Food, Lodging, and Institutions

Special Event Temporary Food Establishments (TFE)

A Temporary Food Establishment is associated with a gathering such as a carnival, festival, fair, or other sponsored events that are for a specific time frame. If you want to operate at multiple events, then you may need a Mobile Food Unit permit.

Key Requirements for a Vendor of a Temporary Food Establishment:

• Enclosure: No outdoor cooking or handling of open food products is allowed. All unpackaged foods must be stored, handled, prepared and cooked inside an approved enclosure. Enclosures (trailers, tents, and booths) must be screened or glassed-in on all four sides. A small (18″ – 24″) pass-through window can be provided for serving food to customers.
• Handwashing: An approved handwashing facility must be provided inside the enclosure. At least a two (2)-gallon closed container of potable water, equipped with a cutoff valve and a bucket to catch wastewater must be provided and used. A pump soap dispenser filled with anti-bacterial soap and single-use paper towels are required.
• Food Protection: All food items must be from an approved source and be stored in the original packaging materials. No home processed food is allowed. A complete menu must accompany your application. All ice must be from an approved source. Adequate refrigerators and freezers with accurate thermometers must be provided. Ice, freeze packs, and ice chests are not permitted to refrigerate foods.
• Clean and Sanitary Equipment: All equipment and utensils must be clean and sanitized as needed. Household bleach and a spray bottle should be provided for sanitizing equipment and utensils. A means of providing hot water for cleaning equipment and utensils is needed. Three (3) basins of sufficient size are needed to wash, rinse, and sanitize multi-use utensils.
• Permit: A Temporary Food Establishment permit must be obtained from this department before regulated foods can be prepared or sold. Operational permits will be issued as soon as an inspection of your facility determines that it’s in compliance with the regulations and pre-approved menu.

More Information

Your Health Department Plan Review approval, along with the City of Greensboro Pavilion Vendor application and vendor waiver, must be submitted to the City of Greensboro Collections Division. Read more about it from the City of Greensboro.

Applications

Sponsor Application

Vendor Application

A mobile food unit or food truck is like a restaurant that is designed to be readily moved. They are fully enclosed units that have the ability to cook food on location. All units are required to have hot and cold pressurized potable water for hand washing and utensil washing. All units are required to submit an application and go through plan review before being permitted.

Equipment on a Mobile Food Unit must meet ANSI/NSF standards or equivalent like a restaurant and must operate in conjunction with a permitted commissary or restaurant that they return to daily. All units must provide a schedule of operations to the County Health Department that they will be operating in. It must include dates, times, and location of operations. If mobile food units are found operating without notifying the health department they may be asked to leave since that is a violation of the permit.

Push Carts

A push cart is smaller than a mobile food unit and has a menu limited to serving hot dogs and/or food that is prepackaged and individually proportioned. All push carts must operate in conjunction with a permitted commissary or restaurant and must submit an application for plan review before being permitted. Just like Mobile Food Units operators are required to contact the local health department with dates, times, and locations of operations prior to setting up for business. Carts must return to the commissary daily for cleaning/sanitizing and restocking.

For more information on Mobile Food Units and push carts check out our Frequently Asked Questions or contact us.

If you are interested in opening a foodservice establishment, download our Information Letter and Application for more information. After you refine your concept and develop your scaled plan, staff will review and comment on your architectural and engineered plans for minimum sanitations standards. Field visits are made to verify compliance with approved plans and proper installation. All equipment is reviewed to determine compliance with ANSI/NSF standards. We issue permits to operate a public facility.

If you are interested in buying or reopening an existing foodservice establishment, your operation may qualify for a transitional permit. A transitional permit or full permit must be acquired before a new owner can begin operation. Staff will review the application and determine if you meet the necessary qualifications. Considerations for a transitional permit may include such parameters as:

• The permit for that establishment must still be active and operating/inspected within the last year.
• If equipment has been removed, the power or water disconnected, or the physical structure of the building has been changed, the permit for the establishment is likely to have been revoked and would, therefore, not qualify for a transitional permit.
• The menu must stay the same, using the same equipment and procedures.

If you feel like you may qualify for a transitional permit, download the transitional permit application.

All new hotels, motels, bed and breakfast homes, and inns must complete an application and provide architectural plans to our office.

Residential Care Inspection Application