Permits, licensing, health authority, typical cost ranges, and veteran-business programs for all fifty US states. Cost ranges are industry-typical first-year totals; verify locally.
Long-form guides for the ten largest US markets.
| State | Permit authority | Health pattern | Cost range | Veteran program |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama (AL) | County health depts ADPH | County | $55,000–$160,000 | AL DVA |
| Alaska (AK) | State DEC; Anchorage municipal | State (DEC) | $60,000–$180,000 | Alaska PTAC veteran-business |
| Arizona (AZ) | County (e.g. Maricopa Env Svcs) | County | $50,000–$160,000 | AZ DVS; Be Connected |
| Arkansas (AR) | AR Dept of Health | State (ADH) | $50,000–$150,000 | AR DVA |
| California (CA) | County env health CalCode | County (MFF) | $80,000–$250,000 | CalVet; DGS DVBE state cert |
| Colorado (CO) | LPHAs CDPHE Retail Food rules | LPHA | $60,000–$180,000 | CO VBOC at Mi Casa; state procurement |
| Connecticut (CT) | Local health districts CT DPH | Local | $65,000–$185,000 | CT DVA |
| Delaware (DE) | DE Division of Public Health | State (DPH) | $55,000–$160,000 | DE Office of Veterans Services |
| Florida (FL) | State - FL DBPR H&R (MFDV license) | State (DBPR) | $55,000–$170,000 | FDVA; Veterans Florida Entrepreneurship |
| Georgia (GA) | County env health GA DPH Ch 511-6-1 | County | $55,000–$165,000 | GA DVS; VetCert |
| Hawaii (HI) | State - HI DOH Food Safety Branch | State (DOH) | $70,000–$200,000 | HI Office of Veterans Services |
| Idaho (ID) | District health depts (7 districts) | District | $50,000–$150,000 | ID Division of Veterans Services |
| Illinois (IL) | Local IDPH; Chicago BACP | Local | $65,000–$200,000 | IDVA; IL Veteran Business Program |
| Indiana (IN) | County / local ISDH | County / local | $50,000–$155,000 | IN DVA |
| Iowa (IA) | Iowa DIAL Food & Consumer Safety | State (DIAL) | $50,000–$150,000 | IDVA; Home Base Iowa |
| Kansas (KS) | KS Dept of Agriculture | State (KDA) | $50,000–$150,000 | KS Commission on Veterans Affairs |
| Kentucky (KY) | Local health depts KY CHFS | Local | $50,000–$150,000 | KY DVA |
| Louisiana (LA) | LDH Office of Public Health | State (LDH OPH) | $55,000–$165,000 | LA DVA; LaVetBiz |
| Maine (ME) | Maine DHHS Health Inspection Program | State (Maine HIP) | $55,000–$160,000 | Maine Bureau of Veterans' Services |
| Maryland (MD) | County / local MD DoH COMAR 10.15.03 | County | $60,000–$180,000 | MD VA; state VSBE procurement |
| Massachusetts (MA) | Local boards of health 105 CMR 590 | Local board | $70,000–$200,000 | MA DVS; SDVOBE state cert |
| Michigan (MI) | Local MDARD Food Law | Local | $55,000–$165,000 | MI Veterans Affairs Agency |
| Minnesota (MN) | MDH or MDA - varies | State (MDH/MDA) | $60,000–$175,000 | MN DVA; state Veteran-Owned cert |
| Mississippi (MS) | MS SDH Food Protection | State (MSDH) | $50,000–$145,000 | MS Veterans Affairs Board |
| Missouri (MO) | Local MO DHSS - varies | Local / county | $50,000–$155,000 | MO Veterans Commission; SDVOBE |
| Montana (MT) | Local MT DPHHS | Local | $50,000–$150,000 | MT Veterans Affairs Division |
| Nebraska (NE) | NE Dept of Agriculture | State (NDA) | $50,000–$150,000 | NE DVA |
| Nevada (NV) | County health (S. NV, Washoe) NRS 446 | County / district | $55,000–$175,000 | NV DVS |
| New Hampshire (NH) | NH DHHS Food Protection | State (DHHS) | $55,000–$160,000 | NH Office of Veterans Services |
| New Jersey (NJ) | Local health authorities NJAC 8:24 | Local | $65,000–$190,000 | NJ DMAVA; state SBE/VOB cert |
| New Mexico (NM) | NM Environment Dept Food Program | State (NMED) | $50,000–$150,000 | NM DVS |
| New York (NY) | NYC DOHMH; NYS Ag & Markets or county upstate | DOHMH / state / county | $75,000–$225,000 | NYS SDVOB state cert (6% goal) |
| North Carolina (NC) | Local NC DHHS 15A NCAC 18A .2600 | County / local | $55,000–$165,000 | NC DMVA; HUB Veteran procurement |
| North Dakota (ND) | Local public health units ND DHHS | Local unit | $50,000–$145,000 | ND DVA |
| Ohio (OH) | Local districts Ohio DoH + Ohio Dept of Agriculture | Local district | $55,000–$170,000 | OH DVS; EDGE (vet-inclusive) |
| Oklahoma (OK) | OK SDH Consumer Health Service | State (OSDH) | $50,000–$150,000 | OK DVA |
| Oregon (OR) | County env health Oregon Health Authority | County | $60,000–$175,000 | ODVA; state vet-owned cert |
| Pennsylvania (PA) | PA Dept of Agriculture or local (Philly, Allegheny) | State (PDA) / local | $55,000–$170,000 | PA DMVA; Veteran Business Owner directory |
| Rhode Island (RI) | RIDOH Center for Food Protection | State (RIDOH) | $55,000–$160,000 | RI Office of Veterans Services |
| South Carolina (SC) | SC DHEC Bureau of Env Health | State (DHEC) | $50,000–$155,000 | SC DVA |
| South Dakota (SD) | SD DoH Office of Health Protection | State (SDDOH) | $48,000–$145,000 | SD DVA |
| Tennessee (TN) | TN DoH Environmental Health | State (TDH) | $50,000–$155,000 | TN DVS |
| Texas (TX) | City / county health (Austin PH, Houston HD) TX DSHS TFER | City / county (TFER) | $60,000–$185,000 | TX Veterans Commission; HUB Veteran-Owned |
| Utah (UT) | Local UT DHHS Food Protection | Local | $50,000–$155,000 | UT Dept of Veterans & Military Affairs |
| Vermont (VT) | VT DoH Food & Lodging Program | State (VDH) | $50,000–$150,000 | VT Office of Veterans Affairs |
| Virginia (VA) | VA DoH - state via local health districts | State VDH | $55,000–$170,000 | VA DVS; V3; SWaM Veteran |
| Washington (WA) | Local jurisdictions WAC 246-215 | Local | $65,000–$190,000 | WDVA; state VOB via DES |
| West Virginia (WV) | Local WV Bureau for Public Health | Local | $48,000–$145,000 | WV Dept of Veterans Assistance |
| Wisconsin (WI) | WI DATCP - state retail food license | State (DATCP) | $55,000–$165,000 | WI DVA |
| Wyoming (WY) | WY Dept of Agriculture Consumer Health Svcs | State (WDA) | $48,000–$140,000 | WY Veterans Commission |