Food Establishment Plan Review in Aurora, Colorado (2026)
Opening without this review means your kitchen and dining room plans are not vetted for health code compliance — risking immediate citation, rework orders, and delayed opening. The Food Establishment Plan Review is a mandatory pre-construction clearance issued by the Aurora Public Health Department, also known as a plan check or facility plan approval. Key facts:
- 20 fields — ApronPrep auto-fills 17
- $155–$155 government filing fee (plan review fee)
- Processing timeline varies based on plan complexity and department workload
Analyzed from Food Establishment Plan Review
85% from one compliance interview
Manual entry or document upload required
Why You Need a Food Establishment Plan Review
The Food Establishment Plan Review is mandated by the Colorado Retail Food Establishment Rules (6 CCR 1010-2), which are administered locally by the Tri-County Health Department, the agency serving Aurora. This rule specifically requires all new, remodeled, or converted food service facilities to submit detailed construction and equipment plans for pre-approval before any work begins. The goal is to verify that your design complies with critical sanitation standards, including proper plumbing, ventilation, food prep surfaces, and equipment layout, preventing costly and dangerous violations after opening.
If you start construction, remodeling, or operate without this approval, you face immediate and escalating consequences:
- Stop-work or closure orders from the health inspector, halting all activity and delaying your opening for weeks or months.
- Daily fines for non-compliance, levied until corrections are made and re-inspections are passed.
- Mandatory demolition or rework of non-compliant construction, which can cost thousands of dollars in wasted materials and labor.
- Insurance and lease complications, as many policies and commercial leases require proof of all necessary permits; operating without them can void coverage or breach your contract.
Legal code: State food code (locally administered), local health regulations, state sanitary code
Recent update: As of 2026, Tri-County Health Department requires all plan review applications to include digital copies of scaled floor plans and equipment specifications to streamline the review process.
Who Needs a Food Establishment Plan Review?
| Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant (Full-Service) | Required | Required per Aurora Municipal Code Chapter 24 for any facility preparing and serving food to the public, as it involves complex plumbing, mechanical, and food safety systems. |
| Bar / Nightclub | Not Required | Only required if you prepare and serve food (beyond prepackaged snacks); establishments serving only beverages are exempt from the food establishment plan review, per Colorado Retail Food Establishment Rules. |
| Food Truck | Required | Required under the same code chapter as fixed establishments; you must submit detailed plans for the mobile unit's commissary agreement, plumbing, and equipment layout. |
| Coffee Shop / Café | Required | Required if any food preparation occurs (e.g., sandwiches, pastries); establishments serving only pre-packaged items or beverages may be exempt, but most cafés trigger the review. |
See which restaurant types need this requirement — and which don't.
See Full Requirements →Field-by-Field Guide (20 Fields)
17 of 20 auto-filledBusiness Name
textEnter your restaurant's registered legal business name exactly as it appears on your state-issued Articles of Incorporation or Organization, including any 'LLC', 'Inc.', or other entity designations.
COMMON MISTAKE: Entering the intended 'trading as' name or a shortened version not matching your legal filing, which leads to a verification mismatch and rejection.
Legal Entity Type
textEnter the specific legal structure of your business, such as 'Limited Liability Company (LLC)', 'Corporation', 'Sole Proprietorship', or 'Partnership', based on your state registration.
COMMON MISTAKE: Using generic terms like 'Restaurant' or 'Business' instead of the official entity type, causing application holds for clarification.
Owner Name
textEnter the full legal name of the primary business owner or, if an LLC/Corporation, the name of the authorized signatory (e.g., President, Managing Member).
COMMON MISTAKE: Listing a manager or non-authorized employee, which invalidates the application as the signatory must have legal authority to bind the entity.
Owner Phone Number
textProvide a direct, working phone number for the owner/authorized signatory listed above, formatted as (XXX) XXX-XXXX, where they can be reached during business hours.
COMMON MISTAKE: Providing a main business line or a non-responsive number, which delays the review if the Aurora Public Health Department has follow-up questions.
Owner Email Address
textEnter a professional email address for the owner/authorized signatory that is checked regularly, as approval notifications and deficiency letters are sent electronically.
COMMON MISTAKE: Using an inactive or shared email, causing missed critical correspondence from the reviewer and potentially forfeiting your application slot.
Establishment Address
textEnter the complete, physical street address (number, street, unit/suite) of the restaurant location where food operations will occur, not a P.O. Box or corporate mailing address.
COMMON MISTAKE: Submitting a parcel number, lot number, or incomplete address, which prevents the Aurora Planning Department from verifying zoning compliance and triggers an automatic rejection.
County
textEnter 'Arapahoe County' as this is the county jurisdiction for Aurora, Colorado; this field confirms your application is routed to the correct health authority.
COMMON MISTAKE: Leaving blank or entering 'Adams County' for properties near the border, which misroutes your application and adds 4-6 weeks to the review timeline.
Jurisdiction Verified
checkboxCheck this box only after you have confirmed with the Aurora Planning Department that your specific property address falls under City of Aurora jurisdiction for food service permits.
COMMON MISTAKE: Checking the box without verification, especially for new developments or annexed areas, which results in a rejected application and forfeited filing fees.
Establishment Type
textSpecify the precise type of food service, such as 'Full-Service Restaurant', 'Fast Food', 'Catering Kitchen', 'Food Truck Commissary', or 'Grocery Store with Prepared Foods'.
COMMON MISTAKE: Using overly broad terms like 'Restaurant' or 'Food Service', which does not provide the detail needed for Aurora's risk-based plan review and causes requests for clarification.
Food Operations Description
textProvide a detailed, paragraph-style description of all food activities: list all major equipment (e.g., 6-burner range, double-stack convection oven), processes (e.g., frying, cold holding, reheating), and any specialized operations like sushi preparation or smokehouse operations.
COMMON MISTAKE: Submitting a one-line description like 'We will cook and serve food', which is insufficient for a plan review and is the #1 cause for a 'deficiency notice' requiring a full resubmission.
ApronPrep auto-fills 17 of 20 fields from a single compliance interview — no re-typing, no guessing what the government expects.
Top 5 Food Establishment Plan Review Mistakes
1. Submitting Outdated or Incorrect Floor Plans
Using generic sketches, home-drawn plans, or failing to include required details (like equipment plumbing lines, dimensions, and three-compartment sink location) is the top cause for rejection. The city requires professionally drawn or CAD-generated plans to scale. A plan missing the grease interceptor detail or handwashing sink measurements will be marked 'incomplete,' requiring a full resubmission and adding 3–4 weeks to your approval timeline. Use a certified kitchen designer or template from the city's website.
2. Incomplete or Mismatched Equipment Schedule
The equipment list on the application form must exactly match the make, model, and specifications shown on the submitted floor plans. A common error is listing a 24-inch prep table on the form but showing a 36-inch table on the plan, or omitting NSF/ANSI certification numbers for critical equipment. This discrepancy triggers a request for clarification from the plan reviewer, delaying your review by 10–15 business days. Cross-reference every item line-by-line before submitting.
3. Missing Required Certifications and Licenses
Failing to include copies of the food manager's certificate (ServSafe or equivalent), proof of liability insurance, and the business's state sales tax license with the initial submission. Many applicants submit the plan review alone, thinking certifications come later. According to Aurora's Municipal Code, the application is not considered complete without these documents, causing an automatic 'hold' status and adding 1–2 weeks while you gather and resubmit. Attach them as PDFs in your online portal upload.
Skip the Paperwork on Your Food Establishment Plan Review
ApronPrep auto-fills 17 of 20 fields from one compliance interview.
No credit card required
Food Establishment Plan Review by City in Colorado
| City | Fee Range | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Aurora | $155 plan review fee | |
| Colorado Springs | ||
| Denver |
Government Filing Fees
$155 plan review fee
Timeline: Varies
Determine if your food establishment is a fixed location or mobile unit
Review your business model and facility drawings to classify your operation. Fixed locations include restaurants, cafeterias, and commissaries, while mobile units are food trucks, trailers, and carts. Selecting the wrong packet is a common first-step error that causes immediate rejection.
Verify that your county is within CDPHE's direct licensing jurisdiction (Clear Creek, Dolores, Gilpin, Moffat, Ouray, Park, Pitkin except Aspen, Rio Blanco, or San Juan)
Check the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) jurisdiction map. If your restaurant is in Aurora (Arapahoe County), you are NOT in CDPHE's direct jurisdiction—you must contact the Tri-County Health Department. This verification prevents submitting to the wrong agency, which adds 4–6 weeks to your timeline.
If operating in a different county, contact your local public health agency instead
For Aurora, your local authority is the Tri-County Health Department. Visit their website or call their plan review line to request the correct application packet and confirm current submission procedures. Do not use the CDPHE forms, as they will not be accepted for an Arapahoe County address.
Where to Apply
Applications are handled by your local board of health in each city. Select your city below for authority details, fees, and processing timeline.
Other Requirements You'll Need
This is one of 13 requirements for opening a restaurant in Colorado.
ADA Compliance Self-Certification
federal
Alarm System Permit/Registration
local
Application for Employer Identification Number
federal
Articles of Organization (LLC) or Articles of Incorporation (Corporation)
state
See all co-required forms and how they connect to your compliance dossier.
See All RequirementsThe official timeline varies, as stated on the Aurora Public Health Department application guide. Plan review durations depend on the complexity of your submission and the department's current workload—typically ranging from several weeks to a couple of months. A complete and accurate application avoids delays; coordinate with your Building Permit submission, as reviews often run concurrently.
The government filing fee for this review is $155, per the Aurora Public Health Department fee schedule. This is a fixed, non-refundable charge for processing your submitted plans. Verify the current fee directly with the department before submission, as fees can be updated. Not legal advice.
No, plan reviews are site-specific and cannot be transferred. A new review is required for any new location, as the evaluation is tied to the specific layout, equipment, and plumbing of a given premises. You must submit a full application and pay the $155 filing fee again for the new address, and you will also need a new Certificate of Occupancy for that space.
The plan review itself is not a renewable permit; it is a one-time approval for your initial construction or remodel. However, you must maintain an active Aurora Food Service License, which requires annual renewal. Any significant renovation or change to your approved floor plan requires a new plan review submission before work begins.
A health inspector verifies that the constructed facility matches the approved plans, checking for compliance with the Colorado Retail Food Establishment Rules. They inspect critical items like handwashing sink locations, equipment spacing, floor/wall finishes, and proper plumbing installation. Passing this final inspection is required before you can operate, and it is separate from any required building or fire inspections.
About This Data
This guide is generated from ApronPrep's compliance dossier system, which uses 53 parallel AI authority experts to discover requirements, then downloads actual forms and generates field-level intelligence for each one.
For Colorado specifically, we have analyzed compliance dossiers for 3 cities (Aurora, Colorado Springs, Denver), generating Rich FILs (Form Intelligence Layers) with 20 form fields analyzed for this requirement. Fee data is sourced from actual county department fee schedules, not estimates.
Our data is verified against official government sources and updated when regulatory changes are detected. If you find an error, please report it — accuracy is our core commitment.
Sources
- State food code (locally administered), local health regulations, state sanitary code
- Aurora — Board of Health / Health Department
- Colorado Springs — Board of Health / Health Department
- Denver — Board of Health / Health Department
This Form Is One of 60+ Requirements.
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