10 permits · verified 2026-10-06
What permits do you need to open a restaurant in Spokane County?
In short
A restaurant in Spokane County, WA has 4 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 6 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division charges $180 one-time filing on paper; $200 online for the articles of incorporation. 4 of the 10 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-06 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a restaurant in Spokane County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary Food Establishment (TFE) Permit and Large-Event Organizer Feeonly if it applies to you | Spokane Regional Health District, Food Safety Program | 2026 fee schedule, per permit by food-handling level and duration (21 days or less): Level 1 — 1 day $120, 2 to 4 days $140, 5 to 21 days $160, annual/recurring $180. Level 2 — 1 day $325, 2 to 4 days $350, 5 to 21 days $375, annual/recurring $400, repeat/additional $300. Level 3 — 1 day $400, 2 to 4 days $425, 5 to 21 days $450, recurring $520, repeat/additional $400. Event organizer fee per event: $500 for 20 to 39 food vendors; $1,250 for 40 or more food vendors. | per event (21 days or less), or annual/recurring permit | 2026-10-06 |
| Food Establishment Permit (annual) | Spokane Regional Health District, Food Safety Program | $150–$850 a year by establishment type (2026 fee schedule): micromarket $150, concession stand $240, meat and fish shop $250, basic $290, school cafeteria $300, limited $380, seasonal complex $425, complex restaurant $850; caterer $570 with an approved catering kitchen or $260 with a supplemental kitchen | annual (SRHD lists each food establishment permit as due 'Annually') | 2026-10-06 |
| 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 | 2026-09-03 |
| 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 | 2026-09-03 |
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 Spokane County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| On-Site Sewage (Septic) System Application and Permitonly if it applies to you | Spokane Regional Health District, Environmental Public Health (water recreation facilities and on-site sewage programs) | Varies — formula on the Spokane County page | renewable permits for one or three years once installed, depending on the system type; inspection and maintenance required before renewal | 2026-10-06 |
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
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division | $180 one-time filing on paper; $200 online | no expiry, but a $70 annual report is due each year | 2026-09-03 |
| Reseller Permitonly if it applies to you | Washington State Department of Revenue, Business Licensing Service | No fee | 4 years, or 2 in defined circumstances | 2026-09-03 |
| Certificate of Formation (LLC)only if it applies to you | Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division | $180 one-time filing on paper; $200 online | no expiry, but a $70 annual report is due each year | 2026-09-03 |
| Annual Reportonly if it applies to you | Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division | $70 a year | annual — due the last day of the month the entity was formed or registered | 2026-09-03 |
| Washington State Business License | Washington State Department of Revenue, Business Licensing Service | $50 to open, plus each endorsement's own fee; $5 a year to renew | annual — one expiration date governs every endorsement on the license | 2026-09-03 |
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 Spokane County?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 10 records listed for a restaurant in Spokane County, WA, 4 apply to every business of this type and 6 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 4 that always apply, 2 carry a flat fee, coming to $60.00. That is a floor, not a total. 4 of the 10 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 1 has no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
Temporary Food Establishment (TFE) Permit and Large-Event Organizer Fee: 2026 fee schedule, per permit by food-handling level and duration (21 days or less): Level 1 — 1 day $120, 2 to 4 days $140, 5 to 21 days $160, annual/recurring $180. Level 2 — 1 day $325, 2 to 4 days $350, 5 to 21 days $375, annual/recurring $400, repeat/additional $300. Level 3 — 1 day $400, 2 to 4 days $425, 5 to 21 days $450, recurring $520, repeat/additional $400. Event organizer fee per event: $500 for 20 to 39 food vendors; $1,250 for 40 or more food vendors.
Food Establishment Permit (annual): $150–$850 a year by establishment type (2026 fee schedule): micromarket $150, concession stand $240, meat and fish shop $250, basic $290, school cafeteria $300, limited $380, seasonal complex $425, complex restaurant $850; caterer $570 with an approved catering kitchen or $260 with a supplemental kitchen
Food Establishment Permit: $240–$1,386 a year, set by the local health jurisdiction — there is no state fee
The other 1 variable fee belongs to permits that apply to every type of business here; its formula is set out on the Spokane County permits page and the WA state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Spokane County?
Permits for a restaurant in Spokane County, WA come from 5 separate offices: Spokane Regional Health District, Food Safety Program, Spokane Regional Health District, Environmental Public Health (water recreation facilities and on-site sewage programs), 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.
- Spokane Regional Health District, Food Safety ProgramIssues 2 permits on this page: Temporary Food Establishment (TFE) Permit and Large-Event Organizer Fee, Food Establishment Permit (annual)1101 W. College Ave., Spokane, WA 99201 · 509-324-1560 ext. 2 (Food Safety); 509-324-1601 (card payments)srhd.org/programs-and-services/foodsafety/fees
- Spokane Regional Health District, Environmental Public Health (water recreation facilities and on-site sewage programs)Issues 1 permit on this page: On-Site Sewage (Septic) System Application and Permit1101 W. College Ave., Spokane, WA 99201 · 509-324-1560 ext. 1 (on-site sewage); 509-324-1500 (main)srhd.org/programs-and-services/oss/new-systems-or-changes-to-existing
- Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities DivisionIssues 3 permits on this page: Articles of Incorporation, Certificate of Formation (LLC), Annual ReportPO Box 40234, Olympia, WA 98504-0234 · (360) 725-0377www.sos.wa.gov/corporations-charities/business-entities
- Washington State Department of Revenue, Business Licensing ServiceIssues 2 permits on this page: Reseller Permit, Washington State Business LicensePO Box 9034, Olympia, WA 98507-9034 · (360) 705-6705dor.wa.gov/open-business/apply-business-license
- Washington State Department of Health, Food Safety ProgramIssues 2 permits on this page: Food Establishment Permit, Food Worker Card(360) 236-4700doh.wa.gov/community-and-environment/food
What does a restaurant need in Spokane County that other businesses do not?
Shared with other businesses in Spokane County
- Temporary Food Establishment (TFE) Permit and Large-Event Organizer Fee — Spokane Regional Health District, Food Safety Program, 2026 fee schedule, per permit by food-handling level and duration (21 days or less): Level 1 — 1 day $120, 2 to 4 days $140, 5 to 21 days $160, annual/recurring $180. Level 2 — 1 day $325, 2 to 4 days $350, 5 to 21 days $375, annual/recurring $400, repeat/additional $300. Level 3 — 1 day $400, 2 to 4 days $425, 5 to 21 days $450, recurring $520, repeat/additional $400. Event organizer fee per event: $500 for 20 to 39 food vendors; $1,250 for 40 or more food vendors., per event (21 days or less), or annual/recurring permit. Also required for food trucks and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
- Food Establishment Permit (annual) — Spokane Regional Health District, Food Safety Program, $150–$850 a year by establishment type (2026 fee schedule): micromarket $150, concession stand $240, meat and fish shop $250, basic $290, school cafeteria $300, limited $380, seasonal complex $425, complex restaurant $850; caterer $570 with an approved catering kitchen or $260 with a supplemental kitchen, annual (SRHD lists each food establishment permit as due 'Annually'). Also required for coffee shops and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the retail stores 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 1 local permit in the tables apply to every type of business in Spokane County, WA; what each one involves is set out on the Spokane 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 Spokane County?
A restaurant and a coffee shop in Spokane County, WA need exactly the same 4 permits beyond the ones every business needs.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a restaurant | Only a restaurant needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee shops | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Food trucks | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Retail stores | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Auto repair shops | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Childcare centres | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Contractors and trades | 3 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| Fitness studios | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Salons and barbers | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Veterinary clinics | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
Sources
Sources for the permits shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the coffee shops page and retail stores page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Spokane County permits page and the WA state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.