Hotels and Restaurants – Guide to Temporary Food Service Events

What is a Temporary Event license?

A temporary food service event is an event of 30 days or less in duration where food is prepared, served, or sold to the general public and is advertised and recognized in the community. A temporary food service establishment or vendor is a participant at a temporary food service event. Temporary event licenses are food service licenses issued by the division to the participants for the duration of the event.

What should a Sponsor of a Temporary Event do?

Sponsors of a temporary food service event should notify the division of the following items no less than three business days prior to the scheduled event.

• Type of food service proposed
• Time and location of the event
• Complete list of food service vendor owners and operators participating, and
• Current license number of each public food service establishment participating
• Email the information above with the sponsor’s contact info to: dhr.info@myfloridalicense.com

Event sponsors should also look over the notification requirements on DBPR Form HR 5030-034

What should a Vendor at a Temporary Event do?

Be at the event, meet the basic requirements, and have a cashier’s check or money order to pay the license fee. Our inspectors issue a license after a passing inspection. There are three types of temporary event licenses:

• 1-3 day event – $91,
• 4-30 day event – $105,
• Annual which is good for a year – $456

Food vendors should also review the Temporary Event Checklist in preparation for the inspection.

What are some of those basic requirements for my inspection?

• A hand washing facility. This can be a food-grade container equipped with an on/off valve. The water has to come from an approved source
• Soap and paper towels
• Probe type thermometer, to check food temperatures
• Sanitizer (properly diluted, unscented bleach may be used)
• Chemical test strips (for measuring sanitizer concentration)
• Ability to wash/rinse/sanitize dishes
• Enough utensils to operate through the day
• Overhead protection for food prep and dishwashing areas (many temporary event sponsors provide a base dishwashing area for vendors)
• Adequate protection for food and food contact surfaces against insects, dust or other contaminants, this includes “sneeze guards” or similar protection for displayed food.
• A floor that prevents contaminants from reaching the food (removable mats, duckboards, etc..
• Obtain foods from an approved source. Food prepared in a private home or under the Cottage Food Law is not allowed.
• If food is prepared at a 4-30 day event, 16 mesh screens or air curtains or other effective means are needed to protect TCS foods

What are TCS foods?

TCS foods are foods that must be held under time and/or temperature control to prevent bacteria growth or toxin production.

When would a Vendor not have to pay a fee or need a License from DBPR?

• If you have a Hotels & Restaurants food service license you can operate one unit at a 1-30 day event
• If you have a food permit from the Florida Department of Agriculture or the Department of Health, you can operate one unit at a 1-3 day event. Or you may operate one unit at a 4-30 event as long as what you do at the event is what you do under your permanent permit
• If you just do popcorn, prepackaged food or beverages that don’t require extra preparation such as sodas
• If the event is on Department of Health premises such as a school or civic organization
• If you are, or the event is hosted by, a religious or a nonprofit fraternal or civic organization – including food contests/cook-offs – and the temporary event is from 1 to 3 days. Upon request by the division, the event host must provide the division documentation of its status as a church or a religious, nonprofit fraternal, or nonprofit civic organization.

Note – Group License: The division may issue a group license to a vendor with multiple units serving a single non-TCS food (e.g., churros). All grouped units must serve the same food. Foods requiring additional preparation or handling are not eligible for group licensing. All qualifying units must be inspected at a single event.

To Prevent Foodborne Illness

• Do not work with food, food equipment, utensils or single-service items if you are ill.
• Obtain foods from an approved source. Food prepared in a private home or under the Cottage Food Law is not from an approved source.
• Wash hands thoroughly before handling food, single-service items and clean equipment and utensils.
• Maintain hot foods at temperatures of 135° Fahrenheit or above.
• Maintain cold foods at temperatures of 41° Fahrenheit or below.
• Cook intact meats (beef, pork, lamb, goat, etc.), seafood and eggs broken for immediate service to a minimum temperature of 145° Fahrenheit for at least 15 seconds.
• Cook mechanically tenderized/injected meats, comminuted meats (ground beef, gyros, and sausages) and eggs pooled or broken for later use to a minimum temperature of 155° Fahrenheit for at least 17 seconds.
• Cook chicken and other poultry to a minimum temperature of 165° Fahrenheit.
• Reheat cooked foods to a minimum temperature of 165° Fahrenheit within two hours for hot holding.
• Cool cooked/heated foods from 135° Fahrenheit to 70° Fahrenheit within 2 hours and from 135° Fahrenheit to 41° Fahrenheit within a total of 6 hours.
• Check food temperatures frequently with a probe type thermometer.
• Heat foods quickly and cool foods rapidly.
• Keep raw and cooked foods separated.
• Thaw foods properly: completely submerged under cold running water, as part of the cooking process, or under refrigeration.
• Use single-service articles whenever possible.
• Keep foods covered and protected from dust, dirt, insects, vermin and human cross contamination.
• Protect all food, including displayed food, from customer contamination (touching, coughing, sneezing, etc.).
• Minimize handling of foods before, during and after preparation.
• Do not store food directly in contact with ice used for beverages.
• Do not use swollen, leaking or damaged canned goods.
• Store all food products and equipment at least six inches off the ground.

Personnel

Employees may not touch ready-to-eat (RTE) food with their bare hands unless there is a written Alternative Operating Procedure (AOP) available that has been approved by the division.  Without an approved AOP, employees must use suitable utensils such as deli tissue, spatulas, tongs, single-use gloves, or dispensing equipment when handling RTE food.

Food service workers transmit most foodborne disease causing germs to foods.  That is why it is so important for employees to maintain high standards of personal cleanliness.  All personnel must wash hands prior to beginning work, when returning to work after any break in food preparation activities, when putting on or changing gloves, or any time their hands become soiled.

Smoking is prohibited in warewashing, food preparation and food storage areas.

Personnel must wear clean outer garments, effective hair restraints and no jewelry on their hands or arms (except plain wedding bands).  If worn, artificial and painted fingernails must be covered by intact gloves.

All personnel must be free of open sores and skin infections, respiratory infections, upset stomach, diarrhea or other communicable diseases.

Other Educational Materials

Minimum Cooking Temperatures

Food Recovery Resource Guide

Temporary Event Checklist