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15 permits · verified 2026-09-30

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

In short

A restaurant in Utah County, UT has 7 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 8 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code charges $59 one-time filing for the articles of incorporation. 9 of the 15 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 Utah County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Food / Mobile-Unit Plan Reviewonly if it applies to youUtah County Health Department (UCHD), Environmental HealthMobile Business (food truck, trailer or cart) $570. Plan Review Category 1 $440; Category 2 $670; Category 3 $875; Category 4 $1,030. Remodel of an existing kitchen $250. Change of ownership $260. School kitchen $650.One-time per project2026-09-30
Food Establishment Permit (annual)Utah County Health Department (UCHD), Environmental Health$250–$640 a year, by Risk Category (2026 fee schedule): Risk 1 $250, Risk 2 $350, Risk 3 $475, Risk 4 $640Annual2026-09-30
Temporary Food / Event Permitonly if it applies to youUtah County Health Department (UCHD), Environmental Health$102–$410 per event (2026 fee schedule): 1-14 consecutive-day event (new or additional) $102; Extended Temporary Permit (under tents) $310; Temporary Seasonal Permit $310; late fee $50 (submitted under 4 business days out); Temporary Mass Gathering 1,000-1,999 people $300; 2,000 or more people $410; the late fee doubles for a mass gathering submitted under 30 days outPer event2026-09-30
Food Handler CardUtah Department of Agriculture and Food, Regulatory Services DivisionFood handler permit fee of no more than $15, uniform statewide, paid to the local health department under rule R392-103; the approved training provider may also charge its own reasonable training fee, and may collect both at once3 years, valid statewide (rule R392-103)2026-09-04
Food Service Establishment Permit (local, not state)Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, Regulatory Services DivisionNo feeset locally2026-09-04

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 Utah County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
General Business LicenseUtah County Community Development, Business Licensing DivisionVaries — formula on the Utah County pageAnnual, July 1 to June 30; an application filed after December 31 pays half the annual fee2026-09-30
Zoning / Land Use Administration Feesonly if it applies to youUtah County Community Development, Planning & Zoning DivisionVaries — formula on the Utah County pagePer application2026-09-30
Onsite Wastewater (Septic) System Permit — commercialonly if it applies to youUtah County Health Department (UCHD), Environmental HealthVaries — formula on the Utah County pageOne-time per installation, with an added annual fee on an Alternative Packed Bed Media system or a Holding Tank Installation2026-09-30
Business License Zone Clearance / Zone Compliance PermitUtah County Community Development, Planning & Zoning DivisionVaries — formula on the Utah County pagePer application; a Zone Clearance Renewal is a separate $15 fee2026-09-30
Building PermitUtah County Community Development, Building DivisionVaries — formula on the Utah County pageOne-time per project; a permit renewal is a separate $303 flat fee2026-09-30

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

UT 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
Sales and Use Tax LicenseUtah State Tax CommissionNo feeongoing — no fixed expiration, with a filing frequency the state assigns and can revisit2026-09-04
Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to youUtah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code$59 one-time filingperpetual, but a renewal is due every year2026-09-04
Certificate of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to youUtah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code$59 one-time filingperpetual, but a renewal is due every year2026-09-04
General Business License — Utah State Position (Entity Registration)only if it applies to youUtah Division of Corporations and Commercial CodeNo feeset by the city or county2026-09-04
Annual Renewalonly if it applies to youUtah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code$18 a year; a late renewal adds $10annual — due in the calendar month tied to the entity's own formation anniversary2026-09-04

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 Utah County?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 15 records listed for a restaurant in Utah County, UT, 7 apply to every business of this type and 8 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 15 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 3 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:

Food / Mobile-Unit Plan Review: Mobile Business (food truck, trailer or cart) $570. Plan Review Category 1 $440; Category 2 $670; Category 3 $875; Category 4 $1,030. Remodel of an existing kitchen $250. Change of ownership $260. School kitchen $650.

Food Establishment Permit (annual): $250–$640 a year, by Risk Category (2026 fee schedule): Risk 1 $250, Risk 2 $350, Risk 3 $475, Risk 4 $640

Temporary Food / Event Permit: $102–$410 per event (2026 fee schedule): 1-14 consecutive-day event (new or additional) $102; Extended Temporary Permit (under tents) $310; Temporary Seasonal Permit $310; late fee $50 (submitted under 4 business days out); Temporary Mass Gathering 1,000-1,999 people $300; 2,000 or more people $410; the late fee doubles for a mass gathering submitted under 30 days out

Food Handler Card: Food handler permit fee of no more than $15, uniform statewide, paid to the local health department under rule R392-103; the approved training provider may also charge its own reasonable training fee, and may collect both at once

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

Which offices issue these permits in Utah County?

Permits for a restaurant in Utah County, UT come from 7 separate offices: Utah County Community Development, Business Licensing Division, Utah County Community Development, Planning & Zoning Division, Utah County Health Department (UCHD), Environmental Health, Utah County Community Development, Building Division, Utah State Tax Commission, Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, Regulatory Services Division, Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code. 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 Utah County that other businesses do not?

Food Handler Card

A food handler card is required, and it must come from a provider on the state's own approved list — the agriculture department publishes that list directly and states plainly that a card from an unapproved source will not be accepted by a local health department. Utah Administrative Code R392-103 sets the food handler permit fee at no more than $15, uniform statewide, payable to the local health department, and states that food handler permits are valid for 3 years statewide; a training provider may charge its own reasonable training fee on top. Confirm the provider's training price before budgeting for it.

Shared with other businesses in Utah County

  • Food / Mobile-Unit Plan Review — Utah County Health Department (UCHD), Environmental Health, Mobile Business (food truck, trailer or cart) $570. Plan Review Category 1 $440; Category 2 $670; Category 3 $875; Category 4 $1,030. Remodel of an existing kitchen $250. Change of ownership $260. School kitchen $650., One-time per project. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
  • Food Establishment Permit (annual) — Utah County Health Department (UCHD), Environmental Health, $250–$640 a year, by Risk Category (2026 fee schedule): Risk 1 $250, Risk 2 $350, Risk 3 $475, Risk 4 $640, Annual. Also required for coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
  • Temporary Food / Event Permit — Utah County Health Department (UCHD), Environmental Health, $102–$410 per event (2026 fee schedule): 1-14 consecutive-day event (new or additional) $102; Extended Temporary Permit (under tents) $310; Temporary Seasonal Permit $310; late fee $50 (submitted under 4 business days out); Temporary Mass Gathering 1,000-1,999 people $300; 2,000 or more people $410; the late fee doubles for a mass gathering submitted under 30 days out, Per event. Also required for food trucks and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
  • Food Service Establishment Permit (local, not state) — Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, Regulatory Services Division, No fee, set locally. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.

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

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

The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 5 of these permits. A coffee shop needs Mobile Food Unit Permit (Food Truck / Food Cart), which a restaurant does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Utah County, UT, compared with a restaurant
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a restaurantOnly a restaurant needsOnly it needs
Coffee shops6501
Food trucks5411
Auto repair shops2052
Childcare centres2052
Contractors and trades4054
Fitness studios1051
Retail stores2052
Salons and barbers2052
Veterinary clinics1051

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 coffee shops page and food trucks page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Utah County permits page and the UT state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. Utah Department of Agriculture and Food — list of approved food handler training providers under rule R392-103Utah Department of Agriculture and Food · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04

Related

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