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: Local boards of health under OAC 3717-1 and ORC Ch. 3717. Regime: Local licensing + STATEWIDE RECOGNITION.
Strong reciprocity, confirmed on county health department sites: licences issued by an approved Ohio health district shall be recognised by all other health districts in Ohio. Cincinnati states plainly that mobile food licences from any Ohio board of health are accepted. Apply to the health district where your BUSINESS HEADQUARTERS sits (or, if out of state, where you first operate in Ohio). Licences renew annually and expire 1 March. Mobile status covers units not remaining in one location more than 40 days. Inspection required before first operation - book roughly 10 days ahead. Each of the 113 districts sets its own fee. USEFUL EQUIPMENT NOTE: a three-compartment sink may not be required on a mobile unit if it returns to a commissary daily for cleaning or uses no utensils. A Low Risk Mobile Retail Food Establishment licence (effective 2024-02-12) is charged at 50% of the standard MRFE fee for shelf-stable goods. City permits (Columbus, Cleveland) are separate and govern WHERE you park, not food safety.
Mobile/food-truck reciprocity: YES - a licence from any approved Ohio health district is recognised by all other Ohio health districts
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 Ohio → — many do design + fabrication and know local plan-review requirements.