Berkeley City

BERKELEY CITY

Need a Food Facility Plan for Your ALAMEDA County Permit?

Berkeley City Guide

Navigating the health permit process in Alameda County can feel overwhelming for new and existing restaurant owners, but understanding the local requirements is the first step toward a smooth opening or renewal.

Alameda County’s Environmental Management Department oversees food facility permits, requiring approved plans, kitchen inspections, and compliance with health and safety codes before a restaurant can legally operate. This guide walks business owners through the essential steps — from submitting facility plans and scheduling inspections to understanding permit fees and renewal timelines — so they can move through the approval process with confidence rather than confusion.

Because requirements can vary slightly by county, this guide is designed to give Alameda-area restaurant owners a clear, practical starting point before diving into county-specific forms and procedures.

Choose your project location:

What to Confirm Before Design is Finalized

Building jurisdiction and project address

Health Department plan-review requirements

Wastewater provider and service boundary

Grease-interceptor sizing and approval

Plumbing, hood and equipment specifications

Planning, fire and accessibility requirements

City of Berkeley Permit Service Center (Building & Safety)

Why this agency is necessary? Reviews construction plans, accessibility, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and building-code compliance for all projects within Berkeley city limits — the Permit Service Center is Berkeley’s one-stop shop for building, fire, public works, and zoning permits.

Address: 1947 Center Street, 3rd Floor, Berkeley, CA 94704

Alameda County Environmental Health Department

Why this agency is necessary? Reviews the food-facility plan: equipment, plumbing fixtures, finishes, food flow, refrigeration, ventilation coordination, and California Retail Food Code compliance — this is Oakland’s county-level equivalent to Sacramento County EMD.

Address: 1131 Harbor Bay Parkway, Alameda, CA 94502-6577

Wastewater / Sanitary Authority

Why this agency is necessary? Establishes grease-interceptor regulations, sizing, location, sewer connection, approval, and maintenance requirements for the specific property.

Berkeley, like Oakland, requires a two-call process — EBMUD for grease/discharge compliance, City of Berkeley Public Works for the physical sewer connection.