Retail Food Permits: Background and Fee List

Retail food establishments in Kentucky are required to have permits to operate and must pay applicable fees upon applying for them. Such establishments are divided into two broad categories based on the type of operation involved. Those categorized as food service establishments such as restaurants, have fees assessed based upon one or more of several factors including the number of seats present at the facility, whether or not a drive through window is utilized and whether or not catering of foods is done. For those categorized as retail food stores (grocery stores), fees are determined by the amount of area associated with the food sales operation.  Establishments having both a food service and a retail food store operation will be issued one permit to cover both operations but will be required to pay the fees applicable to each. The fees are as follows:

Food Service Establishment Permit Fees

Fees that all Food Service Establishment operators must pay based upon seating for a permit to operate*

Additional fees to be paid by Food Service Establishment operators when applicable

Retail Food Store (Grocery Store) Permit Fees 

Permit fees that all Retail Food Stores must pay based upon area of operation for a permit to operate

* The seating number is based upon the actual number of seats present at the establishment that are regularly offered for use by patrons. Optional outdoor seating is not counted as part of the seating number. Outdoor seating where customers are seated and served is counted as part of the seating number.

Click here to download the retail food establishment permit form (Adobe Acrobat is required to view this form. Click here to download Acrobat.).

See the timeline for opening a new retail food establishment.