New Construction or Major Upgrades

Whether you are building a new restaurant from the ground up or purchasing an existing restaurant, you need a food facility operating permit.

As part of the application process, your food inspector has determined that your facility needs to complete the new construction or major upgrades permitting process. These are the steps to take to complete the process and submit your permit application.

Local Business Resources for Food Facilities

Plan Review Application Checklist

Your plan review application must include:

• Plan review application form
  • Download the plan review application form
• Plan review fee - See fee schedule for current fees
  • An additional fee will be assessed for additional plan review service hours. Fees for additional plan review hours will be due when you submit the operating permit application.
  • The plan review service fee does not include the operating permit fee.
• Food facility drawing - three (3) printed sets, plus one (1) electronic copy
  • Food Facility Drawing Requirements
  • List of Local Drawing Designers
• Manufacturer equipment specification sheets for each piece of equipment, plus one (1) electronic copy
• Menu or list of foods to be prepared at the facility

Your plan review application will be reviewed within 20 business days of receipt. If your application is not approved, you will receive a notice detailing the information needed for approval. Resubmitted applications are reviewed within one (1) week of receipt.

• Plan review application packet

You will receive a copy of your approved plan review application and two (2) sets of your approved food facility plan:

• One (1) set to keep on site for the contractor and the food inspector to use.
• One (1) set to take to the building department.

Environmental Health & Safety retains one (1) set for our files and the original of the plan review application.

One week before the construction is complete, contact Environmental Health & Safety to make an appointment for a food inspector to perform the final construction inspection.

• Phone: (707) 565-6565

The building department and fire department will also need to provide you with a final approval.

• Local Building Departments

All construction and operational aspects of your project must be completed and approved before you apply for your food facility operating permit.

You should have received a food facility operating permit application from your inspector during your construction inspection. You may also download and print this form below. Please complete and submit it to Environmental Health & Safety along with a copy of your construction inspection, if available.

Your permit application will be processed within 5 business days of receipt. We will mail your permit to the address provided on your application.

• Download the operating permit application

When an operating permit is issued to a retail food facility in Sonoma County, the initial food facility inspection is performed within 30 days. All retail food facilities are then inspected once or twice per year.

• Learn more about Retail Food Facility Inspections