ADRIAN — The Lenawee County Board of Health is considering changes to food service license late fees for 2026, replacing the long-standing $200 flat penalty with a tiered system and a two-week grace period.
Under the proposal, food service license renewals submitted May 1 through May 17 would not face a late fee. Applications submitted May 18 through May 31 would be subject to a 50 percent increase in the local portion of the license fee. Renewals submitted June 1 or later would see the local fee doubled.
Board documents show the $200 flat late fee has not been updated since 2014. Officials noted that many late renewals are typically received during the first two weeks of May and cited recent changes in mail postmark procedures as part of the reason for recommending a grace period.
The revised structure would apply to all food service license categories, including full-service restaurants, mobile units and short-term food units, with increases calculated based on each license’s local fee.
The Board of Health is expected to take formal action following review of the updated fee schedule.