- About DPH
- Our Services
- Our Programs
- Healthy Living
- Records, Permits & Licensing
- Knowledge Sharing & Collaboration
- Diseases & Conditions
- Tools
Fee Schedule of Licenses, Permits, Fines & Service Charges
Find a Restaurant Safety Score
San Francisco Health Code, Article 8 (Food and Food Products)
Foodborne Illness Investigations
Animals in Food Facilities (pdf)
Food Workers Working When They Are Sick: EHS-Net Study Findings and Recommendations
Health and Safety Guidelines for Charitable Feeding and Donations of Prepared Food (pdf)
Other Permits (Laundromats and Pet Facilities)
Office: (415) 252-3804
Fax: (415) 252-3842
NEW! The California Homemade Food Act, also know as the Cottage Food Law, goes into effect on January 1, 2013. For more information, click here.
The Retail Food Safety Program monitors compliance of local and state food safety regulations in restaurants, markets, and all other retail food operations.
All retail food operations including - restaurants, bars, markets, farmers' markets, concession stands, mobile food units, licensed health care facilities, and temporary food events - must obtain a Permit to Operate from the Department of Public Health. Click on the appropriate link below for permitting information in regards to different types of food facilities.
For any new construction or remodeling of a food facility, the Department of Public Health must perform a review of the construction plans to ensure that the physical requirements set by the California Health and Safety Code are met. For more information on the plan check procedure and requirements, click here.
California Food Safety Law requires at least one employee at each retail food facility be certified in food safety by passing an approved examination. The certified person can be the owner, manager, chef, cook or any employee responsible for safe food handling and who may insure that other employees use proper food handling techniques. The certificate must be renewed every five years. For more information on certification, click here.
California law requires all individuals involved in the preparation, storage or service of food in a food facility to obtain a food handler card after taking a food safety training course and passing an exam. For a list of certified organizations that can provide the food handler training program, click here (pdf).
Letter to operators about food handler cards - English, Spanish, Chinese (pdf)
Environmental health investigates foodborne-illness complaints when three (3) people or less are ill and complaints about food establishments in general. If you would like to make a complaint, click here. For foodborne illness complaints involving more than four (4) people, call Disease Control as soon as possible at (415) 554-2830.
San Francisco Planning Department: A potential site for a new food establishment may require approval from the Planning Department.