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A New Year, A New System: ACCELA
On February 9, we replaced our old licensing and inspection system, E-Health, with Accela! Within the Acella Citizen Access (ACA) platform, food service operators, managers and owners will be able to apply for and renew licenses, track the status of plan review applications, upload documents, pay fees, and request TFU inspections.
Visit our website for guidance documents and videos on creating and linking your ACA account.
All license types will be eligible for renewal within the system starting March 2.
Food Service Licensing Fees
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Fixed Location (0 - 24 Seats): $338.20
- Fixed Location (25 - 99 Seats): $398.00
- Fixed Location (100+ Seats): $457.80
- Commissaries: $338.20
- Special Transitory Food Unit (STFU): $171.65
- Mobile Food Establishment
- Cold Truck/Pushcart: $131.20
- Steam Truck: $156.50
- Hot Truck: $181.80
All license renewals must be received by April 30, 2026, to avoid late fees. Additional late fees apply for applications received after May 31, 2026.
Licensing renewal paperwork is mailed to the owner on file for the establishment in March. Contact the Health Division before your license expires if paperwork is not received. Online renewals will be accepted on our website.
Transitory Food Units (TFU)
Transitory Food Units must request two (2) paid inspections, at least 1-month apart, annually between May 1 – April 30 of the current licensing year. If a TFU operator cannot provide documentation of two paid inspections prior to the license renewal date of April 30, the unit will be INELIGIBLE for licensure renewal.
To request a paid inspection:
A paid inspection can be requested with any local health department by completing and submitting a Notice of Intent to Operate Form. For operations within Oakland County, Notice of Intent forms may be completed electronically on our website. The fee in Oakland County is $103.50 for a paid inspection and the request must be received at least four (4) days prior to the event.
If a paid inspection is completed outside of Oakland County, submit the written report to our attention within 30 days.
Please call 248-858-1312 or email EHClerks@oakgov.com for further information or to submit Notice of Intent to Operate or inspection report forms.
Food Protection Manager Certification
We continue to offer in-person ServSafe® Food Protection Manager classes and print exams for certification and recertification. Classes are offered each month, rotating between office locations in Pontiac and Southfield. Instructors are dedicated Oakland County public health professionals with many years of experience, both in the classroom and in the field.
We also offer Spanish language courses, which are now available in the spring and fall.
To register for any of our upcoming classes please visit our website.
©2013 National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (National Restaurant Association). All rights reserved. ServSafe is a trademark of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. National Restaurant Association® and the arc design are trademarks of the National Restaurant Association.
Basic Food Safety
The Basic Food Safety Class is held twice a month, once at the Southfield office and once at the Pontiac office. The class is about two hours in length and allows the public and restaurant employees an opportunity to learn from experienced Public Health Sanitarians about food safety, without the pressure of an exam at the end. This is a FREE class, please call our office at 248-858-1312 to sign up.
On-site classes are also an option for facilities with a large staff (ten or more employees in attendance) that would like to have classes at their facility. These on-site classes are available upon request.
Classes in Spanish are available as well.
Please visit our website for additional information.
Are you interested in joining a group of like-minded individuals to help reduce the incidence of foodborne illness in Oakland County? Want to help shape future regulations and Health Division policies? Want to get the latest updates on new regulations and inspection practices?
Join the Food Service Industry Forum! We meet two to three times a year for about an hour to provide educational information, updates, and a space for open discussion between the Health Division and food service operators.
OCHD Enforcement Policy
Every licensed Food Service Establishment in Oakland County receives regular inspections each year. Failure to correct violations observed may lead to enforcement action against the food service license.
During inspections, Priority (P), Priority Foundation (Pf) and Core (C) violations may be cited. Priority/Priority foundation violations include items that are more likely to lead to foodborne illness. Core violations are less likely to lead to foodborne illness and are considered good retail practices. Every attempt should be made to immediately correct P/Pf violations at the time of inspection, while C violations may be evaluated for compliance at the next inspection.
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Continued uncorrected P/Pf violations occur when a violation has been documented and is uncorrected at two inspections (routine and follow-up).
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Repeating P/Pf violations occur when the same P/Pf violation is documented at three routine inspections (repeat X 2) or a C violation at four routine inspections.
Repeating and continuously uncorrected violations result in a reinspection fee.
If ongoing uncorrected or multiple repeating violations are observed, enforcement actions begin to escalate. These enforcement actions may include office consultations, Pre-Hearing Conferences, license limitations, or revocation of the food service license. Each step will require documentation of food safety efforts (temperature logs, cleaning logs. etc.) and additional training for staff.
What are SOPs and who needs them?
SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) are written guidelines explaining how things are to be done. In the food service industry, SOPs are useful for ensuring food safety and controlling the top five risk factors for foodborne illness which include, employee personal hygiene, equipment cleanliness, hot/cold holding of potentially hazardous foods, cooking temperatures, and food source. SOPs are useful for educating, training, and ensuring ongoing compliance. If everyone is trained on, held to, and follows the same steps, errors are less likely to occur.
Written SOPs are required by law for mobile and transitory food units (TFU), food facilities requesting specialized processes/variances, or when using time as a public health control. In these cases, the SOPs should always be kept available at the facility.
SOPs are the recipes for success when it comes to food establishments controlling risks. Even when not required, food service establishments are encouraged to create and maintain SOPs for staff training and ongoing compliance.
Please visit this resource from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) for additional information.
Food Allergens
Food allergies occur when the body’s immune system reacts to certain proteins in food. Allergic reactions vary from mild symptoms to life-threatening. Mild symptoms may include hives and lip swelling, whereas life-threatening symptoms may involve fatal respiratory problems and shock.
To help protect those with food allergies, the Food and Drug Administration enforces regulations requiring companies to list ingredients on packaged foods and beverages. The allergen’s food source must be declared at least once on the food label in one of two ways:
1) In parentheses following the name of the ingredient, example: flour (wheat), or 2) Immediately after or next to the list of ingredients in a “contains” statement, example: “contains wheat, milk and soy”.
The nine major food allergens include milk, egg, peanut, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish, crustacean shellfish, and sesame.
Be prepared to handle a customer’s allergen concerns by reviewing the labels of food supplies and ingredients, creating allergen free menus, and/or maintaining allergen free equipment and utensils.
Click here for printable allergen posters and stickers in multiple languages.
Boil Water Notices
A boil water notice indicates that the local water supply may be contaminated with harmful bacteria or pathogens, usually due to low water pressure. During this time, tap water cannot be used for drinking, food preparation, ice making, or washing food contact surfaces unless it has been properly boiled or replaced with bottled water.
According to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), food service establishments must assume the water is unsafe until authorities officially lift the notice.
Immediate Steps Food Service Establishments Must Take
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Stop using tap water for drinking, cooking, ice, beverages, handwashing, and dishwashing
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Switch to bottled water for food preparation and drinking
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Discard ice made with tap water and disable ice machines
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Stop using soda fountains, coffee machines, ice makers, and any food equipment connected to the water supply
If these steps cannot be completed, temporary closure is required.
Handwashing and Food Contact Surface Sanitizing Adjustments
Proper hand hygiene remains critical to keep the public safe.
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Use boiled (and cooled) water, bottled water, or utilize hand sanitizer after washing hands
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Maintain soap, single-use towels, hand sanitizer, and proper waste disposal bins at all handwashing sinks
For washing, rinsing, and sanitizing food contact surfaces
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Utilize a commercial dish washing machine with a final sanitizing rinse
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Utilize a three-compartment sink using boiled or bottled water for washing, rinsing, and sanitizing. Ensure the sanitizer solution is at adequate levels.
Food Safety and Menu Changes
It is recommended to modify menus during a boil water notice.
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Limit offerings to prepackaged and previously prepared ready-to-eat foods
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Avoid raw produce that requires washing
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Suspend food preparation that requires large amounts of water
Any food that may have come into contact with unsafe water must be discarded.
After the Boil Water Notice is Lifted
Once local authorities declare the water safe, food service establishments must complete the following recovery steps:
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Wash, rinse, and sanitize all food contact surfaces
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Discard remaining ice and replace filters if necessary
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Follow all manufacturer requirements for equipment connected to the public water supply
Click here to read the full Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) emergency action plan.
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