Eating & Drinking Establishment

Complaints of Illness After Eating/Drinking at a Food Establishment

Effective September 2016, all current eating and drinking licensed facilities will be invoiced to renew their license approximately 45 days prior to expiration. The application listed in Related Resources is for new facilities and changes of ownership only. 


Required Health Licenses

All food establishments located in Montgomery County must have a valid Montgomery County Office of Public Health (OPH) License to Operate a Food Service Establishment. The license must be posted in a conspicuous place. The license is not transferable.

Food establishments are facilities that store, serve and/or prepare food for public consumption; they include but may not be limited to restaurants, retail food stores, caterers, cafeterias, mobile food vendors, and non-profit charitable facilities.

Protecting Our Citizens

The goal of the Environmental Field Services food protection program is to protect the citizens who eat in licensed food establishments from foodborne illnesses. This is accomplished by cyclical food service facility inspections, plan review, foodborne disease outbreak investigations, identification of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), inspection of mobile food vendors, and the implementation of food handler certification for managers and/or operators.

All new and renovated facilities must go through the plan review process. Properly prepared plans and specifications are to be submitted to OPH for review and approval before construction, remodeling, or conversion of an existing structure for use as a food establishment. OPH will provide the applicant with a written approval, denial, or request for additional information within 30 days of receiving a license application and completed plan review packet.

If a written request for additional information is made, OPH will provide the applicant with a written approval or denial within 30 days of receiving the additional information.

Related Resources