This section will be broken into four parts.

1. Zoning
2. Building
3. Accessibility
4. Fire Safety

1. Zoning

2. Building

1. Building Permit Application
2. Building Permit Requirements
3. Building Permit Supplemental Information Sheet
4. Architectural Plans
5. Building Permit Application Fee Information

3. Accessibility

• Parking- If you have a parking lot you must have at least 1/25 of your spots reserved for handicap people. These spots should be at least 8 ft wide and should be located closest to the restaurant's entrance
• Travel Route- You must provide an easy route of travel to your entrance. This means providing a curb ramp over any curb and a restaurant ramp if your entrance or dining area can only be accessed by climbing stairs.
• Entrances- Entrance doors must provide a 32-inch opening. There must be at least 18 inches of clear wall space when an individual must pull on the door to enter any room
• Seating, Accommodation- Aisles between fixed seats must be at least 36" wide, and restaurants should provide wheelchair-accessible seating throughout the dining room. Tables must measure 28-34 inches in height. Under the table there must be knee room that is at least 30 inches wide, 27 inches heigh, and 19 inches deep

• A working sprinkler system hooked into the water supply
• Access to a fire hydrant
• Working smoke detectors
• The presence of a fire extinguisher or more
• A fire safety plan

This section will cover regulations concerning the following utilities.

1. Plumbing
2. Trash
3. Grease Disposal
4. Lighting
5. Power

1. PlumbingYou will need to determine how you will handle water inflow and sewage outflow. For water you can either use public water or tap into a private well.  For sewage you can either tap into the public sewage system or use an on-site disposal. It is worth hiring a plumber before opening to ensure that all your pipes are working properly. For more information on Plumbing considerations, visit our Plumbing / Trash section.

Make sure to follow these rules:

• Food prep sinks, three-compartment sinks, steam tables, ice machines, drink stations, beverage dispensers and similar types of equipment which contain food, utensils or food portable equipment must be drained as an individual waste line(s) and may not be directly connected to the waste drainage system.
• Approved backflow prevention device must be installed on the main pipes. A backflow prevention device is used to protect potable water supplies from contamination or pollution due to backflow. In water supply systems, water is normally maintained at a significant pressure to enable water to flow from the tap, shower, or other fixture. Water pressure may fail or be reduced when a water main bursts, pipes freeze, or there is unexpectedly high demand on the water system (for example, when several fire hydrants are opened). Reduced pressure in the pipe may allow contaminated water from the soil, from storage, or from other sources to be drawn up into the system.
• Waste line(s) must be provided with a 1” air gap between the food service equipment and the flood rim level of the floor sink. Individual waste lines must be provided for the three-compartment sink.

• Lighting in food preparation and food equipment areas must be sufficient to meet 50 footcandles at work surfaces
• Lighting in storage areas, toilet rooms, locker rooms, garbage storage areas, dining areas during cleaning, utensil washing areas, bar, wait station, and service areas must be sufficient to provide 20 footcandles at 30 inches from floor surfaces
• Light bulbs and tubes must be shielded in food preparation, food storage, and utensil storage areas to prevent glass from falling into food or onto utensils

This section deals with regulatory requirements for equipment and finish material. If you want more information on which equipment you need to buy, visit our Equipment workspace.

Make sure you record the name, manufacturer, and serial number of all equipment you buy. For more information on specific health codes and regulations in Howard County read through the complete Health Code here.

Make sure to do the following to comply with county regulations specified in the Plan Review.

Equipment Requirements

• Show equipment either sealed to adjacent surfaces, on NSF approved casters, or equivalent, or spaced as follows: Length of side Width of space 2 feet 6 inches 2-4 feet 8 inches 4-6 feet 12 inches over 6 feet 18 inches
• Specify that all floor-mounted equipment will be either placed on NSF approved 6-inch legs, or equivalent and properly spaced from adjacent equipment or walls, or placed on NSF approved casters, or properly sealed to the floor. Installation on hollow masonry
• Indicate that all counter mounted equipment (weighing in excess of 80 pounds) will be placed on NSF approved 4-inch legs, or equivalent, or properly sealed to the counter at all adjacent surfaces.
• Shelving intended for storage or holding of open foods or utensils should be a minimum of 18 inches from the floor.
• All exterior doors must be self-closing and rodent proof
• All restrooms must be equipped with mechanical exhaust ventilation sized at a minimum rate of two cubic feet per square foot of floor areas and exhausting directly outside
• If exposed food or clean utensils will be within 15 inches of the handsink OR the handsink is mounted in the countertop, a guard at least 18 inches high must be provided to contain the splash in the sink area.
• The floors of walk-in boxes are to be graded to drain to the outside through a waste pipe, doorway, or other opening when flushing with water is the method of cleaning.
• No overshelves or salamanders are allowed above cooking surfaces.
• You must have an HVAC system which handles heating, ventilation and air conditioning
• Submit shop drawings for all food guards.
• Complete scaled shop drawings showing a minimum 12 inch overhang (18-inch overhang required for charbroiler), position of equipment underneath, filter placement and type, plenum air chamber, duct openings. cfm of fan, duct velocity, gauge of materials, etc
• Waste receptacles are in all toilet rooms
• Bathrooms must have soap and paper towels
• All restrooms will be equipped with mechanical exhaust ventilation sized at a minimum rate of two (2) cubic feet per square foot of floor areas and exhausting
• Splashguards are required on sinks to protect food from contamination
• Food Preparation, utensil washing, and food handling areas must have sinks
• Three Compartment Sinks must be:
• Equipped with integral left and right drainboards
• Individually and indirectly drained and provided with an air gap
• Must be of adequate length, width and depth to accommodate the largest piece of equipment or utensil necessary for the operation of your facility. Each sink must be individually and indirectly drained and provided with an air gap. The floor sink must capture the discharge from the three filled sinks (no splash or overflow). Provide sanitizer and appropriate test kit.
• If exposed food or clean utensils will be within 15 inches of thehandsink OR the handsink is mounted in the countertop, a guard at least 18 incheshigh will be provided to contain the splash in the sink area.
• An air quality permit is required for charbroilers with cooking surfaces greater than 5 sq. feet.

Dishwasher Requirements

• A pressure gauge is required immediately upstream from the final rinse control valve and downstream from a line strainer. The pressure gauge must read between 15 psi and 25 psi. The gauge must be installed on a 1/4 inch IPS petcock.
• If a hose spray is needed for scraping, indicate backflow prevention
• If a booster heater is used, indicate the operating temperature of the building's water heater.
• If the booster heater is located more than (5) feet from the dishwasher, specify that a recirculating pump will be installed in the booster heater system.
• Provide properly installed vacuum breaker for backflow prevention.
• Specify the manufacturer and model number of the NSF or equivalent, approved detergent and chemical feeders. Submit plans for ventilation.
• The chemical dishwasher must have a visual or audible indicating device, or other means obvious to the operator, to easily verify the chemical flow. Test papers must be present to check the sanitizer concentration.

• Record the type of interior surfaces for floors, walls, and ceiling in food preparation areas, utensil, and dishwashing areas, food storage, and restroom areas
• The finish surfaces on walls in food preparation, food storage, utensil washing, and toilet room areas must be smooth, washable, water and grease resistant to a level above the splash zone or highest level reached by potential splashes of food or water. Examples of acceptable materials include painted surfaces with a satin grade finish or greater, ceramic tile, quarry tile, or stainless steel.
• The finish surface on floors in food preparation areas, utensil and dishwashing areas, food storage, and restroom areas must be smooth and durable. Acceptable materials include: epoxy, sealed concrete, quarry tile, ceramic tile, commercial grade continuous sheet vinyl, or similar material. Carpet tiles are not permitted where liquid food products are served, stored, or displayed
• The finish surfaces on ceilings in food preparation and utensil and dishwashing areas must be smooth and washable. Ceiling tiles may not be perforated or contain a fiberglass backing
• Exposed construction such as exposed floor and ceiling rafters, trusses or beams, utility ducts and lighting must be limited to dining areas, dry food storage areas and may include areas over self-service beverage dispensing equipment. The exposed construction may not extend into bar areas or beverage dispensing areas where utensil washing or food or drink is prepared.
• All painting will be with lead-free, non-metallic enamel paint or a high quality varnish.

The Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) Plan ensures that you have strategies to handle food at specific temperatures regulated by the FDA standards. The process consists of meeting with a HACCP Plan Review Specialist to create a plan. The final plan will be submitted to the government for review. 

The HACCP Plan analyzes Critical Control Points (CCPs), or points in your cooking process where certain steps must be taken to avert food safety hazards. An example could be checking the internal temperature of chicken to make sure it's fully cooked, or making sure a hot dish is cooled before serving to prevent burns. You must list all CCPs you will encounter while cooking your menu items and explain your plan to ensure that food is consistently safe for customers. You must analyze each item on your menu for CCPs and discuss your strategy for ensuring safety at each CCP.

You also need to schedule a meeting with an HACCP Specialist within the Department of Health. These specialists can help create your plan and ensure that everything looks good before submitting it to the county board for approval.

If you need help completing your HACCP Plan make sure to check out classes offered online

For additional information, refer to the HACCP Guidelines and Examples.

All managers must be certified in a Food Safety course and be a licensed Food Manager. The classes required are usually 16-hours for first timers, including a must-pass examination at the end. The class and exam usually cost around $140-$210 per person.  It is highly recommended completing this class at the beginning of your process as it will give you lots of information on other requirements and best practice strategies.

Lists of classes can be found here:

1. Premier Food Safety Courses
2. Maryland Food Safety Training
3. HRB Universal Certification

Two of the final steps before legally opening your restaurant involve submitting a Food Facility License and passing an inspection by the Department of Health. Make sure you have finished your building and completed you HACCP Plan before applying for a License and scheduling an inspection.

The inspection will look specifically at the following:

1. Food is obtained from an approved source
2. Food is protected from adulteration, spoilage, and contamination
3. Food is restricted during illness or infection
4. Food workers practice effective handwashing
5. Food is properly cooled
6. Food is held at proper cold holding temperature
7. Food is held at proper hot holding temperature
8. All existing refrigeration equipment must maintain the internal temperature of potentially hazardous food at 41 degrees F or less
9. Food is cooked to proper temperature
10. Food is reheated to proper temperature
11. Potable hot and cold running water is provided
12. Sewage is properly discharged