Washington Administrative Code
Title 16 - Agriculture, Department of (See also Titles 24, 60, and 142)
DAIRY, FOOD AND EGGS
Chapter 16-147 - Sanitary certificates
Section 16-147-030 - What are the requirements for obtaining a sanitary certificate?

(1) All applicants must be currently licensed as either a food processing or milk processing plant in Washington state with the department of agriculture under RCW 69.07.040 or 15.36.051.

(2) Sanitary certificate will be issued only to cover products listed on the license application or otherwise approved by the department of agriculture.

(3) Products for certification must not be under embargo or litigation by the department of agriculture, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or other recognized public health authorities.

(4) An applicant must not be more than ninety days in arrears in paying for previous sanitary certificates issued.

(5) Any applicant that requests sanitary certificates must have been inspected by the department of agriculture within the inspection frequency guidelines established by Washington state department of agriculture and must be in substantial compliance with applicable food safety and dairy laws and rules.

(6) The applicant must provide the department with a declaration in a form acceptable to the department.

(7) Sanitary certificates will be in a form approved by the department of agriculture that specifies the plant location where the products were processed and that the plant was inspected and found in substantial compliance with food safety or dairy laws and rules. No statements will be made to imply that a product was inspected and passed.

(8) Sanitary certificates will be issued in the order the requests are received. However advance notice of three business days is required to ensure that sanitary certificates will be sent by the date needed.

(9) The department will deliver sanitary certificate by U.S. mail service. Requests for overnight mail or fax will be allowed, but must be paid for by requester.

(10) Milk processing plants that request sanitary certificates for Grade A products must be in compliance with the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO), or Condensed and Dry Milk Ordinance (DMO), as applicable.