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	Who needs a permit?
	The Plan Guide, Plan Review and fee
	The food service application and fee
	Can I prepare food from my kitchen at home?
	The Food Worker Card and Study Guide
	Need assistance? Contact a Plans Examiner serving your area

Anyone who prepares food for public consumption needs a permit to operate a food service issued by Public Health - Seattle & King County.

Prior to issuing the permit, a plan review for the food service must be completed. Submit plans that detail the facilities and the menu to the Plans Examiner. Be prepared to discuss food preparation techniques and temperature control during food transport and service.

Download the following items formatted in Adobe PDF to get you started:

• Food Service Establishment Plan Guide
  A checklist of items you will need to define in your new food establishment to submit to the Plans Examiner. (PDF, 382 KB)
  
  
• Plan Review Application
  Submit this application with your final plans to the Plans Examiner along with your fee payment. Checks are payable to SKCDPH. (PDF, 104 KB)

Each catering business needs a food service permit to legally prepare and serve food as hired prior to private parties and events in King County.

• Download the Permanent Food Service Application
  (PDF, 224 KB)

No food service can be approved in a home kitchen, unless there are two separate kitchens. A commercial kitchen must be totally separate from the kitchen used by the people who live there. An approved kitchen in a home would have to meet all of the requirements for any commercial food service. These requirements are detailed in the Food Service Plan Guide.

As an alternative to constructing your own kitchen, the catering business could be operated out of an already approved kitchen. All food preparation would take place in the approved food service. Restaurant kitchens that are not open all the time or that have extra work space could possibly be utilized. Some church, school or community center kitchens may also be acceptable. The "shared" kitchen situations are evaluated on an individual basis.

As a caterer providing food to the public, you and your employees need to attend a Food Safety class and take a test on what you learned to obtain your Food Worker Cards. The class and test takes about 90 minutes to complete and costs $10.00 cash per person.

• Visit the Food Worker's Card homepage
  Includes a checklist to prepare for the class and test and the current schedule of locations and times in King County.
  
  
• Study "Food Safety Basics for Working Healthy"
  A study guide to help you prepare for the class and test.
  
  
• Visit the Food Safety Video Library to watch streaming food safety videos through your internet browser. Videos are available in English, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Korean, and Russian.

If you have any questions about preparing your food plans, contact the Plans Examiner serving the area where your food establishment will be sited:

• Trish Ryan, Sr. Environmental Health Inspector
  For food establishments in the City of Seattle
  
  Environmental Health Division
  401 - 5th Avenue, Suite 1100
  Seattle, WA 98104-2333
  Phone: 206-263-8484
  
  
• Diane Agasid-Bondoc, Sr. Environmental Health Specialist
  For food establishments in unincorporated South King County and South King County suburban cities
  
  Alder Square Public Health Center
  Environmental Health Division
  1404 Central Ave. S., Suite 101
  Kent, WA 98032
  Phone: 206-205-1903
  
  
• Mike Bratcher, Sr. Environmental Health Specialist
  For food establishments in unincorporated North and East King County, East and North suburban cities
  
  Northshore Public Health Center
  Environmental Health Division
  10808 NE 145th St.
  Bothell, WA 98011
  Phone: 206-296-9741