Frequently Asked Questions

No permit is required by WAC 246-215 if the product you are selling is:

• commercially prepared in an approved facility and has all required, proper labeling.
• a shelf stable or non-TCS packaged product.
• is sold in the package.
• sampled or served only using single-service articles and no garnish, ice or other open handling.

A Food Demonstrator permit is required if you are using reusable glassware to sample the product directly from the original container to the customer. All glassware or other food-contact surfaces must be washed, rinsed and sanitized in an approved commissary kitchen.

A Low Risk Temporary Food Booth permit is required if you are serving/sampling with garnishes or ice. Reusable glassware is also covered under this permit if used along with ice or garnish. An approved commissary kitchen is required for advanced preparation of garnishes, food & equipment storage, and warewashing of food-contact surfaces.

Our permits are issued per event we do not have a temporary permit that covers multiple different events. You would need to apply for a permit for each event.

More information on the process for applying and receiving approval to operate a food truck, trailer or cart annually can be found here: Starting a Food Business | Snohomish County Health Department, WA (snohd.org)

The first step is to complete the attached Coordinator’s Checklist and provide a vendor’s list with business names and contact information for all proposed food vendors at the event. It is perfectly fine if you do not yet have the complete vendor’s list or a map/layout of the event, we recommend you have one to submit to us around 30 days prior to the event start-date. You will find that the checklist will include many of the requirements that the Event Coordinator should meet or account for when selecting vendors to include: Publicly available restrooms with dedicated handwashing, shore power and back-up refrigeration for food vendors, access to potable water and an approved wastewater conveyance (in this case that would be your utility sink(s) at the event center, be mindful of increased strain on the system that includes your grease interceptor/grease trap). We will also want to ensure our inspectors can park and get in to the event easily and quickly, and be able to meet with you and see any onsite commissary facilities.

Vendors who are serving food that requires advanced preparation (washing and cutting fresh produce, cooking and cooling foods or dish ingredients, any pre-assembly) are required to do so in an approved commissary which can be provided onsite at the event center by you or another coordinator, or are verified by the vendors when they sign on for participation (we will review each when they apply with us). All food served and sold to the public must be commercially prepared under a retail food permit (county jurisdiction, like ours) or food processing license (generally a state or federal license) and may not be made or stored in a private home (except for approved and licensed Cottage Food Vendors). Any food vendor at an event should have a permit of some sort – either they are selling shelf-stable packaged foods and provide a processing license to demonstrate the food was prepared commercially OR they obtain a temporary food booth permit with our agency to serve food, OR they are an annually permitted mobile food unit in Snohomish County and operate directly from their permitted food unit under their approved plan.

No permit is required If you are selling shelf-stable and non-TCS packaged foods prepared under a commercial food processing license with WSDA. Sampling of small, bagged samples also does not require a food booth permit with our agency. If you ever decided to cut, portion, package or otherwise openly prepare foods in your booth at the market for sale to the public, a permit may be required, but as it has been described here, no approvals from our department will be needed. We just ask that you forward us a copy of your WSDA license with your food products and active dates listed so that we can update our database for our market inspector’s awareness.

Yes. Commissaries are needed for warewashing, fresh produce washing, potable water and wastewater disposal, and overnight storage of food and food equipment for multi-day events. Commissaries are also used for cooking and cooling of foods prior to an event, or other advanced preparation needed for complex menus and will need to have more available commercial refrigeration and space. Private homes are NOT approved for food storage or preparation of any foods served to the public. A commissary is not required if you only sell packaged commercially prepared foods and do not need storage. Receipts and/or original packaging must be available to inspectors.

A commissary can be any non-residential kitchen that has the equipment you need to prepare your menu/food in advance. Any permitted kitchen in the county that has a 3-compartment sink or commercial dishwasher, handwashing sink(s), food preparation sink(s), mop or utility sink(s), and commercial upright steel-door refrigeration or a walk-in cooler with additional space available can potentially serve as a commissary for a range of temporary food booth needs. Church or community center kitchens may have more limited capacity but they can be a convenient option for vendors with limited operations, if they have a 3-compartment sink, utility sink and space for overnight storage of food and equipment.

Insulated beverage dispensers can be found at a variety of restaurant stores or online. The most important feature is that it has a continuous flow spigot. Button spigots are not allowed. A 5-gallon plastic bucket is essential for use as a catch basin and can be obtained at any hardware store, or re-used (and cleaned) from a bulk food supply, etc.