Food – Southwest District Health

Food Establishment Licensing and Permitting

In Idaho, an establishment that offers Time/Temperature Control for Safety Foods (TCS) must be licensed by the local regulatory authority. This includes, but is not limited to, restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores, institutions, mobile food trucks/carts, temporary event vending, processors, caterers. If you are unsure if your operation is required to be licensed or believe your product is a low risk/cottage food, please see the section below or contact Southwest District Health.

FOOD INSPECTION RESULTS

Search the Restaurant Inspection Database HERE. Click on Food Inspection Results in the menu.

Please follow the link to our online application and payment portal for further information on food establishment licensing.

Environmental Health Portal

Use the Environmental Health Portal to submit applications, search for records, make payments, and more.

Cottage Foods

Cottage foods are foods made in a person’s home or other designated location and sold directly to a consumer. They include foods that are defined in the IDAHO FOOD CODE as non-Time/Temperature Control for Safety (nonTCS) foods. Examples of cottage foods include: baked goods that do not require refrigeration, fruit jams and jellies, honey, fruit pies, breads, cakes that do not require refrigeration, pastries and cookies that do not require refrigeration, candies and confections that do not require refrigeration, dried fruits, dry herbs, dry seasonings and mixtures, cereals, trail mixes and granola, nuts, vinegar and flavored vinegars, popcorn and popcorn balls, or tinctures that do not make medicinal claims.

Certified Food Protection Manager Training

Southwest District Health instructs in-person CFPM courses on a regular basis. Please use the link to our online payment and application portal above for more information and to sign up for an in-person class. Southwest District Health does not offer an online CFPM course at this time.

Low Risk Foods

Low-risk food establishments offering factory-sealed prepackaged non-TCS foods are exempt from licensure. These establishments may have limited preparation of non-TCS food. Examples of allowable operations under this exemption include:

• Lemonade stands with powdered ingredients

• Black coffee with powdered creamers

• Nut roasters

• Ice cream trucks (pre-packaged ice cream)

• Popsicle stands

• Popcorn and kettle corn

• Snow cone shacks and Italian shaved ice stands

• Cotton candy

Idaho Direct to Consumer Commerce Act

Homemade food products made and sold under the Idaho Direct-to-Consumer Commerce Act are not allowed to be used in a low-risk food operation offering food for immediate consumption.

Fraternal, Benevolent, or Non-Profit Charitable Organizations

Fraternal, benevolent, or non-profit charitable organizations (FBN) are exempt from licensure requirements if operating in accord with Title 39-1602, Idaho Code.

Can a new paragraph be added under the fraternal, benevolent, or non profit using the same format titled “Resources” with the body text “If you intend to sell or serve foods that require time/temperature control for safety (TCS), and/or you sell the product to a third party, then your food establishment must be regulated and meet all the requirements described in the IDAHO FOOD CODE. Refer to the Idaho Food Code for a complete definition of TCS foods.

Resources:

If you intend to sell or serve foods that require time/temperature control for safety (TCS), and/or you sell the product to a third party, then your food establishment must be regulated and meet all the requirements described in the IDAHO FOOD CODE. Refer to the Idaho Food Code for a complete definition of TCS foods.