Food Facility Permit & Pre-Opening Inspection — Los Angeles County
Every restaurant operating in the City of Los Angeles must hold a Public Health Permit issued by LA County after a passing pre-opening inspection.
What it is. The Public Health Permit (permit to operate) that legally authorizes a food facility to open, issued after a passing inspection.
Who issues it. Los Angeles County Department of Public Health — Environmental Health (County layer).
When you need it. Before opening, and to continue operating. Purchasing an existing restaurant with no major construction: contact the nearest district office to obtain/transfer the permit.
How to apply. After plan check (if applicable) and all building/LADBS approvals, request the EH final inspection; the permit is issued after the inspection passes and the fee is paid.
Fees. Per the DPH fee schedule — see source (⟢ VERIFY current amount).
Renewal. Annual — see the separate renewal article.
What SpoonSeal tracks. The document(s) you upload for this requirement, with automatic renewal/expiration tracking (Current, Due Soon, Expired). Where the city publishes health-inspection results (e.g., NYC and Chicago), SpoonSeal syncs them automatically; elsewhere they can be added manually.
References
- Los Angeles County DPH — Environmental Health, How to Obtain a Restaurant (Food Facility) Permit — https://publichealth.lacounty.gov/eh/inspection/how-to-obtain-restaurant-food-facility-permit.htm — Official source last checked: 2026-07-02
Stay ahead of this requirement
SpoonSeal stores your documents, tracks expirations, and reminds you before anything lapses — so you are always inspection-ready.
Get started free →This guide is informational and not legal advice. Always confirm current requirements with the official agency linked above.