Retail Food Establishments
The Steuben County Health Department requires that nearly all restaurants apply and obtain a Food Establishment Permit prior to operating a food service within Steuben County, Indiana. There are several requirements involved regarding opening and operating a food service in Steuben County. The department encourages all retail food operators to contact the Steuben County Health Department promptly to ensure the development and operation of your food establishment occurs in a timely manner. Please call the office to speak to an environmental health specialist for additional information.
The Steuben County Health Department must be contacted PRIOR to any remodeling, change of ownership or changes in menu or equipment occur within a Food Establishment.
License Fees for Food Establishments
An annual license fee shall be levied upon each food establishment for the purpose of enforcing and paying the expense of the inspection program. License fees shall be paid annually, or for such lesser period as hereafter specified in accordance with the following classifications.
Limited Food Establishment
Cost: $40.00 per year
Includes those establishments serving ONLY popcorn, fountain pop, and other non-potentially hazardous pre-packaged foods.
Food Establishment
Cost: $100.00 per year
Includes all other establishments that do not fall under the "limited food establishment" definition.
Bed & Breakfast
Cost: $50.00 per year
Includes all operator occupied residences that provides sleeping accommodations to the public for a fee and provides only breakfast to its guests as part of the fee.
Annual Mobile Unit (Food Service or Retail Food)
Cost: $50.00 per year
Includes food service establishments operating from a vehicle or watercraft in which all operations are carried out within the unit and which have access to a licensed commissary as specified in the "Operational Criteria for Mobile Food Establishments" for Steuben County.
Temporary Food Establishment
Cost: $20.00 per day (not to exceed $80.00 for any one continuous event)
Includes food establishments that operate at a fixed location for a period of time not to exceed 14 consecutive days in conjunction with a single event or celebration as specified in the "Operational Criteria for Mobile Food Establishments" for Steuben County.
Vending Operations
Cost: $5.00 per qualifying machine per year
Includes any self-service device which, upon insertion of coin, coins or tokens, or by other similar means, dispenses unit servings of food, wither in bulk or in packages, without the necessity of replenishing the device between each vending operation.
Plan Review
Cost: $50.00 (per review)
All plan reviews as required by Steuben County Ordinance No. 743 for the extensive remodeling of an existing food establishment, or the construction of a new establishment.
Late Fees
Cost: $20.00 per day
All annual license or permit fees are due upon application for renewal received and/or postmarked no later than the 31st day of December of the year of expiration of the current license or permit. Payments and/or applications postmarked after that date are subject to the late fee.
Food Protection Forms are available on the Documents page.
Please send a request on the Contact Us page for any forms needed.
For suspected food-borne illness or complaint on a retail food establishment, please use the following link to file a complaint. Please click here for the submission form.