Food operations that do not need permits
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Foods exempt from the food code and not considered as a food service establishment
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Some types of food service operations that are regulated by other agencies or that present minimal risk to causing foodborne illness do not need to obtain a permit. Even so, it is still important to follow safe food handling practices like washing your hands and storing the food in a safe place.
- An establishment that offers only nonpotentially hazardous, non ready-to-eat, minimally cut, unprocessed fruits and vegetables
- A food processing plant or other establishment for activities regulated by the Washington State Department of Agriculture or the U.S. Department of Agriculture
- An establishment that offers only nonpotentially hazardous, ready-to-eat foods produced in a licensed food establishment or food processing plant ( such as premixed soda pop, powdered creamer, pretzels, cookies, doughnuts, cake, or meat jerky ) that are served without direct hand contact, with limited portioning, directly onto or into sanitary single-use articles or single-service articles from the original package
- An establishment that offers only nonpotentially hazardous hot beverages (such as coffee, hot tea, or hot apple cider) served directly into sanitary single-service articles
- An establishment that offers only dry, nonpotentially hazardous, non ready-to-eat foods (such as dry beans, dry grains, in-shell nuts, coffee beans, tea leaves, or herbs for tea)
- An establishment that offers only prepackaged frozen confections produced in a licensed food establishment or food processing plant
- A residential kitchen in a private home or other location, if only foods that are nonpotentially hazardous baked goods are prepared and wrapped in a sanitary manner for sale or service by a nonprofit organization for religious, charitable, or educational purposes, and if the consumer is informed by a clearly visible placard at the sales or service location that the foods are prepared in a kitchen that is not inspected by a regulatory authority
- A location where foods are prepared in a residential kitchen as noted above and are sold or offered for human consumption
- A kitchen in a private home operated as a family day care provider as defined in RCW 74.15.020(1)(f) or an adult family home as defined in RCW 70.128.010, used only to prepare food for residents and other people whom the operation is licensed to provide care
- A private home that receives catered or home-delivered food
- A private home or other location used for a private event
- A donor kitchen or a location used for a potluck
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List of food exempt from permit and plan review
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There are ten food items below that may be served without a permit, provided that you submit an application for exemption from permit and you follow the food safety requirements. Exemption from permit and plan review does NOT mean exemption from the Washington State Food Code.
- Commercially made caramel apples
- Cotton candy
- Machine crushed ice drinks with non-potentially hazardous ingredients (e.g. slurpies, icees, slushies)
- Corn on the cob with butter
- Individual samples of sliced non-potentially hazardous fruits and vegetables
- Popcorn and flavored popcorn with butter and/or shake on toppings
- Roasted nuts and roasted candy coated nuts
- Deep fried pork skins prepared from pork skins rendered at a food processing plant
- Whole roasted peppers for immediate service
- Dried herbs/spices, including bulk and/or packaging processed in an approved facility
Note - Machine crushed ice drinks are those prepared (mixed, frozen, and dispensed) completely within self-enclosed machines after a premix has been added. This eliminates any potential hand contact with the product. Nonprofit organizations may offer homemade, nonpotentially hazardous baked items for religious, charitable, or educational purposes; provided that the baked items are prepared and wrapped in a sanitary manner and the consumer is informed by a clearly visible placard at the sales or service location that the foods are prepared in a kitchen that is not inspected by a regulatory authority. Acceptable bake sale items include cookies, muffins, double crust fruit pies and bread. Foods such as pumpkin pie, custards, and whipped cream toppings are not allowed.
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