Environmental Health Services Fees

On December 10, 2024, the Board of Supervisors approved the new fee package that took effect on January 9, 2025.

• EHS is mandated to oversee various business practices governed by local and State statutes.
• EHS is self-funded through the fees we charge.
• EHS is not funded through tax money.
• Costs for EHS to perform services rise every year. EHS must change fees for cost recovery.
• The revenues from our last fee increase were not enough to catch up to the rising costs after the fees were deferred in Spring 2020 and Spring 2022. When the fees finally were approved in November 2022, the fees didn’t go into effect until July 2023. The increase was not enough to cover cost increases, exacerbated further by significant inflation.
• The proposed fee schedule and annual automatic adjustment are necessary to reflect the current and future reasonable costs of providing services.

• Updates posted to the website.
• Mailers to various business associations.
• Multilingual mailers and emails to EHS regulated businesses.
• Public Notice in the San Mateo Daily Journal.

• An immediate 25% increase in fees across the board for all programs is necessary to achieve full cost recovery for providing program services. HOWEVER, to reduce the impact that this increase would have have on businesses, the proposal is for a 15% increase January 9, 2025 with an increase of 14-15% (based on future Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Board-approve workforce cost increases) January 1, 2026 to recover costs more completely within 2 years.
• The fee schedule has proposed language that would increase fees annually thereafter by a Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Board-approved workforce cost increases, with the expectation that increases will be smaller, avoiding larger, albeit less frequent increases, unless the Board takes a different action.
• The approved fees are posted on our website.
  • Find the specific fee categories you are invoiced for by looking at your last invoice, your permit, or
  • Provide the name of your business so that a search of our records can be made

• The fee reflects the average amount of time and resources needed to perform the service.
• The Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Board-approved workforce cost increases are being proposed in the fee schedule to increase fees annually thereafter, unless otherwise approved by the Board.

No.

County’s policy on exemptions from annual fees is limited to:

1. Businesses operated by blind persons.
2. Charitable organizations that distribute no compensation.
3. Farm labor and employee housing under specific conditions.
4. Veterans – AB 498 provides for a veterans exemption statewide for any honorably discharged veteran who is a sole proprietor for any business selling or providing services (with some limitations).

EHS can’t provide extensions to businesses to pay fees or delay implementing fee increases. There are business resources that may be available to assist with business costs (see question below).

• EHS does not offer payment plans.
• US Small Business Administration — small business resources
• Local chambers of commerce — check your city’s local chamber of commerce to see if any small business resources are available.

• Check this webpage for more information. If you can’t find your answer, please email or call.
• Email: ehsfees@smcgov.org

Call EHS at 650-372-6200. Language/interpreter assistance is available upon request.