Denver Restaurant & Food Establishment Inspections
Denver is the host to approximately 5,000 food businesses. These businesses include restaurants, bars, convenience stores, bakeries, dairies, grocery stores, and much more. The Food Safety Program is designed to reduce the incidence of food-borne disease, commonly called food poisoning, through inspection of food businesses, education of those working with food, investigation of complaints, enforcement of regulations that affect the safety of food, and education of consumers about food safety.
What's New?
PHI's Mobile Food News quarterly newsletter is intended to keep the food truck and food cart industry informed about upcoming events, health and safety requirements, and helpful tips to keep mobile food units running safely. Subscribe today!
Effective immediately, Denver Department of Public Health and Environment (DDPHE) Public Health Inspections Division is restricting the sale or service of kratom for human consumption in Denver. Learn more.
In recent months, Denver has seen an increase in the sale of cannabidiol (CBD) products for human consumption. Find out more here.
An inspection checklist was recently developed to help prepare operators for license approval and regulatory inspections. Read the Inspection Process Overview for Dispensaries & Infused Product Manufacturers (MIPs).
On Sept. 12, DEH also hosted an informational meeting for Denver area cannabis industry professionals to provide information on inspection processes, public health investigations, product ingredients and hemp-derived products. Click here to view the presentation.
Restaurant & Food Establishment Compliance Requirements
Learn more about compliance requirements for temporary retail food establishments, mobile food operations, caterers, food peddlers, marijuana food operations, and a plan review for new or remodeled food facilities.
At a minimum, full service restaurants are inspected twice per year, most delis and fast food restaurants are inspected annually, and facilities with very limited food options - such as bars and convenience stores - are inspected once every 18 months. Facilities receive additional regulatory visits when reinspections are required or complaint investigations are conducted. For information about applying for a variance to the regulations, view the DDPHE Board's rules here.
Denver Food Establishment Regulations
Denver Revised Municipal Code, Chapter 23
Inspection Violation Correction Form
Food Labeling-Guide
Food Disposal Guidelines
On April 6, 2017, revisions to the Denver Food Establishment Regulations went into effect.
All food businesses must maintain a current Denver Business and Professional license through the Department of Excise and Licenses. The Department of Excise and Licenses can help determine which license is appropriate for your food business.
For more specific questions, please contact us at 720-913-1311 or 311 in the Denver Metro area. You may also contact the department at phicomments@denvergov.org
Enforcement tools used by the Public Health Inspection Division to achieve compliance include civil penalties, court summons, disposal of food, retention of equipment, and closure of facilities when an imminent health hazard exists. To pay civil penalties online, go to www.denvergov.org/deh/paycitation.
Civil Penalties - Fine Schedule
Fine Schedule - Retail Food Establishments
Fine Schedule - Mobiles, Carts and Temporary
Hand Washing Sink Requirements
See Plan Review Page for more information.
PHI's Mobile Food News quarterly newsletter is intended to keep the food truck and food cart industry informed about upcoming events, health and safety requirements, and helpful tips to keep mobile food units running safely.
Subscribe to Mobile Food News »
**Effective October 1, 2015, Plan Reviews will be required for operators obtaining a new Mobile Unit license. Mobile Plan Review Forms must be completed and approved by the DDPHE to obtain a new license.**
Mobile Retail Food Establishment Licensing Instructions
Fine Schedule - Mobiles, Carts and Temporary
Mobile Acknowledgement Letter - English
Mobile Acknowledgement Letter - Spanish
Mobile Licensing Inspection Process
Cylinder Safety Flyer - English
Civil Penalties - Fine Schedule
Fine Schedule - Mobiles, Carts and Temporary
Cylinder Safety Flyer - English
Cylinder Safety Flyer - Spanish
Temporary Retail Food Establishment Guide Current 2015
Temporary Licensing Instructions
Temporary Acknowledgement Letter
Temporary Ackowledgement Letter - Espanol
To learn more about Denver’s special events, view Denver’s event calendar, or to access the event request form, click here.
Food peddlers travel to different locations and sell pre-packaged hot or cold foods, such as burritos, that have been prepared in a licensed, inspected kitchen.
Peddler Licensing Requirements
Affidavit of Commissary 2018
Commissary List
In 2012, Colorado passed a Cottage Foods Law allowing for certain low risk foods to be prepared and sold from an individual’s home kitchen without a food business license. The law allows for sales directly to consumers only, and there are certain labeling and food safety requirements that manufacturers must adhere to. For more information, please review the following resources from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment:
Colorado Cottage Foods Act Fact Sheet
Colorado Cottage Foods Producer Brochure
Colorado Cottage Foods Eligibility Checklist
Fresh Produce-Cottage Residential Sales Handout - English
Fresh Produce-Cottage Residential Sales Handout - Spanish
Colorado Cottage Foods Act Requirements and Best Practices
Sales of whole, uncut produce are allowed in Colorado without licensing. The requirements of the Cottage Foods Law do not apply to sales of only whole, uncut produce. For information about best practices for growing, harvesting, and handling produce, review the following brochure:
Information about marijuana consumer safety and applicable regulations can be found here.
Resources & Forms
FDA Bad Bug Book - This handbook provides basic facts regarding food-borne pathogenic microorganisms and natural toxins. It brings together in one place information from the Food & Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, the USDA Food Safety Inspection Service, and the National Institutes of Health.
Food-borne Illness Investigations
Food borne illness is a result of eating contaminated food that harbors enough disease causing bacteria or viruses to make you ill.
The Public Health Inspection division offers many forms of educational resources. Quarterly food safety classes are offered at the Denver Animal Shelter community room for $10 per person.
2018 Basic Food Safety Classes
Classes are also available to be taught in your restaurant by request and pricing varies by class size:
Price Tier 1 - $250 for 10-30 attendees
Price Tier 2 - $350 for 30-50 attendees
Price Tier 3 - $500 for 50+ attendeeds
An online food safety course is available for $10 at State Food Safety.com.
In addition, the documents below can help you develop and implement effective food safety systems in your establishment.
Food Safety System Tool Kit - English
Food Safety System Tool Kit - Spanish
Food Safety Visual Aids (Less Color)
Food Safety Visual Aide (More Color)
Food Security Preventive Measures
Food Safety Training Series: Rapid Cooling (English)
Food Safety Training Series: Cross Contamination Food Safety (English)
Food Safety Training Series: Proper Holding Temperatures (English)
Food Safety Training Series: Rapid Cooling (Vietnamese)
Food Safety Training Series: Cross Contamination (Vietnamese)
Food Safety Training Series: Proper Holding Temperatures (Vietnamese)
Food Safety Training Series: Rapid Cooling (Spanish)
Food Safety Training Series: Cross Contamination (Spanish)
Food Safety Training Series: Proper Holding Temperatures (Spanish)
Reduced Oxygen Packaging HACCP Review
Time as a Public Health Control Application
Sample Components of Prerequisite Programs for HACCP
Sample Production Flow Chart Form for HACCP
Sample Production Flow Chart for HACCP
Sample Critical Control Points Decision Tree for HACCP
Sample Hazard Analysis Chart Form for HACCP
Sample Critical Control Point Summary Chart Form for HACCP
Sample Thermometer Calibration Log Form for HACCP
Sample Refrigerator Air Temperature Monitoring Form for HACCP
Sample Freezer Air Temperature Monitoring Form for HACCP
Sample Temperature Log for Stored Food for HACCP
Sample Temperature Log for Cooking Food for HACCP
Sample Temperature Log for Cooling Food for HACCP
Managing Food Safety - An Operators Manual for Applying HACCP
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Public Health Inspections Division Programs
Summer Hours (April through October)
Monday – Friday
7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Winter hours (November through March)
Monday – Friday
7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.