These come from the FDA Food Code, which nearly every state adopts. A health inspector checks for them on plan review and at inspection — regardless of your state:
Also required in most kitchens: a mop/service sink (cleaning-water disposal), mechanical exhaust hood (Type I over grease/smoke), adequate hot water, indirect waste/air gaps on food & warewashing equipment, and a grease interceptor where local plumbing code requires it.
Licensing authority: MN Dept. of Health (MDH) and MN Dept. of Agriculture (MDA); local jurisdictions under delegation agreements; tribal health agencies. Regime: State licensing + delegated counties offering discounted recognition.
Distinct model worth its own page. Which agency licenses you depends on the establishment's menu AND location. Many trucks licence with MDH first precisely because they don't yet know where they'll work. Anoka, Hennepin, Ramsey and Washington Counties then offer DISCOUNTED reciprocity licences to holders of an MDH licence - recognition expressed as a fee reduction rather than a waiver. All health agencies must follow the MN Food Code; local ordinances may add to it but may not conflict or be less restrictive. HARD DEADLINE: plans, specifications and fees must go to the regulatory authority at least 30 DAYS BEFORE CONSTRUCTION BEGINS - not before opening. A unit may operate no more than 21 days annually at any one place unless working alongside a permanent licensed business. Equipment must meet NSF standards; mechanical exhaust required wherever grease-laden vapour is generated; mechanical refrigeration required for all potentially hazardous food. Plan review asks for water heater size and both tank sizes.
Mobile/food-truck reciprocity: PARTIAL - several delegated counties issue DISCOUNTED reciprocity licences to holders of an MDH licence
New builds and remodels almost always require a plan review and a pre-opening inspection. Submit your equipment layout early — the sink count, hood, and hot-water sizing are the usual sticking points.
See restaurant-equipment dealers in Minnesota → — many do design + fabrication and know local plan-review requirements.