14 permits · verified 2026-10-26
What permits do you need to open a restaurant in Yakima County?
In short
A restaurant in Yakima County, WA has 5 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 9 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Yakima Health District, Environmental Health charges $54 per event, up to 21 days of service at one location (2026 fees, through 12/31/2026); $50 late fee for applications submitted within 7 days of the event for the temporary food establishment permit (single event). 6 of the 14 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-26 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a restaurant in Yakima County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Establishment License (Risk Level 1, 2 or 3) | Yakima Health District, Environmental Health | $118–$662 2026 fees, through 12/31/2026: new application Level 1 $261, Level 2 $486, Level 3 $662; annual license or renewal Level 1 $118, Level 2 $299, Level 3 $431; Catering/Event-Vending endorsement add-on $180 | annual (YHD: 'Annual renewal') | 2026-10-26 |
| Temporary Food Establishment Permit (single event)only if it applies to you | Yakima Health District, Environmental Health | $54 per event, up to 21 days of service at one location (2026 fees, through 12/31/2026); $50 late fee for applications submitted within 7 days of the event | per event (up to 21 days of service for a single event at one location) | 2026-10-26 |
| Seasonal Food Permit (farmers and flea markets, concessions)only if it applies to you | Yakima Health District, Environmental Health | $116–$348 per season of up to 6 months, by hazard level (2026 fees, through 12/31/2026): Low Hazard (Level 1) $116, Moderate Hazard (Level 2) $232, High Hazard (Level 3) $348 | one season: up to 2 days per week for up to 6 months at the same location | 2026-10-26 |
| Fire Code Construction Permit — Hood and Duct Fire-Extinguishing System (IFC 105.7.1)only if it applies to you | Yakima County Fire Marshal's Office | $45.90 plus $1.25 per head/device ('Sec 105.7.1 Hood and Duct Fire Extinguishing System', Yakima County Building and Construction Fees 2026 schedule effective 1/1/2026, p.11); where plans are required, plan review is 65% of the permit fee, in addition; additional plan review $91.60 per hour | per installation | 2026-10-26 |
| Liquor License — County Notice and Objection (locations outside city limits)only if it applies to you | Yakima County Board of County Commissioners (county legislative authority) | No fee | not applicable — the state license carries its own term | 2026-10-26 |
| 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 Yakima County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fire & Life Safety (FLS) Inspection Permit | Yakima County Fire Marshal's Office | Varies — formula on the Yakima County page | annual inspection (the Fire Marshal's Office 'conducts annual Fire and Life Safety Inspections for businesses') | 2026-10-26 |
| Building Permit and Plan Review (Table 1-A)only if it applies to you | Yakima County Public Services, Building & Fire Safety | Varies — formula on the Yakima County page | per project | 2026-10-26 |
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 Yakima County?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 14 records listed for a restaurant in Yakima County, WA, 5 apply to every business of this type and 9 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. 6 of the 14 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:
Food Establishment License (Risk Level 1, 2 or 3): $118–$662 2026 fees, through 12/31/2026: new application Level 1 $261, Level 2 $486, Level 3 $662; annual license or renewal Level 1 $118, Level 2 $299, Level 3 $431; Catering/Event-Vending endorsement add-on $180
Seasonal Food Permit (farmers and flea markets, concessions): $116–$348 per season of up to 6 months, by hazard level (2026 fees, through 12/31/2026): Low Hazard (Level 1) $116, Moderate Hazard (Level 2) $232, High Hazard (Level 3) $348
Fire Code Construction Permit — Hood and Duct Fire-Extinguishing System (IFC 105.7.1): $45.90 plus $1.25 per head/device ('Sec 105.7.1 Hood and Duct Fire Extinguishing System', Yakima County Building and Construction Fees 2026 schedule effective 1/1/2026, p.11); where plans are required, plan review is 65% of the permit fee, in addition; additional plan review $91.60 per hour
Food Establishment Permit: $240–$1,386 a year, set by the local health jurisdiction — there is no state fee
The other 2 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Yakima County permits page and the WA state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Yakima County?
Permits for a restaurant in Yakima County, WA come from 7 separate offices: Yakima Health District, Environmental Health, Yakima County Fire Marshal's Office, Yakima County Public Services, Building & Fire Safety, Yakima County Board of County Commissioners (county legislative authority), 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.
- Yakima Health District, Environmental HealthIssues 3 permits on this page: Food Establishment License (Risk Level 1, 2 or 3), Temporary Food Establishment Permit (single event), Seasonal Food Permit (farmers and flea markets, concessions)1210 Ahtanum Ridge Drive, Union Gap, WA 98903 · (509) 249-6508 (EH Help Desk); (509) 575-4040 (main)www.yakimacounty.us/3073/Food-Permits
- Yakima County Fire Marshal's OfficeIssues 2 permits on this page: Fire & Life Safety (FLS) Inspection Permit, Fire Code Construction Permit — Hood and Duct Fire-Extinguishing System (IFC 105.7.1)128 North 2nd Street, 4th Floor, Courthouse, Yakima, WA 98901 · (509) 574-2300www.yakimacounty.us/1180/Fire-Marshals-Office
- Yakima County Public Services, Building & Fire SafetyIssues 1 permit on this page: Building Permit and Plan Review (Table 1-A)128 North 2nd Street, 4th Floor, Courthouse, Yakima, WA 98901 · (509) 574-2300www.yakimacounty.us/446/Building-Fire-Safety-Division
- Yakima County Board of County Commissioners (county legislative authority)Issues 1 permit on this page: Liquor License — County Notice and Objection (locations outside city limits)www.yakimacounty.us
- 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 Yakima County that other businesses do not?
1 of the 7 permits particular to a restaurant here applies to no other business type we cover in Yakima County: Fire Code Construction Permit — Hood and Duct Fire-Extinguishing System (IFC 105.7.1).
Fire Code Construction Permit — Hood and Duct Fire-Extinguishing System (IFC 105.7.1)
A restaurant installing a fire-extinguishing system over its cooking hood and ducts in unincorporated Yakima County needs a fire code construction permit. The Yakima County Code 13.24 fee schedule (Building and Construction Fees, effective 1/1/2026) lists 'Sec 105.7.1 Hood and Duct Fire Extinguishing System' at $45.90 plus $1.25 per head or device. When plans or other data must be submitted, a plan review fee of 65% of the permit fee is paid at submittal, in addition to the permit fee, and additional plan review for incomplete or changed plans is $91.60 per hour with a one-hour minimum. The county program description places the Building and Fire Safety codes over 'all buildings and structures in unincorporated Yakima County'; a restaurant inside a city works with that city. The schedule provides for annual adjustment, so confirm the current amount with Building & Fire Safety at (509) 574-2300.
Shared with other businesses in Yakima County
- Food Establishment License (Risk Level 1, 2 or 3) — Yakima Health District, Environmental Health, $118–$662 2026 fees, through 12/31/2026: new application Level 1 $261, Level 2 $486, Level 3 $662; annual license or renewal Level 1 $118, Level 2 $299, Level 3 $431; Catering/Event-Vending endorsement add-on $180, annual (YHD: 'Annual renewal'). Also required for coffee shops and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
- Temporary Food Establishment Permit (single event) — Yakima Health District, Environmental Health, $54 per event, up to 21 days of service at one location (2026 fees, through 12/31/2026); $50 late fee for applications submitted within 7 days of the event, per event (up to 21 days of service for a single event at one location). Also required for food trucks and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
- Seasonal Food Permit (farmers and flea markets, concessions) — Yakima Health District, Environmental Health, $116–$348 per season of up to 6 months, by hazard level (2026 fees, through 12/31/2026): Low Hazard (Level 1) $116, Moderate Hazard (Level 2) $232, High Hazard (Level 3) $348, one season: up to 2 days per week for up to 6 months at the same location. Also required for food trucks and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
- Liquor License — County Notice and Objection (locations outside city limits) — Yakima County Board of County Commissioners (county legislative authority), No fee, not applicable — the state license carries its own term. Also required for 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 2 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Yakima County, WA; what each one involves is set out on the Yakima 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 Yakima County?
The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 5 of these permits. A restaurant also needs Fire Code Construction Permit — Hood and Duct Fire-Extinguishing System (IFC 105.7.1) and Liquor License — County Notice and Objection (locations outside city limits). A coffee shop needs nothing here that a restaurant does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a restaurant | Only a restaurant needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee shops | 5 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| Food trucks | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Retail stores | 2 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| Auto repair shops | 2 | 0 | 7 | 2 |
| Childcare centres | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| Contractors and trades | 3 | 0 | 7 | 3 |
| Fitness studios | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| Salons and barbers | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| Veterinary clinics | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
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, food trucks page and retail stores page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Yakima County permits page and the WA state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- Yakima County Code Title 13.24, Building and Construction Fees; Effective 1/1/2026 (Building & Fire Fees 2026 Schedule)Yakima County Public Services, Building & Fire Safety · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-26
- Permit Services (Building and Fire Safety) program descriptionYakima County · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-26
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.