Skip to main content
Our website is changing! Starting March 31, 2023 our website will look different, but we're working hard to make sure you can still find what you need.  
King County logo
The Food Protection Program reviews and approves construction plans for retail food establishments in King County; such as restaurants, caterers, grocery stores, school cafeterias and mobile food vehicles. The Food Protection Program also reviews applications for farmers markets, temporary food booths as well as feeding programs for the needy.

For food business operators: Use the online services portal for Permanent and Mobile Food Establishment Plan Review applications:

NOTE: This does not apply to new catering operations proposing to use an existing or shared commercial kitchen space.

FOOD ESTABLISHMENT TYPES

Select a type of establishment that best describes your business to learn more about how to obtain a food business permit:


OTHER TYPES OF FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS


KEY RESOURCES

  • Food worker card class and test
    All employees of a food establishment including cooks, bartenders, servers, hosts, bus persons, etc. are required to obtain a Washington State Food Worker Card. You can take the class and test conveniently online or go to any of our in-person classes.

  • Meat cutter license
    If your job requires the cutting of fresh beef, veal, lamb and/or pork within a meat establishment you will need to pass an exam to obtain a personal occupational Meat Cutter license in addition to the Food Worker Card exam.

  • Nutrition labeling requirements for King County chain food establishments
    The King County Board of Health's nutrition labeling regulation requires some chain food restaurants permitted by Public Health - Seattle & King County to provide calorie, saturated fat, carbohydrate and sodium information to customers.

  • Artificial trans fat ban requirements for all King County food establishments
    Artificial trans fat is formed during a chemical process that adds hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them more solid, creating a "partially hydrogenated oil." Even eating small amounts of trans fats increase the risk for coronary heart disease by raising LDL (bad cholesterol) and decreasing HDL (good cholesterol). In King County, food establishments may not use nor sell any product that contains partially hydrogenated oils.