Restaurant permits — Colorado
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 Colorado hands a number to your county, the page says so and names the office — that honesty is the product.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Retail food establishment license | Issued at county level. Fee: Set by the issuing office — No single state fee — fee set by your county environmental health office (or city health department) and usually scaled by seats, risk class, or square footage. Confirm the current schedule with that office before budgeting. Colorado licenses through county/tri-county health departments; the City and County of Denver runs its own program.. |
| Plan review | Required before build-out — drawings first, construction second. |
| Certificate of occupancy | Certificate 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 & signs | Fire 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 / wastewater | Grease interceptor/trap sizing and approval is local (building/plumbing or wastewater); many cities also require a FOG (fats, oils, grease) permit and service records. |
Submit plans for plan review if new or remodeled → apply for the food establishment permit/license → pass pre-opening inspection → receive permit before opening
Food handler cards: no statewide mandate; local rules can still apply.
Certified Food Protection Manager: required — Certified food protection manager present during all hours of operation at most establishments. Accredited exam cost runs $36–$175. Rule applies from March 1, 2025 outside Denver; Denver has its own person-in-charge rules — confirm with your county.
Don't read the table — run your verdict. This stack, ordered for your format and space — plus the Cert Checker for your exact team.
Colorado, every door: Colorado hub · sell from home in Colorado · Colorado restaurant permits · Colorado liquor license · what it costs · your Opening Map
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.
The fee is set by the issuing office in Colorado — No single state fee — fee set by your county environmental health office (or city health department) and usually scaled by seats, risk class, or square footage. Confirm the current schedule with that office before budgeting. Colorado licenses through county/tri-county health departments; the City and County of Denver runs its own program. Anyone quoting you a single statewide number is guessing.
At county level — the Retail food establishment license comes from there, and that office runs your pre-opening inspection.
Sources: FoodHandlerGear Colorado guide; Trust20 Colorado state requirements (compiled). This row was compiled from the named sources; confirm final figures with the issuing office before you rely on them.. 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.