Restaurant permits — Oregon

What permits do I need to open a restaurant in Oregon?

The stack below is the state framework: the food permit, who issues it, whether plan review stands in front of your build-out, and the certificate layer for your team. Where Oregon hands a number to your county, the page says so and names the office — that honesty is the product.

The Oregon stack

ItemDetail
Restaurant / food establishment licenseIssued at state-or-county level. Fee: Set by the issuing office — Oregon Health Authority sets the statewide rules and county health departments license and inspect — the county sets the license fee, so there is no single state fee..
Plan reviewRequired before build-out — drawings first, construction second.
Certificate of occupancyCertificate of occupancy / certificate of use from the local building department is usually required before the food permit is issued; confirm zoning allows a restaurant use first.
Fire & signsFire inspection, fire-suppression (hood/Ansul) sign-off, and sign permits are separate and issued locally by the fire marshal and city/county — never part of the state food permit.
Grease / wastewaterGrease interceptor/trap sizing and approval is local (building/plumbing or wastewater); many cities also require a FOG (fats, oils, grease) permit and service records.

The opening sequence

Submit plans for plan review if new or remodeled → apply for the food establishment permit/license → pass pre-opening inspection → receive permit before opening

Certificates in Oregon

Food handler cards: mandated statewide — All food handlers, within 30 days of starting, valid 3 years. Typical cost $5–$10.

Certified Food Protection Manager: no statewide CFPM mandate — Oregon currently requires the person in charge to demonstrate knowledge; a new certified manager rule phases in during 2028–2029 per FoodHandlerGear's Oregon manager guide — do not budget a CFPM exam as a current statewide mandate.

Don't read the table — run your verdict. This stack, ordered for your format and space — plus the Cert Checker for your exact team.

Open the Permit Stack Checker

The paperwork, filled in for you

Included in the $49 Opening Pack: the filled templates, trackers, calendars and worksheets for this door — built from the same dated datasets as the free checker above.

See the $49 Opening Pack

Common questions

How much is a food permit in Oregon?

The fee is set by the issuing office in Oregon — Oregon Health Authority sets the statewide rules and county health departments license and inspect — the county sets the license fee, so there is no single state fee. Anyone quoting you a single statewide number is guessing.

Who issues the food permit in Oregon?

At state-or-county level — the Restaurant / food establishment license comes from there, and that office runs your pre-opening inspection.

Sources: ORS 624.570 via FoodHandlerGear checked table; FoodHandlersLicense.com Oregon row. This row was verified against the primary source named below.. Dataset checked October 23, 2026. Where a fee or rule is set by a county or city, this page says so instead of guessing a number.