Environmental Health
Retail Food Safety Program
Principal Activities and Services
The Food Safety Program works with retail food facilities in the city and county of San Francisco to ensure food that is offered to the general public is safe and wholesome. Outreach, education, on-site training, regulation, and monitoring are some of the services we provide.
A Health Permit to Operate must be obtained from the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) to operate a retail food facility.
Food facilities include but are not limited to restaurants, markets, bars, bakeries, liquor stores, school cafeterias, catering facilities, commissaries, and vending machines.
Permits to Operate
SFDPH Environmental Health issues permits for the following types of retail food operations:
Plan Check
For any new construction or remodeling of a food facility, the Department of Public Health must perform a Plan Check to review construction plans to ensure that the physical requirements set by the California Health and Safety Code are met. The applicant should also check with the Department of Building Inspection to determine if a new Building Permit Application is required.
Inspection, Enforcement and Education
In addition to issuing permits and reviewing construction plans for restaurants, markets, and other retail food operations, SFDPH Environmental Health also conducts the following:
Related Agencies
San Francisco Planning Department- New food establishments may require approval of the land use from the Planning Department.
Building Department - A building permit is required if new construction or remodeling occurs in a food facility.
Fire Department - A fire safety inspection of a new business is required to ensure that reasonable fire safety standards exist.
Public Works - Permit is required for use of public walkways, alleys and streets for chairs and seating.
Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) - permit may be required for coffee roasters, charbroilers, and smokehouses.
How to Make a Foodborne Illness Complaint
Call 311 (or 415-701-2311) for: (1) foodborne illness complaints when three people or less are ill and/or (2) general complaints about food establishments. To learn more about foodborne illness investigations, click here.
Call Disease Control as soon as possible at (415) 554-2830 for foodborne illness complaints involving more than four (4) people.
- Service 24x7
San Francisco Department of Public Health Environmental Health Branch