Orange County food entrepreneurs have to have a permit to sell food. Despite popular belief, a permit is needed even when selling food in a temporary location. Various events crop up in Orange County every weekend, and a temporary cart restaurant permit is necessary to avoid fines and to stay in business.
What are the steps to getting a Restaurant Permit in Orange County in a temporary capacity? There are three that must be followed. Visit website for more on running a food business and graduating to a more stable location.
File an Application: Most event providers will have an Operation Specification and Health Permit Application. This document details all pertinent records, such as the type of food being sold, the costs of items, and basic information about the business and person behind it. The application should be submitted two weeks prior to any event.
Choose a Permit: The application will likely request what type of permit is being sought. There are about five in total. Some of these include an event coordinator permit, a prepackaged food permit, and an open food permit. These are all quite self-explanatory. Individuals will also decide if they want a recurring permit (which will face another set of documentation) or if they want a single-use permit specific for the particular event.
Pay Fees: The last action is to pay any fees associated with the permit. This could be paid directly to the Orange County Health Care organization, or the OCHCA. The fees are typically only $150, but recurring fees may be more substantial. Non-profit permits are a little different. To get a Restaurant Permit in Orange County for non-profit use, the documentation will require a tax-exempt form and a state franchise filing (if applicable). Non-profit fees are non-existent with the aforementioned paperwork.
Obtaining a permit is actually quite intuitive once a small food provider feels out how the process works. It is worth graduating from small temporary events to big events, and perhaps even to obtaining a grounded location in the county. No matter the size, the food quality and the equipment will matter.
