Frequently Asked Questions

All food service permits expire on June 30 of each year. You will receive an invoice by mail and must remit your payment by May 31.

Submit a permit application, the proposed menu, and the layout plan to Environmental Health at least 30 days prior to opening.

Yes, a temporary food service permit is required to sell food at a fair or festival. The event organizer should contact us at least 30 days prior to the event to ensure all required forms have been received.

No, catering must be conducted from in a commercial kitchen. All the requirements of a food service establishment apply to the kitchen. This includes, but is not limited to, a three-compartment sink, a hand wash sink, and equipment certified by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

No. Grocery stores and convenience stores are regulated by the Georgia Department of Agriculture. Visit www.agr.georgia.gov/retailers.

For ready-to-eat foods, there should be no bare-hand contact. Workers can use gloves, deli papers, or tongs or other utensils. For foods that are not ready to eat, such as pizza dough or raw meat, bare-hand contact is allowed.

Environmental Health does not routinely test food products for consumers. Testing is usually conducted as part of an investigation. To have your food tested, contact at a testing laboratory.