Food Facility Categories

• Catering in Sonoma County
• Food Facility Construction
• Food Handler Safety Certification Classes
• Mobile Food Facilities
• Reduced Fee Incentive Program
• Temporary Food Facilities (Food Booths)
• Wine Tasting Room Exemption

Several types of food facilities are permitted within Sonoma County, and are divided into various classifications based upon definitions provided in the California Retail Food Code (CALCODE). Each food facility type may be divided into two or more risk levels, including minimal, moderate and high, based on a food hazard analysis.

Permanent Food Facility

Food Facility - Prepackaged, non-potentially hazardous food

Food Facility - Minimal risk

Food Facility - Moderate risk

Food Facility - High risk

Food Facility - Bed & Breakfast / Ag. Homestay

Satellite Food Distribution Facility

Mobile Food Facility

Mobile Food Preparation Unit - High risk

Mobile Food Facility - Limited food preparation

Community Event Food Facility

Temporary Food Facility - Minimal risk; annual permit

Temporary Food Facility - Moderate risk; annual permit

Occasional Event Facility - Minimal risk; single community event up to three days

Occasional Event Facility - Moderate risk; single community event up to three days

Certified Farmers Market - Single site

Swap Meet Prepackaged Food Stand

Community Event - 2 to 5 vendors

Community Event - 6 or more vendors

Other

Vending Machine

Produce Stand

Seasonal Food Facility - A food facility that operates for a continuous period of up to six months, or operates intermittently for no more than 50% of the days of the year.

Veteran Exempt Food Facility - A facility exempt from fees, owned by a qualifying veteran pursuant to the Business and Professions Code, Section 16102.

Rental Facility - A food facility is available for rent to others and has no regular food preparation activities.

Caterer with No Permanent Facility - A caterer that rents a licensed, commercial kitchen.

School - A food facility operated by a public or private school that receives one to two inspections per year.

Multiple Units in Food Facilities - A multiple unit is a food preparation area with a distinct activity, separate from the main portion of the food facility. Examples include a bar/lounge of a restaurant that is separate from the dining room, or banquet kitchen facilities in a hotel.

A multiple unit is added for each distinct department where different food preparation and food related activities take place. Deli, bakery, fish, meat, and hot-food-to go departments in a full service grocery store would each be an example of a multiple unit.

Food facilities that obtain water from a private well that is not a public water system must assure safe potable water by monitoring and testing. A multiple unit is added to these facilities. For more information, please see Food Facilities with Private Wells.

Risk

Minimal - Food facilities that retail:

• Prepackaged food, including potentially hazardous food held at 41F or below.
• Nonpotentially hazardous food dispensed or served from bulk.
• Whole or trimmed produce.
• Coffee or cocoa-based beverages that may contain cream, milk, or similar dairy products, to be made and immediately served to the consumer.
• Popcorn
• Food or beverages listed above, served with multiservice customer utensils.

Examples of minimal risk facilities include roadside stands, incidental food sales, some grocery stores, produce stands, some taverns, and espresso shops with additional nonpotentially hazardous foods.

Moderate - Food facilities that retail food beyond the minimal risk activities, but not including activities listed as high risk. Examples of moderate risk facilities include fast food restaurants, sandwich shops, pizza shops, some bakeries, some restaurants, and some satellite food distribution facilities.

High - Food facilities that retail food that includes any of the following activities:

• Hot holding for more than two hours of potentially hazardous food prepared in the facility, from two or more ingredients.
• Preparation, that has cooking as one of the steps, of ready-to-eat potentially hazardous food that will be held for more than one day.
• Preparation of potentially hazardous foods involving four or more of the following operations for a single menu item:
• Thawing
• Refrigeration
• Cooking
• Cooling hot food
• Hot holding for more than two hours
• Reheating
• Direct hand contact with ready-to-eat food

Examples of high risk facilities include full service restaurants, some delicatessens and some caterers.