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

Tobacco Retail License

The county's Tobacco Retail License page states that 'Any business that does retail sales of tobacco, nicotine and vaping products in Multnomah County is required to get a license', naming convenience stores, bars, hotels, restaurants and music venues, and that a business in the county applies to the county and does not need a second license from the state. Each location needs its own license, which may not be transferred to a new owner or location and must be displayed where customers and staff can see it, according to the same page. The fee is $1,184 per location from 1 July 2026 under the FY 2027 County Fee Schedule adopted by Resolution 2026-039 (it was $683 before that date); the schedule also lists a $255 recheck, a late fee of 50% of the license fee and a $100 appeal. Penalties from 1 July 2026 are $1,500 plus training for a first violation, $2,500 plus a 30-day suspension for a second, and $4,000 plus a 90-day suspension for a third. Each licensed retailer receives at least one unannounced site visit a year, according to the county page.

Liquor License County Recommendation to OLCC (Unincorporated Multnomah County)

This record applies only to premises in unincorporated Multnomah County. ORS 471.166(1) allows the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission to require a written recommendation 'from the governing body of the county if the place of business of the applicant is outside an incorporated city, and from the city council if the place of business of the applicant is within an incorporated city.' Multnomah County Code 15.400 applies the county process to liquor licenses 'for premises within unincorporated the county' (sic): the applicant presents the OLCC application forms to the Sheriff (MCC 15.401), the Sheriff investigates and forwards a recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners (MCC 15.402-15.403), and the Board makes its recommendation to the Commission. The processing fees of $100 for an original application, $75 for a change in ownership, location or privilege and $35 for a renewal are those listed in the FY 2027 County Fee Schedule under MCC 15.401 and in Resolution 2021-063; the Sheriff's 2024 OLCC New Applicant Information Sheet lists a '$100 Processing Fee'. ORS 471.166(8) caps these fees at the same amounts. The state license itself is issued by the Commission.

Food Handler Card

Ten dollars for three years, and unlike most states this is a genuine legal duty on the worker rather than something an employer may choose to require: every food service worker must obtain one within thirty days of starting work. Two details matter for anyone hiring. A card issued by any Oregon county is valid across the whole state, so a worker moving between counties need not re-test. But a card from another state carries no reciprocity at all — an experienced food worker arriving from Washington or California must sit the Oregon test like anyone else. Testing runs through the county environmental health office or an approved provider, and a replacement card costs $5.

Shared with other businesses in Multnomah County

• Restaurant (Food Service) License — Multnomah County Health Department, Environmental Health Services, 2026 license fee by seating: 0-15 seats $970; 16-50 seats $1,150; 51-150 seats $1,290; over 150 seats $1,545; limited service (prepackaged items only) $890; bed and breakfast food service $420. A license applied for between 1 October and 31 December 2026 is $485 / $575 / $645 / $770, or $445 for limited service. Plan review: new construction $1,265 ($3,780 rush); remodel $1,185 ($3,565 rush). Recheck $270; consultation $265 per hour; late or reinstatement fee $100., calendar year; the license expires on 31 December (MCC 21.612). Also required for coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
• Temporary Restaurant (Food Event) License — Multnomah County Health Department, Environmental Health Services, 2026 fee: single event license (1-30 days) $210; intermittent license (30 days) $210; seasonal license (90 days) $210. Late fee $100 when payment arrives less than 2 business days (by noon) before the event. Operational plan review for a seasonal or intermittent license $140. Benevolent organization administrative fee $50 per year., single event up to 30 days; intermittent 30 days; seasonal 90 days. Also required for coffee shops, food trucks and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
• Food Service Facility License — Oregon Health Authority, Foodborne Illness Prevention Program, $602–$1,545 a year, banded by seating in statewide brackets but priced by each county, one calendar year — renew by 1 January. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.