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    FOOD SAFETY

    Retail Food

    Welcome to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's Retail Food page! Here, you can learn about the rules and services for food vendors, including restaurants, food trucks, and farmers markets, to help keep our food safe and delicious.

    Retail Food

    The program covers all food and drink vendors who serve consumers, for free or for a fee.

    1. Retail Food Facilities: Restaurants, caterers, bar/clubs, beer distributors, grocery stores, convenience stores, corner markets, delis, butcher shops, retail bakeries, schools, food auctions and similar.

    2. Farmers Markets: Farmers market stand/vendor with food or drink including indoor or outdoor farmers’ markets or stands.

    3. Mobile Food Facilities, Fairs and Temporary Events: Food trucks, stick stands, BBQs, and fairs/events lasting up to 14 days or less.

    4. Food Employee Certification: Requirements for retail food facilities and approved courses.

    5. Specialized Processes & HACCP: Guidance documents for specialized processes and HACCP plans for retail food facilities.

    On December 28, 2022, the U.S. FDA announced the release of the 2022 FDA Food Code. Under 7 Pa. Code, Chapter 46, the Commonwealth adopts the FDA Model Food Code. This includes its current and future versions. A summary of the changes and the timeline for enforcement is outlined in the FDA Food Code 2022 Notice. 

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    Local health departments

    Not all Retail Food Facilities fall under the PA Department of Agriculture (PDA).

    Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Erie, Montgomery, and Philadelphia have county health departments. They conduct retail inspections and licensing in their jurisdictions.

    Some local municipalities, boroughs, townships, and cities do their own inspection and licensing of retail food facilities.

    Check Local Health Departments list. It will show if your facility is, or will be, in a Local Health jurisdiction.

    If you plan to operate in a local health department's jurisdiction, you must contact EACH department separately for help with licensing. There is no reciprocity between local health departments and PDA.

    Retail Food

    A facility is exempt from having to obtain a Retail Food Facility License if:

    1. The facility is located within PDA jurisdiction as the licensor. The exemption does not necessarily apply to facilities operating in Local Health jurisdictions.

    2. The retail food facility is one of the following:

      1. Operates on no more than three (3) days per calendar year.

      2. A food bank owned by a nonprofit charity and run for charitable or religious purposes.

      3. Soup kitchen owned by a charitable nonprofit entity and operated for charitable or religious purposes.

      4. Charitable nonprofit entity established to promote and encourage participation or support for extra- curricular recreational activities for youth.

      5. Offers only prepackaged, shelf stable (non-TCS) foods or beverages (ex: canned soda, packaged chips, candy).

      6. Food or beverages sold only through a vending machine.

      7. Sells only raw agricultural commodities (unprocessed, not ready-to-eat).

    A retail food facility exempt from the Act's license requirements is exempt only from the license requirement. It is still subject to inspection and all other provisions of the Act.