There are three major categories of Food License:
1) Food processing, wholesale and warehouse establishments:
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Food Processing, Wholesale and Warehouse Establishments (Caterers need to submit an
Affidavit of Commissary before coming into apply for License)
License Required: A license is required for any establishment engaged in the business of selling at wholesale, processing, storing, handling, or packaging of food intended for human consumption. An applicant must have a commissary for food processing and cooking. There are several categories as shown in the fees section below.
For Caterers only, an Affidavit of Commissary must be completed and approved first by Environmental Health before proceeding to Excise and Licenses for renewal. The commissary cannot serve alcohol. Caterers, mobile food trucks, push carts and food peddlers having questions about licensing, require an inspection, or proper labeling of food should call Dick Hann at 720-865-5382 or email him at
dick.hann@denvergov.org.
Forms Required:
Please bring your valid Colorado identification.
Inspections: Health, Building, Zoning, Fire
An Affidavit of Commissary must be completed and approved first by Environmental Health before proceeding to Excise and Licenses for renewal. The commissary cannot serve alcohol. Caterers, mobile food trucks, push carts and food peddlers having questions about licensing, require an inspection, or proper labeling of food should call Dick Hann at 720-865-5382 or email him at
dick.hann@denvergov.org.
Fees: Application fees/ License fees:
1. Basic license (packaged, bottled, and canned
)
1-9 employees: $125/$140; 10-29: $150/$220; 30 or more: $175/$330
2. Produce, bulk, unpackaged food, pre-packaged meat; dairy products processing including butter, cheese, ice cream, etc.
1-9 employees: $125/$195; 10-29: $150/$295; 30 or more: $175/$445
3. Fresh meats
1-9 employees: $125/$235; 10-29: $150$345; 30 or more: $175/$515
4. Milk and dairy products
1-9 employees: $125/$260; 10-29: $150/$400; 30 or more: $175/$600
Retail Food Establishments
License Required:
A license is required for a retail operation that stores, prepares, or packages food for sale for human consumption or serves or otherwise provides food for sale for human consumption to consumers directly or through delivery whether or not such food is consumed on or off the premises. There are several types of establishments as defined below:
Retail Food Establishment (Restaurant):
any retail food establishment primarily engaged in the sale of prepared food, drink, or both for human consumption, and consumption is allowed on the premises.
Retail Food Stand-up (Stand-up Restaurant):
restaurant type operation located on premises where the primary business is not the operation of a restaurant; for example, the offering for sale of food or drink for consumption on or off the premises, stand-up counters, prepared food items sold with a push-cart, wagon, carriage, food sellers who do not provide seating for patrons. An individual must have a commissary to apply for a Retail Food Standup license.
An Affidavit of Commissary must be completed and approved first by Environmental Health before proceeding to Excise and Licenses for renewal. The commissary cannot serve alcohol. Mobile food trucks, push carts and food peddlers having questions about licensing, require an inspection, or proper labeling of food should call Dick Hann at 720-865-5382 or email him at
dick.hann@denvergov.org.
Temporary Retail Food Establishment: a retail food establishment, other than a licensed mobile retail food establishment or pushcart, that is not intended to be permanent and that operates at a fixed location for a period of time of not more than fourteen (14) consecutive days in conjunction with a single event or celebration. An Affidavit of Commissary must be completed and presented to Environmental Health prior to license approval. You must make an appointment with the Department of Environmental Health for a menu review by calling 720-865-5391. Menu reviews are scheduled on Thursdays. The menu review and licensing must be completed before your first event or you will not be permited to operate.
Note: A license is not required for a non-profit or charitable organization when the donation, preparation, sale, or service of food in conjunction with an event or celebration does not exceed the duration of the event or a maximum of fifty-two days within a calendar year. The event must occur in Denver and the non-profit must be principally located in Denver.
Retail Food Mobile: a retail food establishment that reports to and operates from a commissary and is readily moveable, is a motorized wheeled vehicle, or a towed wheeled vehicle designed and equipped to serve food.
An Affidavit of Commissary must be completed and approved first by Environmental Health before proceeding to Excise and Licenses for renewal. The commissary cannot serve alcohol. Mobile food trucks, push carts and food peddlers having questions about licensing, require an inspection, or proper labeling of food should call Dick Hann at 720-865-5382 or email him at
dick.hann@denvergov.org.
Drive-In Retail Food Establishment
: a retail food establishment where patrons drive from the street onto a parking lot where "drive-in service" is provided by such restaurant and no seating is provided inside the restaurant.
Forms Required:
Please bring your valid Colorado identification.
For General Questionnaire,
click here.
Inspections Required:
Health, Zoning, Building, Fire; Public Works Right of Way for mobile retail food establishment
An Affidavit of Commissary must be completed and approved first by Environmental Health before proceeding to Excise and Licenses for renewal. The commissary cannot serve alcohol. Mobile food trucks, push carts and food peddlers having questions about licensing, require an inspection, or proper labeling of food should call Dick Hann at 720-865-5382 or email him at dick.hann@denvergov.org.
Fees:
Application fee/License fee:
1. Retail Food Establishment (Restaurant):
Seating capacity of: 1-25: $150/$125; 26-100: $200/$200: 101-500: $250/$300; more than 500: $300/$400 plus $50 per outlet;
2. Retail Food Stand-up (Stand-Up Restaurant)
: $150/125 plus Environmental Health must inspect the commissary before coming in to apply for a renewal license. The commissary cannot serve alcohol. Mobile food trucks, push carts and food peddlers having questions about licensing, require an inspection, or proper labeling of food should call Dick Hann at 720-865-5382 or email him at dick.hann@denvergov.org.
3. Temporary Retail Food Establishment
: $100 per year plus $10 per day per event (maximum payment of 5 days per event) plus Environmental Health must inspect the commissary before coming in to apply for a renewal license. The commissary cannot serve alcohol. Mobile food trucks, push carts and food peddlers having questions about licensing, require an inspection, or proper labeling of food should call Dick Hann at 720-865-5382 or email him at dick.hann@denvergov.org.
4. Mobile Retail Food Establishment
: $200/$125
5. Drive-in Retail Food Establishment
: $200/$200
Other retail food establishments:
A. Produce and other bulk or unpackaged food:
1-9 employees: $200/$95; 10-29: $200/$160; 30 or more: $200/$235
B. Milk and dairy products/prepackaged meats:
1-9 employees: $200/$110; 10-29: $200/$200; 30 or more: $200/ $305
C. Fresh meats :
1-9 employees: $200/$135; 10-29: $200/$285; 30 or more: $200/$425
D. Delicatessen and/or bakery
: 1-9 employees: $200/$200; 10-29: $200/$295; 30 or more: $200/$445.
Multi-use (allows 2 or more from A-B-C and D above) THIS OPTION REQUIRES CUSTOMER SEATING: 1-9 employees: $200/$200; 10-29: $200/$295; 30 or more: $200/$445
Forms:
Please bring your valid Colorado identification.
For General Questionnaire,
click here.