Annual Food Permits

Fixed Food Establishment refers to many types of establishments that operate in a single, permanent location, such as sit-down and fast-food restaurants, school cafeterias, grocery stores, or convenience stores.

A fixed food establishment with multiple service areas or operations will be issued a base permit for the highest-risk food operation. A surcharge will be applied for establishments with additional service areas, a catering endorsement, a drive-up window, and for very large establishments with greater than 75 seats in the dining areas.

Properties with multiple food establishments in distinct buildings on the property will require a separate plan review and base permit for each structure. 

Mobile units are moveable food establishments that operate under an annual permit and include food trucks, trailers, and carts. Booth-style food vending is not allowed under a mobile unit. All food and equipment necessary for operating the mobile unit must be on the vehicle or cart. This includes refrigerators, cooking equipment, and handwashing sinks.

Food trucks or trailers that are boarded must also have approval from the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I). Visit L&I's Food Truck page to learn more about their requirements.

Mobile units currently permitted with another Washington health department may be eligible for Plan Review Reciprocity. Review the Reciprocity application linked below for more information on eligibility.

All mobile units must either maintain an agreement with an approved commissary or have an approved commissary waiver on file. Any permitted food establishment with the capacity and equipment can act as a commissary. This agreement must be renewed every year and submitted with your renewal applicaiton.

If you are in one location for one hour or longer, staff must have access to adequate restrooms within 500 feet. If you have on-site dining, you must also have restrooms for customers within 200 feet. You must maintain a written restroom agreement for each service location and update the agreement every year.

Caterers can serve food outside their permitted restaurant at private events, such as weddings, corporate retreats, or parties. Caterers need a separate temporary food establishment permit to serve per-order at a public event, such as a fair or festival.

A fixed food establishment can offer catering as an approved endorsement on their permit, or an independent caterer may use a commissary kitchen to prepare food. Catering does not include food delivery services and large pick-up or drop-off orders.

Use the Fixed Establishment Plan Review application to apply for a catering permit.

Micro markets and vending machines with food that requires time or temperature control for safety require plan review & permit for each point of sale.

You can find additional information on best practices for unattended markets in the Guidance Document for Unattended Food Establishments published by the Conference for Food Protection (CFP).

Use the Fixed Food Establishment plan review packet to apply for a plan review. If you will not have food workers on-site during all hours the market is accessible to customers, please include the Unattended Food Establishment variance application with your packet.

A Donated Food Distributing Organization (DFDO) is a not-for-profit organization that distributes food to the needy free of charge. This includes food banks, food pantries, and similar organizations. The WA Department of Health has Guidelines for Charity Food Donation on their website.

To apply for a DFDO permit, you must fill out a plan review application and provide proof of 501(c) status, such as an IRS determination letter, with your application. Unincorporated organizations may also include a letter from a sponsoring 501(c) organization.

You must obtain a regular Food Establishment permit if you are selling otherwise requiring compensation for the food you serve. For occasional community events, such as a spaghetti feed or salmon barbecue, you may apply for a Temporary Food Establishment Permit.

Not-for-profit organizations may also occasionally sell wrapped baked goods that don't require time or temperature control for safety. Review these Guidelines for Charity Bake Sales for food safety requirements for these sales.

This plan review type is for simple changes in ownership where the new owner is keeping the menu, equipment, and operations exactly the same. We will issue an Interim Operating Permit when you submit your plan review packet and you may keep operating during the review process.

The new owner must apply for a change in ownership plan review BEFORE the transition and the previous owner must have a valid, unexpired permit.

Apply for a Tier 2 Plan Review if you:

• Are making substantial changes to your menu, operations, or facility
• Are taking over a previously permitted establishment that has been closed for less than 1 year

Examples of projects that require a Tier 2 plan review include:

• Adding an outdoor cooking area
• Changing your kitchen flooring material, such as replacing quarry tile with epoxy
• Going from serving prepackaged sandwiches or burritos to assembling them yourself

Apply for a Tier 3 Plan Review if you are:

• Taking over food establishment that has been closed for more than 1 year
• Building a new building
• Converting an existing building into a retail food establishment
• Substantially demolishing an existing building to studs and reconstructing

You may not operate the food establishment until you have passed the permitting inspection and paid for your permit.

You need to apply for a Change in Ownership plan review. Download the appropriate Fixed or Mobile plan review application below. 

The review process takes 1-2 months, and your inspector will contact you by email. Once your plans are approved, the inspector will schedule a permitting inspection with you to verify that all your equipment is installed properly.

One you pass the permitting inspection, you can apply for your annual operating permit.

You will need to submit a permit application every year in order to renew your operating permit. You will be sent an invoice and copy of the current permit application form approximately one month before your permit expires. All food establishments must maintain a current operating permit.

We accept plan review applications electronically or on paper.

Electronic submissions:

• Email your application to EH@skagitcountywa.gov.
• If your application is too large to email, please contact us to arrange a file sharing link.
• You can pay for your application over the phone using a credit or debit card. Please call 360-416-1500 ext 0 to make a payment.

Paper submissions:

• Mail or deliver your complete packet to our office
• You can mail a check or request us to call you for a credit or debit card payment over the phone.
• We accept cash, check, money order, or card payments in the office