How Do I Get a Temporary Food Establishment Permit?
To obtain a Temporary Food Establishment Permit, please click here.
Overview
To make it easy to get a temporary food establishment permit, Spokane Regional Health District created this process.
Below, the process and forms are presented at a higher level.
A temporary food establishment (TFE) is defined as operating:
- At a fixed location, with a fixed menu.
- Not more than 21 consecutive days in conjunction with a single event or celebration such as the Spokane Interstate Fair or Pigout in the Park.
- Not more than 3 days per week in conjunction with an approved, recurring, organized event such as a farmers market.
A Temporary Food Establishment may require a special permit from Spokane Regional Health District’s Food Safety program in order to sell food and/or drink.
Examples of Temporary Food Establishments include food vendors at:
- Fairs
- Community events
- Farmers markets
- Craft shows
- Sporting events
- Fundraisers by community organizations
- Food samplers and demonstrators at approved events
NEW Information and Updates
If you are planning to apply for a temporary food establishment (TFE) permit and use a food truck or enclosed trailer, approval from Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) may be required. In previous years L&I provided an exemption for mobiles that operated on a temporary basis and allowed reciprocity for mobiles that operated in a different state for at least six months. However, L&I has since modified the regulations for mobile food units (WAC 296-150V). For more information about the L&I requirements and the approval process, please see Washington State Department of Labor and Industries Food Trucks and Trailers page.
Will I Need a Temporary Food Establishment Permit for My Booth?
​Lower Risk Temporary Food Establishment Menu Items
Food establishment operators may want to limit the foods you serve to Level 1 Menu Items (pdf) to lower the Temporary Food Establishment permit fee. Menu items on the Lower Risk Temporary Food Establishment list are less likely to make people sick from food borne illnesses.
There are also several food items that are exempt from permit, but that may still require approval to serve from the health district.
Food Establishment Permits
Get information about starting or continuing operation of a permanent food establishment.
Report Unsafe Food Handling Practices or Food-Borne Illness
Reporting unsafe practices and illnesses helps the health district identify potential food-borne disease outbreaks.