A pre-operational health inspection is required for new eating and drinking establishments to make sure Health Code rules are met BEFORE you serve food or beverages to customers.

Fines will not be issued for any violations found, but they need to be addressed before any re-inspections take place.

For any new eating and drinking establishment receiving a pre-operational health inspection:

• All construction must be complete
• No food of any kind can be on-site (beverages, canned goods, boxed goods and ice are considered food)
• Hot and cold running water must be running
• Gas/electric utilities must be connected and working

You can speak to a Health Department representative to schedule, by phone, a pre-operations food service establishment inspection.

The Department of Health offers an optional, consultative inspection to newly opened restaurants that have not yet received their first graded inspection. 

The service includes:

• An ungraded review of your restaurant
• A list of violations and ways to fix them

After the inspection, operators will receive a report that will help them bring their establishment into compliance before it receives its first graded inspection.

Fee

The cost is $100.

You can speak to a Health Department representative to request an inspection. You can also request this service when you apply for your new food service establishment permit, and submit your application in person or online.

Online

Learn more or apply for a food service establishment permit.

By Phone

The Department of Health offers an advisory inspection service to operating restaurants that have already received at least one letter grade and are between inspection cycles.

The service includes:

• Comprehensive review of current operations
• An interview of kitchen staff
• An ungraded inspection
• Recommendations on how to practice A-Grade food safety

Fee

The cost is $400.

You can speak to a Health Department representative to request an inspection.

Violations

The advisory inspections performed by the Health Department will not be graded and no fines will be given. However, any public health hazard will have to be corrected before the end of the inspection, or the Department may need to temporarily close the establishment until the condition is corrected.

Refunds

You can speak to a Department of Health representative to request a scheduled advisory inspection. Refund requests must be made at least 1 business day before the scheduled inspection takes place.

You cannot request a refund after the inspection has been completed.

If you paid by credit card, your card will be refunded. If you paid by check, you will be sent a refund check.

The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene provides a downloadable brochure, "What to Expect When You're Inspected: A Guide for Food Service Operators" about the inspection process for a restaurant or other food service establishment.

The brochure includes information about procedures for inspections and a self-inspection worksheet.

You can download this brochure and get more information about letter grading and operating a food establishment online or get a paper copy by phone.

Status

If you requested a Department of Health and Mental Hygiene publication over 2 weeks ago and have not received it, you can check the status. If you ordered it more recently, allow time for delivery and call back after 2 weeks if you still haven't received it.

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