Step 5 — Food Service Permit & Pre-Opening Inspection

What Is the Food Service Permit?

The Food Service Permit issued by Fulton County Environmental Health Services (EHS) is your legal authorization to operate a food establishment in Fulton County. It is required before you serve a single customer and must be renewed annually.

The permit is issued only after you pass a pre-opening inspection. This inspection verifies that your built facility matches the plans approved during Plan Review (Step 4).

How to Schedule Your Pre-Opening Inspection

1. Confirm your Plan Review Approval Letter is in hand (Step 4)
2. Confirm your Certificate of Occupancy has been issued or is imminent (Step 3)
3. Contact Fulton County EHS to schedule your pre-opening inspection
4. Your facility must be fully equipped and operational at the time of inspection — equipment must be installed, plumbing connected, refrigeration running, and supplies on-hand

Phone: (770) 520-7500 Website: fultoncountyboh.com

What Inspectors Check at Pre-Opening

Georgia's food service rules (Chapter 511-6-1) guide every inspection. Key areas:

Food Safety

• Proper food storage temperatures (≤41°F cold, ≥135°F hot)
• Raw protein storage order (beef above pork above poultry)
• Date labeling on all prepared foods
• No bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat foods

Facility and Equipment

• All equipment is NSF certified and in working condition
• Handwashing stations stocked and accessible
• Three-compartment sink properly set up (wash, rinse, sanitize)
• Adequate refrigeration and hot-holding capacity

Personnel

• At least one Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) certificate posted (or evidence of enrollment)
• Employee health policy posted

Pest and Sanitation

• No evidence of pests
• Facility clean and in good repair
• Pest exclusion features installed

Common Reasons Pre-Opening Inspections Fail

• Refrigeration not maintaining 41°F or below
• Handwashing station not stocked or blocked
• CFPM certificate not posted
• Equipment not yet installed (inspection scheduled too early)
• Hood system not operational

Annual Renewal

The Food Service Permit must be renewed annually. EHS will conduct at least one unannounced routine inspection per year. High-risk establishments may receive two or more inspections annually. See the ongoing article on Food Service Permit Renewal for what to expect.

What SpoonSeal tracks

The document(s) you upload for this requirement, with automatic renewal/expiration tracking (Current, Due Soon, Expired). Where the city publishes health-inspection results (e.g., NYC and Chicago), SpoonSeal syncs them automatically; elsewhere they can be added manually.