Caterer permits and licenses in Oregon
The statewide credentials every caterer needs to operate in Oregon, plus city-specific guides for the cities we cover.
This page covers only the Oregon statewide credentials for caterers. Federal credentials that apply nationwide are on the Caterers overview, and each city layers its own permits on top.
The credentials below are the Oregon-wide requirements that apply to every caterer in the state. Each city and county layers its own permits, fees, and inspections on top. To see the requirements for a specific city, choose it from the Oregon cities list below.
Oregon credential overview
| Credential | Level | Fee | Renewal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon Business Registration (LLC, Corporation, or Assumed Business Name) | State | $100 for an LLC or Corporation, $50 for an Assumed Business Name | Annual report for an LLC or Corporation; every 2 years for an Assumed Business Name |
| Combined Employer's Registration (Oregon BIN) | State | $0 (free) | None (one-time) |
| Food Service Facility License (caterers are licensed as restaurants) | State | Set by each county (see your city page for local amounts) | Annual |
| Food Service Facility Plan Review | State | Set by each county (see your city page for local amounts) | One-time per build or remodel |
| Oregon Food Handler Card | State | $10 maximum ($5 replacement) | Every 3 years |
| Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) Certification | State | About $100 to $200 through an approved provider (the state caps only the $10 food handler card) | Every 5 years |
| Temporary Restaurant License (only for public events) | State | Set by each county (see your city page for local amounts) | Per event (a single event, a 30-day intermittent, or a 90-day seasonal license) |
| OLCC Full On-Premises Sales License, Caterer (only if you serve alcohol) | State | $800 per year | Annual |
| OLCC Alcohol Service Permit | State | $23 per person, plus the server course | Every 5 years |
Oregon cities
City and county rules stack on top of the statewide credentials.
Each caterer credential in Oregon, explained
Grouped by the level of government that issues it, broadest first. Every caterer in Oregon needs these regardless of city.
State level
9 credentials
Oregon Business Registration (LLC, Corporation, or Assumed Business Name)
Registers your legal entity or trade name with the state. A caterer operating under a name like Rose City Catering files an Assumed Business Name; an LLC also adds liability protection. The OLCC requires your entity to be registered before it issues a liquor license.
- Fee
- $100 for an LLC or Corporation, $50 for an Assumed Business Name
- Renewal
- Annual report for an LLC or Corporation; every 2 years for an Assumed Business Name
- Processing
- About 1 business day online
Combined Employer's Registration (Oregon BIN)
An Oregon employer account number required before you issue the first paycheck, covering state withholding, unemployment insurance, the transit tax, and Paid Leave Oregon. You need an EIN first. Because catering almost always means staff, nearly every caterer needs one.
- Issued by
- Oregon Department of Revenue
- Fee
- $0 (free)
- Renewal
- None (one-time)
- Processing
- 3 to 5 business days online
Food Service Facility License (caterers are licensed as restaurants)
Oregon has no separate caterer license; it licenses caterers as restaurants under ORS 624, because the law defines a restaurant to include preparing food for service off the premises. The license anchors to your base kitchen, and catering from a home or domestic kitchen is prohibited. A caterer renting a shared commercial kitchen files a commissary usage memorandum with the county to document that base. The county issues, inspects, and prices it.
- Fee
- Set by each county (see your city page for local amounts)
- Renewal
- Annual
- Processing
- 2 to 8 weeks; varies by county
Food Service Facility Plan Review
Before you build or extensively remodel the commercial kitchen you cater from, you submit plans to the county for review and approval (ORS 624.630). A caterer renting an already-approved licensed kitchen does not need its own plan review, but should confirm that kitchen holds a current license.
- Fee
- Set by each county (see your city page for local amounts)
- Renewal
- One-time per build or remodel
- Processing
- 2 to 4 weeks; varies by county
Oregon Food Handler Card
Every person who prepares or serves food for your catering operation needs an Oregon food handler card within 30 days of hire. Cards are valid statewide for 3 years; out-of-state cards do not count. A Certified Food Protection Manager certificate satisfies it.
- Fee
- $10 maximum ($5 replacement)
- Renewal
- Every 3 years
- Processing
- Immediate upon passing the test
Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) Certification
Oregon is phasing in a manager requirement: at least one CFPM per licensed operation by January 1, 2029, and one on site during the highest-risk hours by January 1, 2031. A caterer cooking raw meat, poultry, or seafood is squarely in scope. Today a CFPM satisfies the inspector's demonstration-of-knowledge check and substitutes for a food handler card.
- Fee
- About $100 to $200 through an approved provider (the state caps only the $10 food handler card)
- Renewal
- Every 5 years
- Processing
- Same day; the exam result is immediate
Temporary Restaurant License (only for public events)
A private, contracted event such as a wedding or corporate dinner is covered by your base restaurant license. But serving the general public at a festival, fair, or other public gathering makes you a temporary restaurant under ORS 624, which needs its own per-event county license on top of your base license. The county issues and prices it.
- Fee
- Set by each county (see your city page for local amounts)
- Renewal
- Per event (a single event, a 30-day intermittent, or a 90-day seasonal license)
- Processing
- Apply 1 to 2 weeks ahead; varies by county
OLCC Full On-Premises Sales License, Caterer (only if you serve alcohol)
The annual OLCC license a caterer needs to serve spirits, beer, wine, and cider at events. A private event of 100 or fewer guests also takes a one-time written OLCC pre-approval for small-scale catering at no per-event fee; an event of 101 or more guests adds a Temporary Use of an Annual License at $10 per license day. Food service minimums apply, and the caterer, not the host, is the licensee.
- Fee
- $800 per year
- Renewal
- Annual
- Processing
- Allow several weeks to months; a local government recommendation is required first
OLCC Alcohol Service Permit
Every staff member who pours or serves alcohol at a catered event needs an individual OLCC service permit. Each completes an approved server education course and passes the OLCC exam. Since March 2025 you must finish the course before the permit issues. The permit belongs to the person, not the business.
- Fee
- $23 per person, plus the server course
- Renewal
- Every 5 years
- Processing
- Complete the course and pass the OLCC exam through CAMP before serving
Oregon-specific things to watch for
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a license to start a catering business in Oregon?
Yes. Oregon licenses every caterer as a restaurant under ORS 624, because the law treats preparing food for service off the premises as a restaurant activity. The food service license is issued and priced by your county health authority and renews annually. You also register your business with the Secretary of State and, once you hire, get an Oregon BIN from the Department of Revenue.
Can I run a catering business from my home kitchen in Oregon?
No. Catering from a domestic or home kitchen is prohibited under Oregon law. You must prepare food in a licensed commercial kitchen, either one you own or lease or a shared commercial kitchen that itself holds a restaurant license. If you use a shared kitchen, you file a commissary usage memorandum with the county health authority to document your base of operations.
Do I need a liquor license to serve alcohol at a catered event in Oregon?
Yes, and it is layered. The caterer holds an annual OLCC Full On-Premises Sales (Caterer) license at $800 a year. A private event of 100 or fewer guests needs one-time written OLCC pre-approval at no per-event fee; an event of 101 or more adds a Temporary Use of an Annual License at $10 per day. Every staff member who pours also needs a $23 OLCC service permit, and the annual license requires a local government recommendation.
How much does a catering license cost in Oregon?
The food service license fee is set by each county, so there is no single statewide number; it is detailed on each city page here. Business registration is $100 for an LLC or corporation, or $50 for an assumed business name. If you serve alcohol, the OLCC caterer license is $800 a year plus $23 per server. Oregon has no sales tax, so there is no seller's permit to buy.
You just read through every credential your caterer needs in Oregon.
Each one has a different renewal date, a different fee, and a different agency. CredentiAlert tracks all of them and reminds you before any of them lapse, so you can spend your time running your business, not managing a renewal calendar.
- ORS Chapter 624, Food Service Facilities
- Oregon Health Authority, Food Safety Rules and Guidelines
- Oregon Health Authority, Food Handler Cards
- Oregon Health Authority, Food Manager Training (CFPM phase-in)
- ODA, Domestic Kitchen Licensing (catering prohibition)
- ORS Chapter 471, Liquor Control Act
- OLCC, Full On-Premises Sales (Caterer) License
- OLCC, Alcohol Licensing Fee Schedule (PDF)
- OLCC, Alcohol Service Permits
- Oregon Secretary of State, Register a Business
- Oregon Dept. of Revenue, Withholding & Payroll Tax (BIN)
Last verified 2026-06-04. Requirements change. Always confirm with the issuing department before applying.