Restaurant Inspection Information

Food Service Establishment Inspection Policy

NYC Public Health Sanitarians conduct "unannounced" annual inspections of food service establishments. During inspections, Sanitarians evaluate food workers' practices, including the manner in which they receive and store foods, how they process foods and the temperatures at which they cook, cool, hold and reheat food. As a result of the inspections, Sanitarians may issue administrative summons for violations of the New York City Health Code, the State Sanitary Code or other applicable laws. Those violations that may result in fines are cited on a Notice of Violation form, called an NOV. The following are DOH's current inspection procedures and are subject to change without notice.

Inspection Policy Documents

• • Important Information for Food Service Establishments (PDF)
• • Food Service Establishment Inspection Score Worksheet (PDF)

Smoke-Free Air Act of 2002: Applications

• • Owner Operated Bar Application
• • Separate Smoking Room Application
• • Application for Tobacco Bar Registration
• • Notification of a Tobacco Promotion Event
• • Application for Registration as a Membership Association

Smoke-Free Air Act of 2002: Related Documents

• • Final Regulations for the New York City Smoke-Free Air Act
• • Sample Smoke-Free Workplace Policy
• • Letter to NYC Business Owners Regarding the New York City Smoke-Free Air Act (March 25, 2003)
• • Letter to NYC Business Owners Regarding the New York City Smoke-Free Air Act (February 1, 2003)
• • NEW YORK CITY SMOKE-FREE AIR ACT, Chapter 5, Title 17, New York City Administrative Code (Unofficial version); Contains all provisions of Local Law 47 of 2002 which are effective March 30, 2003 and which amended the Smoke-Free Air Act of 1995
• • New York City Smoke-Free Air Act of 2002: Important Information for New York City Business Owners and Employers

Smoke-Free Air Act of 2002: Fact Sheets

• • "Smoke Free Workplace Laws Don't Hurt Business" Fact Sheet
• • "Smoke-free workplace legislation would save 11,000 lives in NYC"
• • "Second-Hand Smoke Kills" Fact Sheet
• • "Answers to Common Objections..." Fact Sheet
• • "References" Fact Sheet

Signs and Posters

• • "How are we doing?" Sign NEW

No Smoking Signs

"No Smoking" Signs are required for all indoor public spaces by NYC Smoke-Free Air Act Local Law #47 of 2002. They are available in both white-on-blue, and a more printer-friendly blue-on-white. Both versions can be downloaded for printing here:

Please note that these signs must:

• • be printed in color with a color printer.
• • be printed on durable material.
• • be no smaller than 8 ¼ inches by 10 ½ inches.
• • be oriented as it appears online.
• • not be cut, re-ordered or re-designed.