Georgia food service permits, inspections and food safety manager

Opening a restaurant in Georgia means working with the local county health department, which issues the permit and carries out inspections under rules written by the state Department of Public Health. The main rule is Chapter 511-6-1, the Georgia Food Service Rules and Regulations, which the department revises from time to time. This guide, checked in October 2026, explains the main steps: plan review, the application, the manager requirement and the score on the door. It is general information, not legal advice. Read the current rule and ask your county health office how they apply to your project.

How do you get a food service permit?

The management of a food service establishment must submit a permit application to the local health authority, usually the county health department, well before the planned opening, and the rule sets a minimum notice period that your county office can confirm. For a new or remodeled business, the application is accompanied by plans for the menu, layout, equipment and construction materials, reviewed against the state's design and construction manual. County forms differ, so ask your office for the current packet. Start early, because plan review, construction and a pre-opening inspection take time, and an opening date set without them often slips.

Budget for the permit fee, plan review fee and any required re-inspection fees, which differ by county. Ask whether your county offers a pre-opening consultation, because a short meeting with an environmental health specialist can save weeks. Keep copies of every approved plan and every email. Expect that the final inspection will check equipment, water temperatures, sink setup, labeling and signage, so schedule it a few days before your target date.

Who must be a certified food safety manager?

The rule says that a food service establishment must have in its employ a Certified Food Safety Manager during all hours of operation. The certification must come from a test that is part of an accredited program conforming to national standards. The certificate must be posted in public view in the establishment. That means you need enough certified managers to cover every shift, including weekends and evenings, and you should keep copies of current certificates in your files. When a certified manager leaves, plan a replacement before the next inspection.

How does the inspection score work?

An inspector visits, scores the establishment on a scale of 100 and posts the result. According to the state's inspection guidance, a score from 90 to 100 is a grade of A, and a score of 69 or less is a U, for unsatisfactory. The present score is shown on the posted form, with the two previous scores beside it, so the public can see a trend. Local reporting describes bands for B and C, but check the department's guidance for the exact figures. Ask your county for the current form.

What do inspectors look for?

Inspectors focus on the risks that make people sick: cooking temperatures, cold and hot holding, cooling, handwashing, employee illness, cross-contamination and cleaning. They also look at the condition of equipment, pest control, water and waste. They will check that the certified manager is present and that the certificate is posted. Train staff to answer questions honestly, and have logs for temperature checks and cleaning ready.

What is the rule for catering and mobile units?

The state rule says that catering operations work from a base in Georgia, with the permit issued by the county where the base is, and that a catering business cannot be delivery-only. A restaurant that also runs a mobile food unit needs a separate permit for the base of operation, and each mobile unit has its own application. Changes to a mobile unit's vending locations require notice to the health department. If you add catering or a food truck to your restaurant, call your county office before you buy equipment.

How should you prepare?

Do a weekly walkthrough with the inspection form. Check temperatures with a calibrated thermometer, sanitizer strength, handwashing sinks, date labels and storage. Keep your permit and certificates where an inspector can see them. Hold a ten-minute huddle on one topic each week. Photograph problems, fix them and record the fix.

Print the inspection marking instructions that your county uses and walk through them with your managers. Many scoring points come from the same handful of items, such as cold holding, date marking, handwashing and sanitizer, so you can drill these. Keep a binder with your permit, certificates, cleaning schedules, pest control reports and employee health policy. A tidy binder tells an inspector that your business takes safety seriously.

What happens after a poor score?

Read the report, ask what must be corrected and by when and ask about re-inspection. Fix critical items immediately. Document the corrections. If a score reaches the lowest level, the permit may be at risk, so move fast. Retrain the team on the items that cost points.

What should you do before you sign a lease?

Ask the county whether the space can be permitted for your concept, whether grease traps, ventilation and sinks are adequate and whether previous owners had violations. A space that was an office will need much more work than a former restaurant. Get the answers in writing before you commit.

More guides for your business:

• Georgia alcohol licenses and Sunday brunch hours for restaurants
• Hiring restaurant staff in Georgia: E-Verify, the I-9 and paperwork
• Georgia hotel-motel tax vs restaurant sales tax: what each covers

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