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Local Food Initiative

Supporting local farms is a key element of King County Executive Dow Constantine's Local Food Initiative, which is designed to increase access to healthy food, better connect consumers to producers, and forge a more resilient farm-to-plate chain to counter the effects of climate change.

What is a farmers market?

A farmers market allows farmers or their representatives to sell the food they produce directly to consumers. Permits are required for temporary food businesses that sell food at farmers markets.

At least one person with a valid food worker card must be at the event at all times to oversee other workers.

Learn how to get a food worker card.

Farmers market plan guide

Information for farmers market coordinators

Find a list of responsibilities, fees, types of food served, and more.

  • Farmers market coordinator’s information (799 KB)
  • Farmers market application (378 KB)
  • This application is for farmers market management. Vendor applications can be found below. The farmers market permit allows for cooking demonstrations at the market.

    This application can’t be summited online. Please print and mail the completed form with payment. Make checks payable to SKCDPH.

    Mail to:

    Environmental Health Food Protection Program

    • For Seattle/western King County, address: 401 5th Avenue, Suite 1100, Seattle, WA 98104
    • For Bellevue/eastern King County, address: 14350 SE Eastgate Way, Bellevue, WA 98007

Farmers market permit applications

The preferred and most efficient way to submit your plans and application is online.

Apply for your permit online

 

After you submit your application, we will contact you about the approval status. If you can’t submit online, please print, fill out and mail in the temporary food service application for your event. If you would like a paper copy of the application mailed to you, please call us at 206-263-9566.

Mail to:

Environmental Health Food Protection Program

  • For Seattle/western King County, address: 401 5th Avenue, Suite 1100, Seattle, WA 98104
  • For Bellevue/eastern King County, address: 14350 SE Eastgate Way, Bellevue, WA 98007

Note: if you buy your first of multiple or unlimited permits with a printed, mailed-in application, you can’t switch to the online payment option for future permits.

 

Permit fees

Permit type  Single Market Permit  Multiple (5) Market Permits  Unlimited Market Permits 
Minimal  $128  None  $252
 Moderate  $309  $684*  $801*
 Complex  $374  $748*  $908*

*A certified booth operator is required. $101 course fee.

What type of temporary event food permit should I get?

Review the information below to help you decide which permit to get. The type of temporary permit depends on the complexity of the food you are serving and how it's handled. You may also choose an incentive-based permit option. This allows you to attend multiple events for a lower cost if you can show good food safety practices.

1. What kind of food are you serving?

There are 3 levels of permits based on how complex your food will be:
  • Minimal food handling - Pre-packaged Time/Temperature Control for Safety (TCS)* food made under permit; no handling of unpackaged food — no sampling.
  • Moderate food handling - Unpackaged TCS* foods and preparation of non-TCS foods; includes sampling; not including raw animal products; reheating commercially made foods (USDA/WSDA); hot holding; no cooling.
  • Complex food handling - Food cooked from raw animal products; serving raw animal products; cooling steps – any foods cooked and cooled in a prep-kitchen.

*Time/Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) foods include meat, poultry, cooked starches, sliced melons, sprouts, fresh herb and garlic-in-oil mixtures, dairy products, cut leafy greens, cut tomatoes, and cooked produce.

2. Are you going to one market or will you go to more than one market in a year?

Use these guidelines to determine which permit category is best for your business for the year. We are not able to change permit category after your selection. If you select the wrong permit category, we will refund the permit fee charge (minus $25 processing fee). You will need to reapply for the correct permit category.


If one market, you should buy a single event permit

  • Submit an application and receive a permit for market. Each permit is good for the entire market season.
  • Receive an approval for each permit.

Minimal temporary food permit (single event)

  • No Certified Booth Operator required.
  • You only offer Pre-packaged TCS foods.
    • All foods are packaged.
    • No sampling of unpackaged foods.

Moderate temporary food permit (single event)

  • May apply for additional single permits at any time.
  • No Certified Booth Operator required.

Complex temporary food permit (single event)

  • May apply for additional single permits at any time.
  • No Certified Booth Operator required.

 


If more than one market, consider these options:


Minimal unlimited temporary food permit

  • Can attend unlimited number of events and markets until the end of the calendar year.
  • Location information required for first event; notification not required for additional events.
  • No Certified Booth Operator required.
  • You only offer Pre-packaged TCS foods.
    • All foods are packaged.
    • No sampling of unpackaged foods.

Multiple permit and unlimited permit - voluntary incentive program

For moderate and complex food handling permits, you can get a permit package that rewards safe food handling with reduced fees. Multiple and unlimited permit packages are valid only in the calendar year purchased. If you want to apply for a permit package, you must have a valid Certified Booth Operator (CBO) card (see below). If an event is before the class, you must apply for a single permit.

  • Multiple permit package - 5 events
    • Requires a Certified Booth Operator (additional food safety education) for the business.
    • Allows attendance at up to 5 events and markets for the price of less than 3 single permits.
    • Requires application with menu and location information for each event you attend.
    • You can use one permit package for both farmers markets and temporary events.

 

  • Unlimited permit package
    • Requires a Certified Booth Operator (additional food safety education) for the business.
    • Allows unlimited event and market attendance for the price of less than 3 single event permits.
    • Requires application with menu and location information for each event you attend.
    • You can use one permit package for both farmers markets and temporary events.

3. Situations where you might not need a permit

Certified Booth Operator courses will resume in 2023. Classes start in March (see below for schedule).

Vendors who purchase multiple or unlimited moderate/complex permit packages will be required to have a Certified Booth Operator starting May 1, 2023.

4. Certified Booth Operator training - part of the voluntary incentive program

This training is for those vendors participating in the voluntary incentive permit program. Multiple and unlimited moderate or complex permits require each business to have a Certified Booth Operator. But they are not required to be on-site during the market or event.

Courses located in downtown Seattle at the Chinook Building, 401 – 5th Ave, Room 121 or 123 (ground floor) or in Bellevue at the Eastgate Public Health Center, 14350 SE Eastgate Way, Conference room A/B.

Course schedule:

  • Tuesday, March 14, 2023, 10:00 am - 11:30 am, Room #123
  • Tuesday, April 11, 2023, 10:00 am - 11:30 am, Room #121
  • Tuesday, May 9, 2023, 10:00am to 11:30am, Room 123
  • Tuesday, June 13, 2023, 10:00am to 11:30am, Eastgate A/B
  • Tuesday, July 11, 2023, 10:00am to 11:30am, Room 123
  • Tuesday, August 8, 2023, 10:00am to 11:30am, Eastgate A/B
  • Tuesday, September 12, 2023, 10:00am to 11:30am, Room 123
  • Tuesday, October 10, 2023, 10:00am to 11:30am, Room 121
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