Attention food business owners! The current food permit cycle ends on March 31, 2025. If you operate a restaurant, food truck, catering business, or any other food establishment in King County, it’s time to renew your permit to stay in compliance and keep your business running smoothly.
Why It’s important to renew on time
Your food permit ensures that your business meets health and safety standards to serve food safely. Operating without a valid permit can result in fines or even temporary closure—so don’t let your permit lapse!
How to renew
✅ Check your renewal notice – You should have received a renewal reminder from Public Health.
✅ Submit your application – Renew online through the Environmental Health Services Portal or by mail.
✅ Pay the permit fee – Fees vary by business type, so be sure to review your renewal details.
New to the process? Need help?
If you have questions about your renewal, fees, or the application process, contact the Food Safety Program: 📞 206-263-9566 📧 foodsafety@kingcounty.gov
Don’t wait until the last minute—renew today to keep your business on track for the next permit cycle, starting April 1, 2025!
A commissary kitchen is a commercial kitchen that rents space to other food businesses—like caterers, food trucks, food carts, and temporary vendors. If your food establishment’s primary business is renting or leasing out kitchen space to other food businesses, you’ll need a Commercial Commissary Kitchen permit from Public Health.
If you run a commissary kitchen, changes are coming! Starting April 1, 2025, King County’s Food Safety Program will directly permit commissary kitchens.
This change makes it easier for food businesses to find safe, approved kitchen spaces—and keeps our community’s food safe!
Who doesn’t need one?
You don’t need a commissary permit if you are:
✔ A restaurant or other permanent food business already permitted by Public Health that allows other food vendors to use your kitchen.
✔ A school, nonprofit, place of worship, or community center that occasionally rents out kitchen space.
How to get a permit
If your kitchen has already gone through a plan review (A food establishment plan review is basically a check to make sure any new, remodeled, or changed food business meets health and safety rules before they open or reopen. It helps catch any issues early and makes sure everything’s up to code), all you need to do is:
✅ Apply for a commercial commissary kitchen permit
✅ Pay the annual permit fee of $425
✅ Submit your application online through the Environmental Health Services Portal or by paper
If your kitchen has not gone through a plan review, contact our plan review team first:
Need more info? Send us an email to: ehfoodandfacilitiesplan@kingcounty.gov
When you think of Seattle’s iconic foods, a few things probably come to mind —grilled salmon, teriyaki, maybe even a cream cheese-loaded Seattle dog. But for seafood lovers, oysters are a must-have. Whether slurped fresh at a waterfront restaurant or enjoyed at a summer seafood festival, oysters are a Pacific Northwest favorite.
But here’s the catch: raw oysters can carry bacteria and viruses that could make you seriously sick. Because they filter water from their surroundings, oysters pick up whatever’s in the water—including germs like Norovirus (linked to human sewage contamination) and Vibrio bacteria (which thrive in warm water). Cooking them to 145°F kills these germs, but eating them raw? That’s a gamble.
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Oyster-related illnesses are on the rise
Between November 2024 and February 2025, 52 people got sick from eating raw oysters at King County restaurants, most likely due to Norovirus. As the water warms up this summer, Vibrio bacteria will become the next big risk.
How restaurants can keep customers safe
If you serve raw oysters, here’s how to protect your customers (and your business) from foodborne illness:
- Give customers a heads-up – Your menu needs a consumer advisory warning customers about the risks of eating raw or undercooked food. An asterisk (*) linking to a safety note is an easy way to do this.
- Keep oysters cold – Bacteria grow fast in warm shellfish. Oysters must be received at 45°F or colder and stored at 41°F or colder to prevent harmful bacteria from multiplying.
- Avoid cross-contamination – Sanitize surfaces and utensils after handling oysters. Employees should wear gloves and wash their hands before and after touching raw shellfish.
- Help with traceback – PH must track where the oysters came from if someone gets sick. You can help by:
✔ Keeping batches separate – Don’t mix oysters from different sources.
✔ Maintaining shellfish tags – Keep tags with each batch, record the start and end dates of service, and store them for at least 90 days.
Oysters are a tasty part of our region’s food scene—enjoy them safely! Whether you’re a restaurant owner or seafood fan, staying informed keeps everyone healthy.
For tips, visit King County Food Safety.
Get ready for oyster season: Shellfish safety webinar coming soon!
We’re hosting a special webinar in May 2025 to help you stay safe and informed—just in time for oyster season! You’ll learn key rules, safe handling tips, and why they matter. Exact date and time details coming soon.
Stay tuned!
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With recent concerns about avian flu (H5N1), food businesses may wonder how it affects poultry, eggs, and overall food safety. While avian flu primarily affects birds, it’s important for restaurants, food trucks, and caterers to follow safe handling practices to protect both their staff and customers.
According to health experts, properly cooked poultry and eggs do not pose a risk of transmitting avian flu. The virus is killed by thorough cooking (165°F for poultry). However, cross-contamination from raw poultry can still spread bacteria like Salmonella and Campylobacter, which cause foodborne illness.
Food safety tips for poultry and eggs
✔ Cook poultry to at least 165°F to kill viruses and bacteria.
✔ Avoid cross-contamination – use separate cutting boards for raw poultry.
✔ Wash hands & sanitize surfaces after handling raw poultry or eggs.
✔ Source poultry & eggs from reputable suppliers following USDA and FDA guidelines. Make sure eggs are fully cooked so that the yolks and whites are not runny or liquid. Do not add soft boiled or raw eggs to food that will not be cooked.
✔ Monitor health alerts from Public Health – Seattle & King County for any updates.
Protecting food workers
While human cases of avian flu are rare, food workers handling raw poultry should:
✔ Wear gloves and practice frequent handwashing.
✔ Avoid handling sick or dead birds (for those in direct farm-to-table operations).
✔ Stay home if sick and report flu-like symptoms to management.
Stay updated with the Washington State Department of Health for the latest guidelines.
Get ready for grilling season: cook safely!
Grilling season is almost here, and it’s the perfect time to brush up on safe cooking practices to keep everyone healthy and happy.
Key temperatures to remember:
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Chicken & poultry: Cook to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). This applies to whole chickens, chicken breasts, thighs, ground chicken, and all poultry parts to ensure harmful bacteria like Salmonella are eliminated.
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Fish, shellfish, lamb, beef, and pork: Cook to at least 145°F (63°C).
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Ground beef: Cook to at least 158°F (70°C).
Always use a food thermometer to check—don’t rely on guesswork! Safe grilling starts with knowing the right temps.
Check the chart below for more information:
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