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19 permits · verified 2026-09-30

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

In short

A restaurant in Allegheny County, PA has 4 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 15 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Allegheny County Health Department, Plumbing Program charges $22 per fixture, per permit for the plumbing fixture and ancillary fees. 9 of the 19 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-09-30 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a restaurant in Allegheny County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Temporary Food Facility Permitonly if it applies to youAllegheny County Health Department, Food Safety Program$32–$150 per event — 1 event $55, 2 events $95, 3 events $125, 4 events $150, 5 or more events $32 each (non-profit rates are slightly lower at each tier)per event2026-09-30
Permanent Food Facility Annual PermitAllegheny County Health Department, Food Safety Program$145–$465 annual, by facility class — Class I $145, Class II $195, Class III $280, Class IV $465 (non-profit roughly half: $70/$95/$140/$230)annual2026-09-30
Permanent Food Facility Plan Review (New Construction/Remodel & Shared Kitchen User)only if it applies to youAllegheny County Health Department, Food Safety Program$0–$230 one-time plan review, by facility class — Class I no fee, Class II $95, Class III $140, Class IV $230 (non-profit: $45/$70/$115)one-time, before opening, new construction, remodel, or shared-kitchen use2026-09-30
Seasonal Food Facility Permitonly if it applies to youAllegheny County Health Department, Food Safety Program$95 per season ($85 non-profit)season2026-09-30
Retail Food Facility LicensePennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory Services$82–$241 new license, renewal or change of ownershiprisk-based — 24, 18, 12 or 6 months, renewed annually2026-09-03
Food Employee CertificationPennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory ServicesNo feeset by the accredited certifying programme, not by the Commonwealth2026-09-03

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 Allegheny County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Plumbing Fixture and Ancillary Feesonly if it applies to youAllegheny County Health Department, Plumbing Program$22 per fixture, per permitper permit2026-09-30
On-Lot Septic Site Testing (Percolation, Deep Pit, Soils Verification)only if it applies to youAllegheny County Health Department, On-Lot Sewage Disposal ProgramVaries — formula on the Allegheny County pageone-time, per test2026-09-30
County Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SALDO) Filing Feeonly if it applies to youAllegheny County Economic Development, Planning DivisionVaries — formula on the Allegheny County pageper application2026-09-30
Plumbing Permit (Plan Review by Fixture Count)only if it applies to youAllegheny County Health Department, Plumbing ProgramVaries — formula on the Allegheny County pageper permit2026-09-30
On-Lot Septic Permit — New Systemonly if it applies to youAllegheny County Health Department, On-Lot Sewage Disposal ProgramVaries — formula on the Allegheny County pageone-time, per new system2026-09-30
On-Lot Septic Permit — Repaironly if it applies to youAllegheny County Health Department, On-Lot Sewage Disposal ProgramVaries — formula on the Allegheny County pageone-time, per repair2026-09-30
On-Lot Septic Inspection (Site Visit, Pre-Construction, Interim, Final)only if it applies to youAllegheny County Health Department, On-Lot Sewage Disposal Program$185 per inspection (site visit, mandatory pre-construction, interim, or final)per inspection2026-09-30
Contractor Information Program Certification (voluntary)only if it applies to youAllegheny County Treasurer$100 per year, per business addressannual — expires December 31; renewal payment is due by January 1 each year2026-09-30

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

PA registrations that apply to every type of business

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to youPennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations$125 one-time filingno expiry, but an annual report is due each year2026-09-03
Certificate of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to youPennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations$125 one-time filingno expiry, but an annual report is due each year2026-09-03
Annual Reportonly if it applies to youPennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations$7 per year for a for-profit entityannual2026-09-03
General Business License — Pennsylvania positionPennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable OrganizationsNo feeset by the issuing municipality2026-09-03
Sales, Use and Hotel Occupancy Tax Licenseonly if it applies to youPennsylvania Department of RevenueNo fee — no registration fee5 years, renewed automatically subject to compliance2026-09-03

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 Allegheny County?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 19 records listed for a restaurant in Allegheny County, PA, 4 apply to every business of this type and 15 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.

9 of the 19 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 Permit: $32–$150 per event — 1 event $55, 2 events $95, 3 events $125, 4 events $150, 5 or more events $32 each (non-profit rates are slightly lower at each tier)

Permanent Food Facility Annual Permit: $145–$465 annual, by facility class — Class I $145, Class II $195, Class III $280, Class IV $465 (non-profit roughly half: $70/$95/$140/$230)

Permanent Food Facility Plan Review (New Construction/Remodel & Shared Kitchen User): $0–$230 one-time plan review, by facility class — Class I no fee, Class II $95, Class III $140, Class IV $230 (non-profit: $45/$70/$115)

Retail Food Facility License: $82–$241 new license, renewal or change of ownership

The other 5 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Allegheny County permits page and the PA state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Allegheny County?

Permits for a restaurant in Allegheny County, PA come from 8 separate offices: Allegheny County Health Department, Food Safety Program, Allegheny County Health Department, Plumbing Program, Allegheny County Health Department, On-Lot Sewage Disposal Program, Allegheny County Economic Development, Planning Division, Allegheny County Treasurer, Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory Services, Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.

What does a restaurant need in Allegheny County that other businesses do not?

Temporary Food Facility Permit

A restaurant, food truck or retail store selling food at a fair, festival or other short-term event in Allegheny County needs a Temporary Food Facility permit from ACHD for each event, priced under the 2026 fee schedule on a sliding per-event-count scale: $55 for a single event, $95 for two, $125 for three, $150 for four, and $32 per event once a vendor reaches five or more events in the covered period, with non-profit rates slightly lower at every tier. This is distinct from the Seasonal Food Facility permit listed separately for this jurisdiction, which covers an ongoing seasonal operation rather than a series of discrete events.

Permanent Food Facility Annual Permit

Every restaurant, coffee shop, food-retail store and any childcare facility that prepares or serves food in Allegheny County needs this annual permit from ACHD's Food Safety Program, 2121 Noblestown Road, Pittsburgh — the current fillable Permanent Food Facility application itself lists 'Day care' as a facility-type checkbox. Per the current 2026 fee schedule (effective January 1, 2026, revised December 2, 2025), the annual permit fee by facility class is Class I $145, Class II $195, Class III $280 and Class IV $465, with non-profit facilities paying roughly half at each tier. This is a separate table from, and should not be confused with, the one-time plan-review fee listed next for this jurisdiction — Class I pays no plan-review fee but does owe this $145 annual permit fee. A late annual payment carries a 25% penalty per the same fee schedule.

Seasonal Food Facility Permit

A seasonal food operation — a food truck or restaurant operating for a defined season rather than year-round or as a series of discrete temporary events — pays a flat $95 per season under ACHD's 2026 fee schedule ($85 for a non-profit operator). This is a single seasonal fee rather than the per-event sliding scale that applies to the Temporary Food Facility permit listed separately for this jurisdiction, so which one applies depends on whether the operation runs continuously through a season or shows up at discrete events.

Shared with other businesses in Allegheny County

  • Permanent Food Facility Plan Review (New Construction/Remodel & Shared Kitchen User) — Allegheny County Health Department, Food Safety Program, $0–$230 one-time plan review, by facility class — Class I no fee, Class II $95, Class III $140, Class IV $230 (non-profit: $45/$70/$115), one-time, before opening, new construction, remodel, or shared-kitchen use. Also required for coffee shops, retail stores and childcare centres; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
  • Retail Food Facility License — Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory Services, $82–$241 new license, renewal or change of ownership, risk-based — 24, 18, 12 or 6 months, renewed annually. Also required for coffee shops, retail stores and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
  • Food Employee Certification — Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory Services, No fee, set by the accredited certifying programme, not by the Commonwealth. Also required for coffee shops, retail stores and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.

The other 8 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Allegheny County, PA; what each one involves is set out on the Allegheny County permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across PA and are covered on the PA state page.

How does a restaurant compare with other businesses in Allegheny County?

The closest match is a retail store, which shares 5 of these permits. A restaurant also needs Seasonal Food Facility Permit. A retail store needs Event/Farmers Market Organizer Registration, which a restaurant does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Allegheny County, PA, compared with a restaurant
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a restaurantOnly a restaurant needsOnly it needs
Retail stores6511
Coffee shops4420
Food trucks6422
Childcare centres3241
Auto repair shops1061
Contractors and trades4064
Fitness studios1061
Salons and barbers1061
Veterinary clinics1061

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 retail stores page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Allegheny County permits page and the PA state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. ACHD Food Safety Program, 2026 Fee Schedule (effective January 1, 2026, revised December 2, 2025)Allegheny County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-30
  2. ACHD Rules & Regulations, Article III, Food SafetyAllegheny County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-30
  3. ACHD Permanent Food Facility Application (fillable) — lists 'Day care' as a facility-type checkboxAllegheny County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-30

Related

Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.