If you are a new or existing establishment and are building a new location or remodeling an existing location you will need to submit and get approval for an establishment plan before applying for a license. If you are a new establishment moving into an existing space and not remodeling you will need to submit and get approval for a minor establishment plan before applying for a license.

Establishments that need a license:

A Food Establishment is any place where food or beverage is produced, stored, manufactured, prepared, handled, sold or offered for sale or given away. This includes restaurants, bakeries, grocery stores, convenience stores, mobile food units, food processors, caterers, bars, warehouses, breakfast bars, meat departments, church kitchens, school kitchens, organized camp kitchens, ice cream parlors etc. A “Food Establishment” does not include:

• An establishment that offers only pre-packaged foods that are not potentially hazardous (a food that does not support the growth of infectious or toxigenic microorganisms and does not require temperature control).
• A produce stand that offers whole, uncut fresh fruits and vegetables.
• A kitchen in a private home where food that is not potentially hazardous is prepared for sale or service at a function such as a religious or charitable organization’s bake sale and if the consumer is informed by a clearly visible placard at the sales or service location that states the food is prepared in a kitchen that is not subject to regulation and inspection by the regulatory authority.
• A kitchen in a private home, such as a small family day-care provider; or a bed and breakfast operation that prepares and offers food to guests if the home is owner occupied, the number of available guest bedrooms does not exceed six, breakfast is the only meal offered, the number of guests does not exceed 18, and the consumer is informed by statements contained in published advertisements, mailed brochures, and placards posted at the registration area that the food is prepared in a kitchen that is not regulated and inspected by the regulatory authority.
• A private home that receives catered or home-delivered food.

For the above exceptions to the Food Establishment definition a license waiver will need to filed.

Please select the type of establishment to learn more:

Type 1
Type 1 Food Service License is for establishments where only pre-packaged potentially hazardous foods are available or served, potentially hazardous foods are commercially pre-packaged in an approved food processing facility, there is only limited preparation of non-potentially hazardous foods and beverages, or only beverages are sold. These include lower risk food services including bar/lounge, retail food, food warehouses/bottled water, temporary retail, limited retail and vending machine operators.

Type 2
A Type 2 Food Service License is for food service where foods prepared from raw ingredients require only minimal assembly, hot or cold preparation is restricted to same day service or foods requiring preparation are obtained from approved processing facilities. These include ice manufacturing, meat department, limited food services, food processing without permit, bed & breakfast, river warehouse and mobile food unit.

Type 3
A Type 3 Food Service License is for food service where preparing and holding hot or cold foods for more than 12 hours before serving or cooking and cooling of foods as part of the handling process or preparing food for off-site service or vacuumed packaging and other forms of reduced oxygen packaging are performed at the retail level or food service for a highly susceptible population. These high risk food services include full food service, bakery, catering without a license, day care, school cafeteria and non-profit food service.

Co-located Establishment
A co-located establishment Is a food service business that is located on the same premises and uses the same equipment, food preparation area and facilities as another food service business that is owned by the same owner. The plan review fee is based on the menu, food preparation and definitions listed above, i.e. if the food facility consists of a kitchen and a bar the plan review fees would be the current fee for a Type 3 Food Service kitchen and the current fee for a Type 1 Food Service bar.

Plan Review and License Applications for Non-Mobile Food Establishments

Provide the following:

1. One set of architectural plans or a site plan drawn to scale with plumbing connections, floor sinks and equipment locations clearly shown.
2. The menu
3. Specification or cut sheets on all food and food related equipment – this includes 3 compartment sinks, hand sinks, prep sinks, prep tables etc.

If you are submitting a plan for a minor remodel, submit only those areas where changes are occurring following the procedures listed above.

By selecting an application you will be redirected to the Environmental Health Portal. You will need to create an account or log into an existing account to complete the application.

Mobile Food Unit
A Mobile Food Unit is an enclosed vehicle-mounted food establishment designed to be readily moved from which food is composed, compounded, processed, or prepared and from which the food is vended, sold, or given away.

Pushcart
A pushcart is a non-self-propelled vehicle designed to be readily movable which is limited to the serving of non-potentially hazardous foods maintained at proper temperatures, or limited to the assembling and serving of frankfurters. Unpackaged non-potentially hazardous food items approved for sale from a pushcart shall be limited to popcorn, nuts, pretzels and similar bakery products, shaved ice, and snow cones.

Food Peddler
A Food peddler is a retail food establishment in operation from a vehicle designated to be readily movable from which wrapped, properly labeled non-potentially hazardous foods or packaged potentially hazardous foods held at proper temperatures, frozen or canned prepared food which, packaged, portioned, kept in ready-to-eat units or raw fruits and vegetables are vended, sold or given away but in which establishment food is not composed, compounded, thawed, reheated, cut, cooked, processed, or prepared. Food peddlers may dispense soda fountain drinks, hot drinks, and assemble snow cones from approved and properly installed equipment.

Catering
Catering is defined as an individual or establishment that supplies food and related food services to a catered function. All catering activities must be conducted from an approved and licensed food establishment or commissary. See Operational Requirements below.

Plan Review Applications for Mobile Food Establishments

By selecting an application you will be redirected to the Environmental Health Portal. You will need to create an account or log into an existing account to complete the application.

Any place where sleeping accommodations are available to transients or tourists on a temporary basis such as a hotel, motel, motor hotel, tourist court, tourist camp, rooming house, boarding house, inn and similar facilities, consisting of two or more dwelling units; not including apartments, clubs, boarding houses, rooming houses and similar facilities where occupancy of all dwelling units is typically more than 90 days.

Bed and Breakfast
If your Bed and Breakfast fits the following definition for a waiver than you will not be required to submit a plan review or obtain a license. You will be required to submit a waiver form.

• A kitchen in a private home, such as a small family day-care provider; or a Bed and Breakfast operation that prepares and offers food to guests if the home is owner occupied, the number of available guest bedrooms does not exceed 6, breakfast is the only meal offered, the number of guests does not exceed 18, and the consumer is informed by statements contained in published advertisements, mailed brochures, and placards posted at the registration area that the food is prepared in a kitchen that is not regulated and inspected by the regulatory authority.

If your Bed and Breakfast exceeds the limits of the waiver (above) you will be required to go through plan review. The “Bed” portion will be submitted as a Hotel/Motel Plan review and the Breakfast portion will be submitted as a Food Establishment Plan Review (see Food Establishment).

Plan Review and License Applications

Provide the following:

• One set of architectural plans or a site plan drawn to scale clearly showing rooms, laundry rooms, restrooms, ware wash facilities, ice dispensing, plumbing fixtures etc.

Note: If the above submittal also involves a food facility it will be submitted as a separate plan review (see Food Establishments). If the above submittal also involves a pool and/or spa it will also be submitted as a separate plan review to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (see Pools/Spas).

By selecting an application you will be redirected to the Environmental Health Portal. You will need to create an account or log into an existing account to complete the application.

Trailer Parks
A trailer park is any plot of ground with two or more trailers, for dwelling or sleeping purposes, regardless of whether or not a charge is made for such accommodation. This does not apply where all trailers are occupied by the owner of the plot and their immediate family, nor does it include areas provided for recreational purposes or overnight parking by agencies of the local, State and Federal governments, where posted restrictions for use of such areas are provided.

Campgrounds
A campground is any tract of land operated, maintained or offered by any person for use by the public as a place to camp, either free of charge or by payment of fee.

Plan Review and License Applications

Provide the following:

• One set of architectural plans or a site plan drawn to scale clearly showing independent spaces, dependent spaces, sites, service buildings, plumbing fixtures etc.

Note: If the above submittal also involves a food facility it will be submitted as a separate plan review (see Food Establishments).  If the above submittal also involves a pool and/or spa it will also be submitted as a separate plan review to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (see Pools/Spas).

By selecting an application you will be redirected to the Environmental Health Portal. You will need to create an account or log into an existing account to complete the application.

Any land with permanent buildings, tents or other structures used as living quarters where both food and lodging are provided for minors, operated continuously for a period of five days or more each year for religious, recreational, or vacation purposes. This applies to camps offered free of charge or for payment.

Plan Review and License Applications

No plan review approval is required for a Children's Camp License. Apply for License below:

By selecting an application you will be redirected to the Environmental Health Portal. You will need to create an account or log into an existing account to complete the application.

School grounds refers to any public, private, or parochial school.

Plan Review and License Applications

Provide the following:

• One set of architectural plans or a site plan drawn to scale clearly showing solid waste storage, drinking water locations, rooms, sanitary facilities, plumbing fixtures etc.

Note: If the above submittal also involves a food facility it will be submitted as a separate plan review (see Food Establishments). If the above submittal also involves a pool and/or spa it will also be submitted as a separate plan review to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (see Pools/Spas).

By selecting an application you will be redirected to the Environmental Health Portal. You will need to create an account or log into an existing account to complete the application.

Body Art Facilities are any licensed facility, whether public or private, temporary or permanent, in nature or location, where the practices of body art, for or not-for-profit, are performed. Body Art means the practice of physical body adornment including but not limited to the following: body piercing, ear piercing, tattooing, permanent make-up, branding, scarification. This does not include procedures that might be considered medical procedures by a state medical board, such as tongue splitting, implants, etc.

Plan Review and License Applications

Provide the following:

• One set of architectural plans or a site plan drawn to scale clearly showing hand sinks, instrument and autoclave area, janitorial sink, operator areas, waiting areas, plumbing and wastewater lines, etc. 

By selecting an application you will be redirected to the Environmental Health Portal. You will need to create an account or log into an existing account to complete the application.

Pools or Spas are considered operation of any public or semi-public pool or spa. A public pool or spa includes municipal, community, public schools, commercial or cooperative, admission to which may be gained by the general public with or without payment of fee. A semi-public pool or spa as part of a hotel, motel, trailer court, apartment houses, country club, condominium, camp or similar establishment where the primary business of the establishment is not the operation of swimming facilities and where admission to the the pool or spa is included in the fee. This does not apply to private swimming pools nor do they include baths used for cleaning purposes, hydrotherapy, or for the healing arts, unless such baths consist of a pool or pools used collectively by a number of individuals.

Plan Review and License Applications

If you constructing a new public or semi-public pool or spa (not previously licensed and/or a remodel) contact the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) at 1-602-771-1255 or go online to http://www.azdeq.gov/node/2744. All plan reviews are conducted out of the Groundwater Engineering Review for Public/Semi-Public Swimming Pools. Once the plan review is completed and ADEQ has issued an approval to operate and the local building department in whose jurisdiction the pool/spa was constructed have signed off then complete the following:

1. Contact us to set up a preopening inspection.
2. Submit License Application.

By selecting an application you will be redirected to the Environmental Health Portal. You will need to create an account or log into an existing account to complete the application.