Food Service Establishment Permit & Plan Review — Mecklenburg County

What it is. The food service establishment permit required to operate a restaurant, plus a mandatory plan review that must be approved before construction or operation of any new or remodeled establishment, under Mecklenburg County Public Health — Environmental Health. (Plans for franchised or chain establishments are reviewed by the NCDHHS Plan Review Unit instead.)

Who issues it. Mecklenburg County Public Health — Environmental Health (County layer). 3205 Freedom Drive, Suite 8000, Charlotte, NC 28208; (980) 314-1620.

When you need it. Submit the Food Service Establishment Plan Review Application before constructing/renovating; submit the Application for Permit (Food Service) when ready to open; pass inspection.

How to apply. Submit the plan-review application; build per approved plans; apply for the permit; pass the pre-opening inspection.

Fees. Per the Environmental Health fee schedule — see source (⟢ VERIFY).

Renewal. Permits are tied to ongoing inspections (NC grades establishments); confirm renewal specifics (⟢ VERIFY).

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

• Mecklenburg County Environmental Health — Plan Review — https://eh.mecknc.gov/plans — Official source last checked: 2026-07-02
• Mecklenburg County Environmental Health — Food and Facilities Sanitation — https://eh.mecknc.gov/food — Official source last checked: 2026-07-02