If you are opening a restaurant, mobile unit, catering operation, grocery store or other retail food establishment in Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Garfield, Grand, Jackson, Mineral Moffat, Rio Grande or Saguache counties, you may need to submit plans and specifications of the establishment for review by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Division of Environmental Health and Sustainability.  Additionally, any new restaurant, mobile unit, catering operation, grocery store, or other retail food establishment may be required to obtain a Retail Food Establishment License prior to operating.

If the establishment will not be located in the counties listed above, please contact your local public health agency.  A list of local public health agencies can be found here.

Opening a new facility

Plan Review:  Complete plans and specifications must be submitted, reviewed, and approved by the Division of Environmental Health and Sustainability before the start of any construction of a restaurant, grocery store or other retail food establishment in Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Garfield, Grand, Jackson, Mineral, Moffat, Rio Grande or Saguache counties.

Step 1: Complete the Plan Review Application and Packet and submit with the application fee, listed below, to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Division of Environmental Health and Sustainability, 4300 Cherry Creek Drive, C-1, Denver, CO  80246-1530.
Step 2:  You will receive notification within 14 business days regarding the status of your application.
Step 3:  Upon approval from the Division of Environmental Health and Sustainability and all other agencies concerned, you may proceed with construction.
Step 4:  Three weeks before the planned opening, call to schedule an opening inspection.

A plan review takes a minimum of 14 working days.  Failure to provide the required information delays the plan review process.

Remodeling an existing restaurant, grocery store, mobile unit or other retail food establishment

If you plan to extensively remodel the facility or to change menu items or equipment, a plan review may be required.  Extensively remodeled is defined in Section 1-202(18) of the Colorado Retail Food Establishment Rules and Regulations, and includes:

• Increasing seating capacity by 20%
• Changes or alterations made in the nonpublic areas that result in a reduction or increase of total space by 25% or more
• Alterations requiring a building permit by local authorities
• The facility's capabilities to handle food and utensils in a sanitary manner have been diminished, creating potentially hazardous conditions
• This may include extensive equipment changes or significant changes in the menu

Plan Review:  Complete plans and specifications must be submitted, reviewed, and approved by Division of Environmental Health and Sustainability before the start of any construction of a retail food establishment.

Complete the Plan Review Application and Packet and submit along with the application fee listed below, to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Division of Environmental Health and Sustainability, 4300 Cherry Creek Drive, C-1, Denver, CO  80246-1530.

A plan review takes a minimum of 14 working days.  Failure to provide the required information delays the plan review process.

Plan Review Fees

Licensing for new facilities, remodeled facilities, remodeled facilities and change of ownership

A retail food establishment license application may be required for retail food establishments operating in Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Garfield, Grand, Jackson, Mineral, Moffat, Rio Grande or Saguache counties.  The license application is not available on the website as all operations have to reviewed and approved by the Division of Environmental Health and Sustainability prior to licensure.  A plan review process or change of ownership inspection may be required prior to licensure.  To inquire about retail food establishment licensing in these counties please contact contact 303--692-3645.

Licenses are not transferable.  A current Retail Food Establishment License must be posted in a conspicuous location.  All licenses expire on December 31.

A retail food establishment license may not be applied for without a sales tax license in place.  To obtain a sales tax license, contact the Department of Revenue.

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