Food, pools and lodging licenses

Environmental Health works to ensure a safe everyday life and a healthy environment for all people by investigating, educating, and enforcing public health laws.

Hennepin County Environmental Health is moving to a software system that will allow business owners to view account information online, receive electronic invoices and make payments online.

To begin with, business owners will need to provide an email address. This will allow Hennepin County to begin the process of helping owners set up online accounts. In late summer or early fall, owners will receive an email with instructions on how to set up their online accounts. Provide your business's email address online.

If you have questions or need assistance, call 612-543-5200 or email epi-envhlth@hennepin.us.

Food, beverage and lodging license fees 2026 (PDF, 1MB)

Plan review and licensing

Construction, remodeling and menu changes

Changes made to a current, proposed or previously licensed establishment require a plan review.

• Plan review fees and application 2026 (PDF, 1MB)
• Construction guide (PDF, 2MB)

Change of ownership

A license is not transferable from one owner to the next. Begin the change of ownership process by completing the change of ownership form.

Vending machine license

To get licenses for vending machines, mail payment and completed vending application and fees 2026 form (PDF, 1MB).

Hennepin County Environmental Health may require up to 30 days to respond to plan review applications.

Cities with their own food, pool and lodging departments

Hennepin County regulates food, pool and lodging inspections and enforcement programs in select cities in the county.

Hennepin County Environmental Health jurisdiction map (PDF, 1MB)

Some cities are not regulated by Hennepin County. If you live in one of the cities below and need information or assistance, call the city inspection office.  

Bloomington
952-563-8934

Brooklyn Park
763-493-8070

Edina
952-826-0370

Minneapolis
612-673-3000

Minnetonka
952-939-8200

Richfield
612-861-9870

Food establishment resources

Employee illness

• Can managers talk with sick workers? (PDF, 1MB)
• Employee illness log (PDF, 1MB)
• Employee illness log – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Employee illness log – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Employee illness log – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Illness reporting (PDF, 1MB)
• Illness reporting – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Illness reporting – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Illness reporting – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Vomit clean-up procedures (PDF, 1MB)

Daily logs and checklists

• Checking food thermometers (PDF, 1MB)
• Cooling log (PDF, 1MB)
• Cooling log – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Cooling log – Somali (PDF 1MB)
• Cooling log – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Daily temperature log (PDF, 1MB)
• Food service daily checklist (PDF, 1MB)
• Management checklist (PDF, 1MB)
• Noncontinuous cooking worksheet (PDF, 1 MB)
• pH test log (PDF, 1 MB)
• pH test log – Hmong (PDF, 1 MB)
• pH test log – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• pH test log – Spanish (PDF, 1 MB)
• Time as public health control written plan template (PDF, 1MB)
• Time as public health control written plan template – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Time as public health control written plan template – Somali (PDF 1MB)
• Time as public health control written plan template – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)

Fact sheets

• Approved sources for food products – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Approved sources for food products – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Approved sources for food products – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Approved sources for food products – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Aquaculture and aquaponics – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Aquaculture and aquaponics – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Aquaculture and aquaponics – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Aquaculture and aquaponics – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Catering – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Catering – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Catering – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Catering – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Cleaning and sanitizing – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Cleaning and sanitizing – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Cleaning and sanitizing – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Cleaning and sanitizing – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Consumer advisory – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Consumer advisory – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Consumer advisory – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Consumer advisory – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Cooking whole meat roasts – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Cooking whole meat roasts – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Cooking whole meat roasts – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Cooking whole meat roasts – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Cooling – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Cooling – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Cooling – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Cooling – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Date marking – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Date marking – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Date marking – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Date marking – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Employee personal hygiene – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Employee personal hygiene – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Employee personal hygiene – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Employee personal hygiene – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Equipment requirements – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Equipment requirements – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Equipment requirements – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Equipment requirements – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Fish for raw consumption – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Fish for raw consumption – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Fish for raw consumption – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Food cart – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Food cart – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Food labeling for retail establishments – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Food labeling for retail establishments – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Food labeling for retail establishments – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Food labeling for retail establishments – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Food safety after fire – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Food safety after fire – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Food safety after fire – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Food safety after fire – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Food safety during a power outage – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Food safety during a power outage – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Food safety during a power outage – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Food safety during a power outage – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Game animal dinners – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Game animal dinners – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Game animal dinners – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Handwashing – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Handwashing – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Handwashing – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Handwashing – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Highly susceptible population – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Highly susceptible population – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Highly susceptible population – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Highly susceptible population – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Locally grown produce – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Locally grown produce – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Locally grown produce – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Major food allergens – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Major food allergens – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Major food allergens – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Major food allergens – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Mass feeding for emergency operations – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Mass feeding for emergency operations – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Mass feeding for emergency operations – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Mass feeding for emergency operations – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• MDA approved sources of meat and poultry for food facilities – English (PDF, 1MB) 
• Molluscan shellfish – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Molluscan shellfish – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Molluscan shellfish – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Molluscan shellfish – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Mushrooms – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Mushrooms – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Mushrooms – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Noncontinuous cooking – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Noncontinuous cooking – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Noncontinuous cooking – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Noncontinuous cooking – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Person in charge – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Person in charge – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Person in charge – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Person in charge – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Potluck events – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Potluck events – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Potluck events – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Potluck events – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Preventing contamination from hands – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Preventing contamination from hands – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Preventing contamination from hands – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Receiving food product – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Receiving food product – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Receiving food product – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Receiving food product – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Reduced oxygen packaging – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Reduced oxygen packaging –Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Reduced oxygen packaging – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Reheating ready-to-eat-food – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Safe use of salad bars in schools – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Safe use of salad bars in schools – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Safe use of salad bars in schools – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Safe use of salad bars in schools – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Specialized processes in retail food – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Specialized processes in retail food – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Specialized processes in retail food – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Specialized processes in retail food –Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Temperature and time requirements – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Temperature and time requirements – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Temperature and time requirements – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Temperature and time requirements – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Time as a public health control – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Time as a public health control – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Time as a public health control – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Time-temperature control for safety food – English (PDF, 1MB)
• Time-temperature control for safety food – Hmong (PDF, 1MB)
• Time-temperature control for safety food – Somali (PDF, 1MB)
• Time-temperature control for safety food – Spanish (PDF, 1MB)
• Understanding the report – English (PDF, 1MB)
• When to call your inspector – English (PDF, 1MB)

Mobile food units, seasonal stands and itinerants

Hennepin County Environmental Health jurisdiction map (PDF, 1MB)

Mobile food units (MFU) reciprocity license

Minnesota Department of Agriculture licensed mobile food units do not require additional licensing in our jurisdiction. We offer reciprocity licenses for Mobile Food Units that are currently licensed by:

• The Minnesota Department of Health, or
• The cities of Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Edina, Minneapolis, Minnetonka or Richfield.

Applications

• 2026 Mobile food unit reciprocity application (PDF, 1MB)

Mobile food units and seasonal stands

(Not currently licensed by Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Department of Agriculture or one of the following cities: Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Edina, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, Richfield or Wayzata.)

Mobile food units and seasonal stands that don’t qualify for reciprocity licensing must go through a plan review process prior to the licensing process.

• 2026 Mobile food units and seasonal stands plan review application (PDF, 1MB)
• Mobile food units and seasonal stands construction guide (PDF, 1MB)

Special event food licenses

Refer to the Licensing Decision Guide to determine your special event licensing requirements.

• Licensing decision guide (PDF, 1MB)

Submit your application with payment at least 10 days prior to the event. Additional fees apply after deadline. We issue two types of short-term food licenses, regular and low risk.  Do not provide credit card information on applications.

• 2026 Regular short-term food license application (PDF, 1MB)
• 2026 Low risk short-term food license application (PDF, 1MB) – low risk foods are listed on page 2.

Additional information

• Guidelines for short-term events (PDF, 1MB)
• Self-inspection checklist for short-term events (PDF, 1MB)

Exemptions

These exemptions only apply if an event is held in the organization's buildings or on their property.

Faith-based exceptions decision guide

A certified food manager or volunteer trained in a food safety course must be there.

• Faith-based exemptions (PDF, 1MB)
• Legislative bill, S.F. No. 477

Tax-exempt fraternal, sportsman or patriotic organizations holding events at which home-prepared food is donated by organization members and sold

• The event is not a circus, carnival or fair
• The organization controls the admission of persons to the event, the event agenda, or both
• The organization's licensed kitchen (if they have one) is not used in any manner for the event

School concession stands; fraternal, sportsman and patriotic organizations; post disaster service events

• Review the Minnesota Department of Health guidance document (PDF, 1MB)
• Other exemptions (PDF, 1MB)

Specialized processes

Request a variance

• Request for variance – Micro markets (PDF, 1MB)
• Request for variance – other types (PDF, 1MB)

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan

Hennepin County Ordinance 3 requires that the HACCP plan be submitted to and approved by Hennepin County Environmental Health. This approval indicates only that the plan complies with the provisions of Hennepin County County Ordinance 3 and Minnesota 4626. It does not guarantee that all hazards are controlled or guarantee a safe food product.

When required

An HACCP plan is required when:

• A variance has been issued to the required cooking temperatures of raw animal foods
• Curing or additives are being used to preserve food
• Operating molluscan shellfish tanks
• Removing the tags from shellstock
• Using reduced oxygen packaging

Plan submission for approval

• 2026 HACCP reduced oxygen packaging (ROP) plan application (PDF, 1MB)
• 2026 HACCP Non-ROP plan application (PDF, 1MB)
• HACCP request for variance (PDF, 1MB)

HACCP plan audits

Hennepin County Environmental Health will conduct on-site HACCP audits on an annual basis. Additional audits may be required if the plan provisions are not being correctly followed.