Restaurants, grocery stores, nursing homes, hospitals, daycares and other food facilities that sell or serve food items are licensed and inspected by our Environmental Health Specialist in the Environmental Health Division. Inspections focus on the prevention of foodborne illnesses by ensuring the food is from an approved source and is safely stored, prepared and served.
Every establishment is different based on the menu, equipment and processing of foods and beverages.
All food establishments are required to adhere to the Ohio Uniform Food Safety Code.
A place, location, site, or separate area where food intended to be served in individual portions is prepared or served for a charge.
Examples: Restaurants, Fast Food Establishments, Bars, Catering facilities, Daycares, Hospitals, Nursing Homes, etc.
A premise or part of a premise where food is stored, processed, prepared, manufactured, or otherwise held or handled for retail sale.
Examples: Grocery Stores, Gas Stations, Bulk Food Stores, Convenience Stores, Pizza Establishments, etc.
Before opening, remodeling, changing your menu/equipment or changing ownership a plan review process may be required.
ECHD has 30 days to review a completed set of plans from the date it was received by our department. Please plan accordingly.
Any new or remodeled mobile food service operations or mobile retail food establishments (mobile food trucks, trailers, push carts such as: ice cream carts, hot dog carts, etc.) requires a plan review application and a pre-licensing inspection prior to the issuance of a mobile food license and approval to operate.
Mobile licenses once issued by ECHD can travel anywhere in the state of Ohio. Any equipment or menu items that are not present on your license will not be permitted to be used, sold or served. Addition rules and permits may be required by other counties, cities and townships check with your location prior to.
Licensed mobile units are required to move location at least once every 40 days. If an operator of a mobile unit doesn’t anticipate moving location, they should consider looking at obtaining a food license at a traditional brick and mortar facility instead of pursuing a mobile food license.
Temporary food service operations (FSO’s) and retail food establishments (RFE’s) is the short-term preparation and sale of food at a local fair, festival or any other type of gathering. This type of food license is only valid for 5 consecutive days at the same location. An owner is only permitted to acquire 10 temporary permits in one licensing year.
Temporary facilities must be self-sufficient and are subject to the same rules and regulations as brick-and-mortar facilities. Any foods that are from an unapproved source will be subject to embargo or voluntary discarding by the owner with no refunds.
All temporary plan review packets must be submitted at least 10 days prior to the start of the event.
Temporary Plan Review Document
All vended foods that contain coffee machines, time/temperature controlled for safety foods and foods that are not pre-packaged are required to obtain a vended food license per location.