New Construction and Remodel

The Permanent Food Facility Permit Application for New Construction/Remodel must include:

1. Signed and completed Application for Plan Review – New Construction/Remodel(PDF, 113KB)
2. Tentative menu and/or types of food to be sold, stored, prepared
3. List of equipment including the manufacturer’s names and model numbers
4. Labeled floor plan of the entire food facility premises (drawn to scale for dimensions) - The scaled drawing tool(PDF, 378KB) will give you an example of a complete food facility drawing including graph paper which you can print and use to draw your facility’s plan to scale 
5. Site plan which includes exterior seating, grease interceptor location (if external to the building), dumpster/trash location, exterior footprint of property, road names, intersections and other buildings on the property. Examples of completed site maps are available for: individual structure(PDF, 161KB), shopping center(PDF, 159KB), and mobile commissary(PDF, 149KB).
6. Copy of sales and use tax license or proof of application from the PA Department of Revenue
7. Payment of Plan Review Application fee. View the latest Fee Schedule(PDF, 590KB) to see what your payment should be. Payment should be in the form of a check or money order made payable to the “Treasurer of Allegheny County.”
8. After collecting and completing the above steps, submit your plan along with payment by mail or in person to:

Allegheny County Health Department
Food Safety Program, Attn.: Plan Review
2121 Noblestown Road, Suite 210
Pittsburgh, PA 15205

Upon receiving your plan, the food safety program will log your application and assign it a review number. Within 2-3 weeks of receipt, the Food Safety Program will check your plan to ensure that all required components have been submitted. Following this initial review, you will be emailed your plan review number along with a request for any additional information that may be needed to complete the full review your plan.

All plans are reviewed in the order that they are received. Once your plan has been reviewed, you will be notified by mail whether your plan has been found to be “compliant” or “non-compliant.”

• If your plan is “non-compliant”, your letter will inform you of the required information to bring your plan into compliance. Once you submit the information, it will be reviewed as soon as possible after we receive it.
• If your plan is “compliant”, you may begin construction.

After construction is complete and you have received your final plumbing inspection (if applicable), you must request and complete a pre-operational inspection before you can be permitted to operate. Pre-operational inspections should be requested 10 days in advance of your inspection. A copy of the final plumbing inspection report will be required to issue your permit. Please review the Pre-Operational Inspection Guidelines(PDF, 113KB) to ensure that you are ready for a successful pre-operational inspection.

The goal of plan review is to make sure that all equipment and construction in a new or remodeled food facility is in compliance with Article III Food Safety Rules and Regulations(PDF, 2MB) and help you to reduce or eliminate equipment violations during inspections.

Food facilities in Allegheny County are classified based on the complexity(PDF, 327KB) of food prepared. A facility’s classification helps point to the equipment and facilities it likely needs to operate. Our summary of Requirements by Food Facility Classification(PDF, 181KB) summarizes relevant and significant requirements in Article III, such as construction, equipment, and sinks. More specific information based is also provided below for several common business models. If your food business doesn’t clearly match one of the models described below, please contact the Food Safety Program for guidance on requirements.

Food Business Type

Restaurant, Bar, Or Club(PDF, 126KB): A facility where food or drink is dispensed or prepared primarily for immediate consumption. This category would include a coffee shop, cafeteria, café, tavern, nightclub, snack bar or concession stand, boarding home/nursing home, school, other facility offering prepared food to the public, and all other eating and drinking establishments. If you plan to offer open air style dining, such as large garage doors or unscreened windows, your plan must meet the Open Air Style Dining Requirements(PDF, 217KB) to help protect against pest infestations.

Boarding Home/ Nursing Home: A facility where room and meals are provided. This category includes traditional boarding homes, personal care boarding homes, and nursing homes. All facilities of this type must also submit plans to the ACHD Housing and Community Environment Program. Facilities of this type that will have meals available for the public must submit food plans to the Food Safety Program and should consult the Restaurant, Bar, or Club Minimum Requirements(PDF, 126KB).

Public Service/School: A food facility serving or operating in a public or private school, hospital, government building, or community service facility. This category includes university food service, daycare, church, Head Start, satellite kitchen, and senior citizen center. Facilities of this type should consult the Restaurant, Bar, or Club Minimum Requirements(PDF, 126KB).

Food Processor(PDF, 128KB): Any food facility that produces food for wholesale or retail distribution. This category would include a wholesale bakery, re-packer, candy manufacturer, or other similar business. Food processors (commercial food establishments) must be registered with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Food Safety. To apply for a Food Registration with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA), more information is available with the PDA for food manufacturing, packing, holding, and distribution.

Wholesale Warehouse Sales(PDF, 123KB): Any food facility that produces food for wholesale or retail distribution. This category would include a wholesale bakery, re-packer, candy manufacturer, or other similar business. Food processors (commercial food establishments) must be registered with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Food Safety. To apply for a Food Registration with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA), more information is available with the PDA for food manufacturing, packing, holding, and distribution.

Caterer(PDF, 129KB): These requirements apply to any facility that supplies, serves or prepares food and beverages to any off-premises private function (event with a set guest list where food is not provided to the public), and is the main tenant using that kitchen.

Retail Sales(PDF, 126KB): A facility where food or food products are sold primarily for off-premises consumption. This category includes any supermarket, convenience store, deli, or similar business selling foods to consumers primarily for off-site consumption. Businesses of these types that also prepare food should also consult Restaurant, Bar, or Club Minimum Construction and Equipment Requirements.

All equipment must be designed and constructed in accordance with the criteria in Sections 307 & 308 of Article III ACHD Food Safety Rules & Regulations(PDF, 2MB). NSF, ETL Sanitation, UL EPH, or equivalent American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredited program certifications are recognized as complying with these requirements.

When designing and planning a kitchen layout, it is important to think about the flow of food through the facility.
Consider:

• How food will be received, stored, and prepared
• How employees will access equipment and where they will use it. Will it be located where it is easy to access, clean, and maintain?
• Are plumbing fixtures such as hand sinks or food preparation sinks installed where they will be needed?
• Are floors and walls designed to be easily cleanable?

Thorough planning in advance can help prevent food safety issues later.

Below is a series of documents to provide guidance on equipment and kitchen design. Submitting your plan review application and receiving notice of compliance with minimum requirements before construction helps avoid the potential for being required to make costly changes to obtain a food permit.

Refrigeration Design, Size & Planning(PDF, 173KB): Having the sufficient number and capacity of refrigerated and freezer space is essential in maintaining safe cold food temperatures.

Floor and Table Mounted Equipment(PDF, 794KB): Properly installed equipment facilitates easy cleaning and maintenance.

Handwashing Facilities(PDF, 179KB): An adequate number of appropriately placed hand sinks promotes good handwashing practices.

Ventilation Types & Requirements(PDF, 116KB): Various types of ventilation for different purposes will be required in a food facility.

Food Display and Service(PDF, 165KB): Adequate equipment such as sneeze guards help protect food on display from contamination.

Food Establishment Plan Review Manual(PDF, 3MB):  A comprehensive tool from the Conference for Food Protection, Plan Review Committee, to assist architects, consultants, and other professions in planning and designing a kitchen for a food business. 

Please see the Permits and Registration page for more information on the process to obtain a food permit.

A permit application should be submitted in the planning phases of your food business and before any purchasing, construction, or remodel activities begin.

From the time the permit application is submitted to the Food Safety Program, the review process typically takes 6-8 weeks.

Please contact the Food Safety Program by calling 412-578-8044, emailing foodplanreview@alleghenycounty.us, or submitting the information online. Be prepared with your facility name and address or your plan review number, if available.

Each application has a summary on the instructions page to help ensure the correct application is being submitted. Please see the Permits and Registration webpage for more information on the process to obtain a food permit.

Please see the Temporary and Seasonal permit page for details on the process for getting a food stand permit.

The following permits are issued by the ACHD Food Safety Program:

• Temporary, Seasonal (ex. Farmer Market)
• Retail (ex. restaurant, grocery, deli)
• Non-retail (ex. Food processor, warehouse)
• Mobile Food Facility

The requirements for each permit can be found at the Permits webpage.

Depending on the timeframe and the permit status of the location for the “pop-up” event, different permitting options may be available between temporary, seasonal, and annual permitting options. Please contact the ACHD Food Safety Program to discuss by calling 412-578-8044, emailing foodsafety@alleghenycounty.us, or submitting the information online.

There is no process to expedite the review of a plan. We realize that all applicants wish to open their new facilities as quickly as possible. In order to not favor one facility over another, applications and plans are reviewed in the order they are received, without exception. To avoid delays in opening your facility, we encourage you to submit your plans once you have the components of your plan in place.

A pre-operational inspection is an inspection conducted before the facility stores or serves food. The purpose of this inspection is to ensure the food facility is constructed and equipped to operate safely.

During a pre-operational inspection, the inspector will check to ensure equipment was properly installed, refrigeration is working properly, and if other basic minimum food facility requirements are met. If minimum requirements were met, then the inspector will issue the food permit at the end of the inspection. More information about what the inspectors look for during a pre-operational inspection(PDF, 113KB).

To prepare for the pre-operational inspection, please use the items listed in the pre-operational Inspection(PDF, 113KB).

Pre-operational inspections may be requested online, by calling 412-578-8044, or by emailing foodsafety@alleghenycounty.us. We will make every attempt to schedule on your preferred date, but due to scheduling, we may not be able to do so, based on availability.

You may submit your preferred pre-operational inspection date online, by calling 412-578-8044, or by emailing foodsafety@alleghenycounty.us. We will make every attempt to schedule on your preferred date, but due to scheduling, we may not be able to do so, based on availability.

There is no cost for the first pre-operational inspection. If the food facility does not meet permitting requirements, at the time of their requested pre-operational inspection, the business will be required to pay a fee of $100 after each subsequent re-inspection.

The length of an inspection varies based on the size of the facility and scope of the operation, but inspections typically last 1-3 hours.

Pre-operational inspections are scheduled within 10 days of making the request, based on the inspector’s availability.

A legal representative of the business (LLC, corporation) must be present for a food permit to be issued.

The Food Safety Program may not be able to schedule the pre-operational inspection before your intended opening date.

Food Safety Program inspectors conduct pre-operational inspections. Depending on availability and location, the inspector conducting the pre-operational inspection may or may not be the inspector who reviewed the permit application.

Please submit a Change of Classification Application available on the Permits and Registration webpage.

A food facility that only handles commercially-prepackaged, shelf-stable food (non-time/temperature controlled for safety (TCS) food). Class I facilities are required to register with the Food Safety Program before operation.

A food facility that handles commercially-prepackaged food requiring refrigeration (time and temperature controlled for safety) food such as, but not limited to, milk, eggs, and cheese, which remain in sealed packaging while stored in the food facility.

A food facility that handles time and temperature controlled food and regularly prepares food for same day service without a cooling step. Or, a food facility that prepares non-time and temperature controlled foods, such as baking chocolate chip cookies.

A food facility that handles time and temperature controlled food with complex food preparation steps such as cooling, reheating, and hot holding.

Food is defined as any raw, cooked, or processed edible substance; ice; beverage; or any ingredient used or intended for use or for sale, in whole or in part, for human consumption. Beer and alcohol are considered beverages for human consumption.