City of Fishers health department proposes new food-permit fees tied to FDA risk levels

The City of Fishers Health Department presented a proposal to realign food establishment permit fees with the FDA model food code risk levels in a recorded webinar intended for public posting. Monica Helts, speaking for the health department, said the proposal would be presented to the City Council for adoption for the 2026 permitting year that opens Dec. 1.

Under the proposal, fees would be tied directly to the FDA risk-level categories the Indiana State Department of Health has adopted and recent state-level changes Helts referenced. Risk levels 1 through 4 would determine inspection frequency — roughly annual for lowest-risk facilities up to quarterly for highest-risk facilities — and the annual permit fee would reflect the number of full inspections required for each level. "We are changing our fee structure to more align it with the FDA risk levels," Helts said.

Helts described the risk categories: risk level 1 covers convenience stores and coffee shops; level 2 covers retail…