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24 permits · verified 2026-09-25

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

In short

A restaurant in King County, WA has 5 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 19 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. King County Fire Marshal's Office (Permitting Division), with delegated fire districts for operational-permit inspection charges $171 per code item, initial permit; renewal $114 per item; building occupancy inspection $419 per building per site visit (2026) for the fire code operational permit (annual, unincorporated king county). 13 of the 24 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-09-25 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a restaurant in King County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Fire Code Operational Permit (annual, unincorporated King County)only if it applies to youKing County Fire Marshal's Office (Permitting Division), with delegated fire districts for operational-permit inspection$171 per code item, initial permit; renewal $114 per item; building occupancy inspection $419 per building per site visit (2026)annual2026-09-25
Industrial Waste Discharge Permit / Authorizationonly if it applies to youKing County Wastewater Treatment Division, Industrial Waste Program$750–$12,000 issuance fee per permit or authorization, new/renewal/revision, by type: Letter of Authorization $1,500/$1,125/$750; Minor Discharge Authorization $2,000/$1,500/$1,000; Major Discharge Authorization $3,000/$2,250/$1,500; Permit Level A/B/C $6,000/$4,500/$3,000, $8,000/$6,000/$4,000, $12,000/$9,000/$6,000; plus an annual compliance monitoring and administration fee by tier and a high-strength surcharge of $0.4890 per pound of BOD and $0.5675 per pound of TSS (effective January 1, 2026)permit or authorization lasts up to five years2026-09-25
Food Establishment Plan ReviewPublic Health – Seattle & King County, Environmental Health Services, Food and Facilities Program2026: new construction $1,008 base fee (4 hours) plus $252 per hour after 4 hours; remodel or multiple reviews $756 base fee (3 hours) plus $252 per hour after 3 hours; resubmitted plan review $252 per hour, billable; subsequent preoccupancy or field plan review $504 base fee (2 hours) plus $252 per hour after 2 hours; changes to mobile and limited food service establishments $504 plus $252 per hour after 2 hours. The Board of Health Code carries 2024 equivalents: new construction $972 plus $243/hour after 4 hours; remodel $729 plus $243/hour after 3 hours.one-time per project2026-09-25
Food Business Permit — Permanent Food Establishment (annual)Public Health – Seattle & King County, Environmental Health Services, Food and Facilities Program$441–$1,386 a year, by establishment type, seats and risk category (2026 schedule); plan review charged separatelyannual; permit year April 1-March 31; first-year fee prorated by quarter (100% Apr 1-Jun 30, 75% Jul 1-Sep 30, 50% Oct 1-Dec 31, 25% Jan 1-Mar 31)2026-09-25
Conditional Use Permitonly if it applies to youKing County Department of Local Services, Permitting Division$6,487–$18,106 per application by category: residential or home industry $6,487; commercial $13,266; industrial, institutional or other $18,106 (2026)one-time2026-09-25
Fire Systems Permit — Commercial Cooking (kitchen hood) Suppression Systemonly if it applies to youKing County Fire Marshal's Office (Permitting Division), with delegated fire districts for operational-permit inspection$3,298 per system, in two parts: $1,587 plan review plus $1,711 inspection (2026)one-time2026-09-25
Zoning Varianceonly if it applies to youKing County Department of Local Services, Permitting Division$13,266 per variance review (2026); extension of approval $483one-time2026-09-25
Novelty Amusement Device / Pool Table / Public Amusement Licensesonly if it applies to youKing County Department of Local Services, Permitting Division$50–$500 novelty amusement device $100 per device a year, except a shuffleboard at $50 per year (KCC 6.04.180); pool or billiard table $100 per table, $500 maximum per establishment; public place of amusement (live music, arcade, pool hall, bowling alley, skating rink) $200 a year, $100 per six months or $50 per nightcalendar year (novelty devices, January 1); pool tables one year from application; public amusement per year, six months or one night2026-09-25
Food Establishment PermitWashington State Department of Health, Food Safety Program$240–$1,386 a year, set by the local health jurisdiction — there is no state feeannual, on a cycle the local jurisdiction sets2026-09-03
Food Worker CardWashington State Department of Health, Food Safety Program$10 per card2 years first time, 3 on renewal, 5 with extra food safety training2026-09-03

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 King County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
General Business License — King County position (state license applies)only if it applies to youKing County Department of Local Services, Permitting DivisionNo feenot applicable — the County's Start and grow your business page states that King County does not have a business license requirement2026-09-25
On-Site Sewage (Septic) System Permit — non-single-family (commercial)only if it applies to youPublic Health – Seattle & King County, Environmental Health Services (pet business, water recreation, on-site sewage, and plumbing & gas piping programs)Varies — formula on the King County pageone-time, per installation or change of use2026-09-25
Commercial Tenant Improvement / Alteration / Change of Use Permit (unincorporated King County)only if it applies to youKing County Department of Local Services, Permitting DivisionVaries — formula on the King County pageper project2026-09-25
Certificate of Occupancy (unincorporated King County)only if it applies to youKing County Department of Local Services, Permitting DivisionVaries — formula on the King County pagenot applicable (revocable; a temporary certificate is time-limited)2026-09-25
Zoning Certification Letteronly if it applies to youKing County Department of Local Services, Permitting DivisionVaries — formula on the King County pageone-time2026-09-25
Commercial Building Permit — New Construction (unincorporated King County)only if it applies to youKing County Department of Local Services, Permitting DivisionVaries — formula on the King County pageper project; permit expiration per KCC §16.02.2902026-09-25
Commercial Sign Permit (unincorporated King County)only if it applies to youKing County Department of Local Services, Permitting Division$2,334 per sign, in two parts: $1,597 plan review plus $737 inspection (2026); multiple similar wall signs attached to the same structure pay one feeone-time2026-09-25
Fire Systems Permit — Sprinkler and Fire Alarmonly if it applies to youKing County Fire Marshal's Office (Permitting Division), with delegated fire districts for operational-permit inspectionVaries — formula on the King County pageone-time2026-09-25
Plumbing / Gas Piping / Backflow Permitonly if it applies to youPublic Health – Seattle & King County, Environmental Health Services (pet business, water recreation, on-site sewage, and plumbing & gas piping programs)Varies — formula on the King County pageper project; renewal $682026-09-25

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

WA 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 youWashington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division$180 one-time filing on paper; $200 onlineno expiry, but a $70 annual report is due each year2026-09-03
Reseller Permitonly if it applies to youWashington State Department of Revenue, Business Licensing ServiceNo fee4 years, or 2 in defined circumstances2026-09-03
Certificate of Formation (LLC)only if it applies to youWashington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division$180 one-time filing on paper; $200 onlineno expiry, but a $70 annual report is due each year2026-09-03
Annual Reportonly if it applies to youWashington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division$70 a yearannual — due the last day of the month the entity was formed or registered2026-09-03
Washington State Business LicenseWashington State Department of Revenue, Business Licensing Service$50 to open, plus each endorsement's own fee; $5 a year to renewannual — one expiration date governs every endorsement on the license2026-09-03

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 King County?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 24 records listed for a restaurant in King County, WA, 5 apply to every business of this type and 19 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.

Of the 5 that always apply, 2 carry a flat fee, coming to $60.00. That is a floor, not a total. 13 of the 24 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:

Industrial Waste Discharge Permit / Authorization: $750–$12,000 issuance fee per permit or authorization, new/renewal/revision, by type: Letter of Authorization $1,500/$1,125/$750; Minor Discharge Authorization $2,000/$1,500/$1,000; Major Discharge Authorization $3,000/$2,250/$1,500; Permit Level A/B/C $6,000/$4,500/$3,000, $8,000/$6,000/$4,000, $12,000/$9,000/$6,000; plus an annual compliance monitoring and administration fee by tier and a high-strength surcharge of $0.4890 per pound of BOD and $0.5675 per pound of TSS (effective January 1, 2026)

Food Establishment Plan Review: 2026: new construction $1,008 base fee (4 hours) plus $252 per hour after 4 hours; remodel or multiple reviews $756 base fee (3 hours) plus $252 per hour after 3 hours; resubmitted plan review $252 per hour, billable; subsequent preoccupancy or field plan review $504 base fee (2 hours) plus $252 per hour after 2 hours; changes to mobile and limited food service establishments $504 plus $252 per hour after 2 hours. The Board of Health Code carries 2024 equivalents: new construction $972 plus $243/hour after 4 hours; remodel $729 plus $243/hour after 3 hours.

Food Business Permit — Permanent Food Establishment (annual): $441–$1,386 a year, by establishment type, seats and risk category (2026 schedule); plan review charged separately

Conditional Use Permit: $6,487–$18,106 per application by category: residential or home industry $6,487; commercial $13,266; industrial, institutional or other $18,106 (2026)

Novelty Amusement Device / Pool Table / Public Amusement Licenses: $50–$500 novelty amusement device $100 per device a year, except a shuffleboard at $50 per year (KCC 6.04.180); pool or billiard table $100 per table, $500 maximum per establishment; public place of amusement (live music, arcade, pool hall, bowling alley, skating rink) $200 a year, $100 per six months or $50 per night

Food Establishment Permit: $240–$1,386 a year, set by the local health jurisdiction — there is no state fee

The other 7 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the King County permits page and the WA state page.

Which offices issue these permits in King County?

Permits for a restaurant in King County, WA come from 8 separate offices: King County Department of Local Services, Permitting Division, Public Health – Seattle & King County, Environmental Health Services (pet business, water recreation, on-site sewage, and plumbing & gas piping programs), King County Fire Marshal's Office (Permitting Division), with delegated fire districts for operational-permit inspection, King County Wastewater Treatment Division, Industrial Waste Program, Public Health – Seattle & King County, Environmental Health Services, Food and Facilities Program, Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division, Washington State Department of Revenue, Business Licensing Service, Washington State Department of Health, Food Safety Program. 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 King County that other businesses do not?

Food Business Permit — Permanent Food Establishment (annual)

Every restaurant, cafe and other permanent food business in King County needs an annual food business permit from Public Health – Seattle & King County, whether it sits in Seattle, a suburban city or the unincorporated area, because Public Health is the county-wide regulatory authority. The 2026 fee depends on establishment type, seat count and menu risk: a general food service business pays $441 at Risk 1 (cold holding, prepackaged food, espresso), $693-$945 at Risk 2 (limited preparation) and $945-$1,386 at Risk 3 (cooking with cooling, reheating or hot holding), rising with seats (0-12, 13-50, 51-150, 151-250, over 250). Bakeries without seating pay $567-$945, grocery stores without seating $441-$819, caterers $567-$945. The Board of Health Code table still carries 2024 amounts ($425 to $1,337) because the Director re-posts a new schedule every December 31; the 2026 schedule is the current fee. The permit year runs April 1 to March 31 with quarterly first-year proration, and late payment adds 10% to 30% depending on how late. Plan review is charged separately (recorded below) and is required before construction, remodel or change of ownership; a pre-operational inspection is required before opening. A food business on septic needs Public Health septic approval and, in Seattle, Clyde Hill or the unincorporated area, a Public Health plumbing permit if plumbing changes. Some very limited operations — hot beverages that are only non-TCS foods such as coffee or tea, and prepackaged non-TCS foods — need no permit at all. Alcohol is licensed by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board, not the County. Call 206-263-9566.

Shared with other businesses in King County

  • Fire Code Operational Permit (annual, unincorporated King County) — King County Fire Marshal's Office (Permitting Division), with delegated fire districts for operational-permit inspection, $171 per code item, initial permit; renewal $114 per item; building occupancy inspection $419 per building per site visit (2026), annual. Also required for retail stores, childcare centres, fitness studios, auto repair shops, veterinary clinics and salons and barbers; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
  • Industrial Waste Discharge Permit / Authorization — King County Wastewater Treatment Division, Industrial Waste Program, $750–$12,000 issuance fee per permit or authorization, new/renewal/revision, by type: Letter of Authorization $1,500/$1,125/$750; Minor Discharge Authorization $2,000/$1,500/$1,000; Major Discharge Authorization $3,000/$2,250/$1,500; Permit Level A/B/C $6,000/$4,500/$3,000, $8,000/$6,000/$4,000, $12,000/$9,000/$6,000; plus an annual compliance monitoring and administration fee by tier and a high-strength surcharge of $0.4890 per pound of BOD and $0.5675 per pound of TSS (effective January 1, 2026), permit or authorization lasts up to five years. Also required for auto repair shops; what it involves is set out on the auto repair shops page.
  • Food Establishment Plan Review — Public Health – Seattle & King County, Environmental Health Services, Food and Facilities Program, 2026: new construction $1,008 base fee (4 hours) plus $252 per hour after 4 hours; remodel or multiple reviews $756 base fee (3 hours) plus $252 per hour after 3 hours; resubmitted plan review $252 per hour, billable; subsequent preoccupancy or field plan review $504 base fee (2 hours) plus $252 per hour after 2 hours; changes to mobile and limited food service establishments $504 plus $252 per hour after 2 hours. The Board of Health Code carries 2024 equivalents: new construction $972 plus $243/hour after 4 hours; remodel $729 plus $243/hour after 3 hours., one-time per project. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
  • Conditional Use Permit — King County Department of Local Services, Permitting Division, $6,487–$18,106 per application by category: residential or home industry $6,487; commercial $13,266; industrial, institutional or other $18,106 (2026), one-time. Also required for retail stores, childcare centres, fitness studios, auto repair shops, veterinary clinics and salons and barbers; what it involves is set out on the fitness studios page.
  • Fire Systems Permit — Commercial Cooking (kitchen hood) Suppression System — King County Fire Marshal's Office (Permitting Division), with delegated fire districts for operational-permit inspection, $3,298 per system, in two parts: $1,587 plan review plus $1,711 inspection (2026), one-time. Also required for coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
  • Zoning Variance — King County Department of Local Services, Permitting Division, $13,266 per variance review (2026); extension of approval $483, one-time. Also required for retail stores, childcare centres, fitness studios, auto repair shops, veterinary clinics and salons and barbers; what it involves is set out on the auto repair shops page.
  • Novelty Amusement Device / Pool Table / Public Amusement Licenses — King County Department of Local Services, Permitting Division, $50–$500 novelty amusement device $100 per device a year, except a shuffleboard at $50 per year (KCC 6.04.180); pool or billiard table $100 per table, $500 maximum per establishment; public place of amusement (live music, arcade, pool hall, bowling alley, skating rink) $200 a year, $100 per six months or $50 per night, calendar year (novelty devices, January 1); pool tables one year from application; public amusement per year, six months or one night. Also required for fitness studios; what it involves is set out on the fitness studios page.
  • Food Establishment Permit — Washington State Department of Health, Food Safety Program, $240–$1,386 a year, set by the local health jurisdiction — there is no state fee, annual, on a cycle the local jurisdiction sets. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
  • Food Worker Card — Washington State Department of Health, Food Safety Program, $10 per card, 2 years first time, 3 on renewal, 5 with extra food safety training. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.

The other 9 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in King County, WA; what each one involves is set out on the King County permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across WA and are covered on the WA state page.

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

The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 5 of these permits. A restaurant also needs Fire Code Operational Permit (annual, unincorporated King County), Industrial Waste Discharge Permit / Authorization, Conditional Use Permit and 2 more. A coffee shop needs Food Business Permit — Espresso / Coffee Shop (Risk 1) and Mobile Food Unit Permit (food truck, cart, trailer, kiosk), which a restaurant does not.

Permits particular to each business type in King County, WA, compared with a restaurant
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a restaurantOnly a restaurant needsOnly it needs
Coffee shops7552
Fitness studios7463
Auto repair shops8464
Childcare centres6373
Food trucks6373
Veterinary clinics7374
Salons and barbers8375
Retail stores9376
Contractors and trades70107

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, auto repair shops page, coffee shops page and fitness studios page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the King County permits page and the WA state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. Public Health — Seattle and King County, food and facilities programme fees 2026Public Health — Seattle and King County · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  2. Board of Health Code Title 2, 'Officers and Administration,' UPDATED January 14, 2026 (chs. 2.06, 2.10 food, 2.13 pet business, 2.18 on-site sewage, 2.20 pools); fee tables last amended by R&R 24-04 (2024)King County Board of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-27
  3. Board of Health Code Title 5, 'Food Establishments' (King County Food Code), UPDATED March 14, 2025 — §5.02.025 adopts WAC 246-215; §5.34.030 mobile units; §5.64.010 risk categoriesKing County Board of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-27
  4. WAC 246-215-08300 — permit required to operate a food establishmentWashington State Department of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  5. Food business permits (permit types)Public Health – Seattle & King County · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-27
  6. Environmental Health Services fees (index of all 2026 program fee PDFs)Public Health – Seattle & King County · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-27

Related

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