The permit process for the restaurant industry was established as a guarantee to the public that the food is safe, labeled properly and was produced or cooked under sanitary conditions. Proposals and permits are required for new construction and remodeling of existing restaurant facilities or for bringing in new equipment. Any company that stores, prepares, packages, serves or in any way provides food for human consumption must have a valid health permit. Not only do these permits mean the food is prepared according to established standards, they signify that the construction of the building is sound and adheres to certain specified standards.
In the restaurant business plan submissions are usually required first for any building remodeling or for new construction. Restaurant Permits in Orange County for new construction can require 3 different sets of plans with specifications and reviews before anything will be approved and issued. There are plan or construction guides that are specific to each type of food facility that must be followed. Scheduled fees are due with the submission as well. Once everything is submitted, someone at the Orange County Environmental Health Department will review and either accept or reject the project. The review should start within 20 days of submitting.
After the plan, application and fees have been received and reviewed, the restaurant will be contacted with the results of the review. If the plans are rejected, the restaurant will receive a report detailing what needs correcting or what additional information is needed. Permit applications are not always approved on the first submission. Sometimes, a whole new plan and application submission is required if the original submission is found to be insufficient. Once the plans are approved, and a construction permit is issued, an inspection schedule must be followed to keep the permit active. At the completion of the construction, an official final inspection is done, and if there are no issues, an official health permit is issued. To get a more detailed list of requirements when considering restaurant construction, search the internet under restaurant permits in Orange County and click “browse our website“.
