County outside the City of Vermilion takes a temporary license from Lorain County Public Health. The charge is by the day: 'LORAIN COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH FEES 2026', LCPH's adopted fee schedule, which prints 'Effective: 1/1/2026' and 'Revised: 1/21/2026' prints 'Temporary Commercial $45.00/day' and 'Temporary Non-Commercial $22.50/day', with the State Fee column marked N/A, so there is no state part in these figures. LCPH's food safety page links a Temporary Food License Application and a sheet of Temporary Event Coordinator Responsibilities for event organizers. Because the fee is per day, a three-day event is charged three days of the fee. Lorain County Public Health's About page states that LCPH 'provides public health services for cities, townships, and villages in Lorain County, Ohio. The exception is the City of Vermilion, which receives services from the Erie County Health Department.'

Transient Vendor's License

This is the license for selling away from a fixed address — fairs, festivals, markets, travelling to the customer — and unlike the county vendor's license it is valid in all eighty-eight counties on one registration. It is issued by the Department of Taxation only, never by a county auditor. Same $50 as the fixed-location license since House Bill 366 took effect on 9 April 2025.

Shared with other businesses in Lorain County

• Manager Certification in Food Protection — Ohio Department of Health, Food Safety Program, No fee, not stated by the Ohio Department of Health. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
• Food Service Operation License — Ohio Department of Health, Food Safety Program, $28 state fee for a commercial operation ($14 non-commercial, $6 per vending machine location), plus a license fee set independently by the local board of health, 1 March to the last day of February. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.