Iowa Administrative Code
Agency 481 - Inspections and Appeals Department
Inspections Division
Chapter 30 - Food and Consumer Safety
Rule 481-30.3 - Licensing and Postings

Universal Citation: IA Admin Code 481-30.3

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 6, September 18, 2024

A license to operate any food establishment or food processing plant defined in rule 481-30.2 (10A,137C,137F) must be granted by the department of inspections and appeals. Application for a license is made on a form furnished by the department which contains the names of the business, owner, and manager; locations of buildings; and other data relative to the license requested. Applications are available from the Department of Inspections and Appeals, Food and Consumer Safety Bureau, Lucas State Office Building, Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0083, or from contractors. An application for licensure shall be submitted 30 days in advance of the opening of the food establishment or food processing plant. Temporary food establishment license applications shall be submitted a minimum of 3 business days prior to opening.

(1) Transferability. A license is not transferable to a new owner or location. Any change in business ownership or business location requires a new license. Vending machines, mobile food units and pushcarts may be moved without obtaining anew license. A farmers market time/temperature control for safety food license may be used in the same county at different individual locations without obtaining a new license. However, if the different individual locations are operated simultaneously, a separate license is required for each location. Nutrition sites for the elderly licensed under Iowa Code chapter 137F may change locations in the same city without obtaining a new license.

(2) Refunds. License fees are refundable only if the license is surrendered to the department prior to the effective date of the license and only as follows:

a. License fees of $67.50 or less are an application processing fee and are not refundable.

b. If an on-site visit has not occurred, license fees of more than $67.50 will be refunded less the $67.50.

c. If an on-site visit has occurred, the entire license fee is nonrefundable.

(3) License expiration. A license is renewable and expires after one year, with the exception of a temporary food establishment license issued in conjunction with a single event at a specific location, which is valid for a period not to exceed 14 consecutive days.

(4) Posting of inspection reports, licenses, and registration tags. A valid license and the most recent inspection report, along with any current complaint or reinspection reports, shall be posted no higher than eye level where the public can see them. The report shall not be posted in such a manner that the public cannot reasonably read the report. For example, the posting of a report behind a service area where the report can be seen but not easily read is not allowed. Vending machines shall bear a tag to affirm the license. For the purpose of this subrule, only founded complaint reports shall be considered complaints. Founded complaints shall be posted until either the mail-in recheck form has been submitted to the regulatory authority or a recheck inspection has been conducted to verify that the violations have been corrected.

(5) Documentation of gross sales. The regulatory authority shall require from a license holder documentation of the annual gross sales of food and drink sold by a licensed food establishment or a licensed food processing plant unless the establishment is paying the highest license fee required by rule 481-30.4 (137C,137F). The documentation submitted by the license holder will be kept confidential and will be used to verify that the license holder is paying the appropriate license fee based on annual gross sales of food and drink. For food processing plants that are food storage facilities and food establishments whose sales are included in a single rate with lodging or other services, the value of the food handled should be used. Documentation shall include at least one of the following:

a. A copy of the firm's business tax return;

b. Quarterly sales tax data;

c. A letter from an independent tax preparer;

d. Other appropriate records.

(6) License eligibility for renewal limited to 60 days after expiration. A delinquent license shall only be renewed if application for renewal is made within 60 days of expiration of the license. If a delinquent license is not renewed within 60 days, an establishment must apply for a new license and meet all the requirements for licensure. Establishments that have not renewed the license within 60 days of the expiration of the license shall be closed by the department or a contractor. The establishment shall not be reopened until a new license application has been submitted and approved.

This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code sections 10A.104 and 137C.8 and chapter 137F.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Iowa may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.