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

Food Facility License

A restaurant, coffee shop, food truck, food-selling retail store or a child day care centre that serves food anywhere in Chester County needs an annual food facility license from the Chester County Health Department (CCHD) under CCHD Rules Chapter 300. The fee depends on the facility type: $340 for a food facility with fewer than 50 seats, $480 with 50 or more seats, $750 over 10,000 square feet, $500 in conjunction with a PA liquor license, $340 for take-out only, $200 for a retail outlet, $340 for a commissary or caterer, $340 for a mobile food facility, $200 for a mobile retail outlet, $180 for a beverage maker with a tasting room and no food, $170 for a tax-exempt food facility, $100 for a tax-exempt retail outlet and $200 for food service at a day care. CCHD's page on temporary facilities states that 'A CCHD annual license allows catering'. These amounts come from the CCHD Bureau of Environmental Health Protection fee schedule effective January 1, 2025, set by the Department under CCHD Rules and Regulations §701 and repeated on the county's Fee Schedule & Payment page (chesco.org/5973); they are county-only fees with no state component. The Board of Health has proposed a revised schedule for January 1, 2027: its July 21, 2026 minutes record that the draft is complete and that 'a small increase to fees is planned', and its August 18, 2026 minutes record that a summary was shared with the Commissioners and Board ahead of public comment. The revised amounts are not published.

Temporary Food Facility (Temporary Event) License

A food vendor selling at a short event in Chester County needs a CCHD temporary event license; §605.2.1.10 defines a temporary food facility as one operating for no more than 14 consecutive days at a fixed location with a single event, and CCHD's page on temporary facilities states that a separate license is needed for an off-site temporary event even when the operator holds an annual license. The fee is $100 for a 1–14 day food event ($50 for a tax-exempt operator), $200 for a cook-off event and $10 per cook-off participant, plus a $50 late fee when the application arrives less than 5 days before the event. The Temporary Events page states that the fee is non-refundable and that the application and payment must be received at least five working days before the event. These amounts come from the CCHD Bureau of Environmental Health Protection fee schedule effective January 1, 2025, set by the Department under CCHD Rules and Regulations §701 and repeated on the county's Fee Schedule & Payment page (chesco.org/5973); they are county-only fees with no state component. The Board of Health has proposed a revised schedule for January 1, 2027: its July 21, 2026 minutes record that the draft is complete and that 'a small increase to fees is planned', and its August 18, 2026 minutes record that a summary was shared with the Commissioners and Board ahead of public comment. The revised amounts are not published.

Shared with other businesses in Chester County Pa

• Certified Food Manager (CFM) Certificate — Chester County Health Department, $40 per CCHD CFM certificate; duplicate certificate $20, 5 years from course completion (CCHD Rules §303.6); renewable for 5 years with training in the six months before expiry (§303.7). Also required for coffee shops, food trucks, retail stores and childcare centres; what it involves is set out on the childcare centres page.
• Food Facility Plan Review — Chester County Health Department, $60–$500 one-time, per review — food facility plan review $300; facility more than 10,000 sq ft $500; commissary added to an existing facility $100; change of ownership/turn-key operation/added license to shared space with no changes $60; operating without plan review $240; phased opening inspection $200, one-time, per plan review. Also required for coffee shops, food trucks, retail stores and childcare centres; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops 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.