Fla. Stat. § 500.12 — Florida Code / Title XXXIII / Chapter 500 / Section 500.12
500.12 Food permits; building permits.
Status: in_force

(1)(a) A food permit from the department is required of any person or business that operates a food establishment, except: 1. Persons or businesses operating minor food outlets that sell food that is commercially prepackaged, not potentially hazardous, not age restricted, and not time or temperature controlled for safety, if the shelf space for those items does not exceed 12 total linear feet and no other food is sold by the person or business minor food outlet. 2. Persons subject to continuous, onsite federal or state inspection. 3. Persons selling only legumes in the shell, either parched, roasted, or boiled. 4. Persons selling sugar cane or sorghum syrup that has been boiled and bottled on a premise located within this state. Such bottles must contain a label listing the producer’s name and street address, all added ingredients, the net weight or volume of the product, and a statement that reads, “This product has not been produced in a facility permitted by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.” (b) Each food establishment regulated under this chapter must apply for and receive a food permit before operation begins. An application for a food permit from the department must be accompanied by a fee in an amount determined by department rule. The department shall adopt by rule a schedule of fees to be paid by each food establishment as a condition of issuance or renewal of a food permit. Such fees may not exceed $650 and must be used solely for the recovery of costs for the services provided, except that the fee accompanying an application for a food permit for operating a bottled water plant may not exceed $1,000 and the fee accompanying an application for a food permit for operating a packaged ice plant may not exceed $250. The fee for operating a bottled water plant or a packaged ice plant must be set by rule of the department. Food permits are not transferable from one person or physical location to another. Food permits must be renewed in accordance with subparagraphs 1.-3. If an application for renewal of a food permit is not received by the department on or before its due date, a late fee not exceeding $100 must be paid in addition to the food permit fee before the department may issue the food permit. The moneys collected must be deposited in the General Inspection Trust Fund. 1. A food permit issued to a new food establishment is valid for 1 calendar year after the date of issuance and must be renewed annually on or before that date thereafter. 2. A food permit issued before September 1, 2023, expires on the month and day the initial permit was issued to the food establishment and must be renewed annually on or before that date thereafter. The department may charge a prorated permit fee for purposes of this subparagraph. 3. The department may establish a single permit renewal date for multiple food establishments owned by the same entity. (c) For bottled water plants: 1. Water that is transported into the state and that is bottled before or after importation into the state must be bottled, labeled, handled, and otherwise processed and sold according to the provisions of this chapter. 2. An application for a food permit for operating a bottled water plant must state the location of the bottled water plant, the source of the water, and any other information considered necessary by the department to verify compliance with the safety, quality, and labeling requirements of this chapter. (d) For packaged ice plants: 1. Packaged ice that is transported into the state and that is packaged before or after importation into the state must be packaged, labeled, handled, and otherwise processed and sold according to the provisions of this chapter. 2. An application for a food permit for operating a packaged ice plant must state the location of the packaged ice plant, the source of the water, the treatment the water received prior to being made into ice and packaged, and any other information considered necessary by the department to verify compliance with the safety, quality, and labeling requirements of this chapter. (e) The department is the exclusive regulatory and permitting authority for all food establishments and minor food outlets in accordance with this section. Application for a food permit must be made on forms provided by the department, which forms must also contain provision for application for registrations and permits issued by other state agencies and for collection of the food permit fee and any other fees associated with registration, licensing, or applicable surcharges. The details of the application must be prescribed by department rule. (f) The department may by rule establish conditions for the manufacturing, processing, packing, holding, or preparing of food; the selling of food at wholesale or retail; or the transporting of food to protect the public health and promote public welfare by protecting the purchasing public from injury by merchandising deceit.

(2) When any person applies for a building permit to construct, convert, or remodel any food establishment, the authority issuing such permit shall make available to the applicant a printed statement, provided by the department, regarding the applicable sanitation requirements for such establishments. A building permitting authority, or municipality or county under whose jurisdiction a building permitting authority operates, may not be held liable for a food establishment that does not comply with the applicable sanitation requirements due to failure of the building permitting authority to provide the information as provided in this subsection. (a) The department shall furnish, for distribution, a statement that includes the checklist to be used by the food inspector in any preoperational inspections to assure that the food establishment is constructed and equipped to meet the applicable sanitary guidelines. Such preoperational inspection is a prerequisite for obtaining a food permit in accordance with this section. (b) The department may provide assistance, when requested by the applicant, in the review of any construction or remodeling plans for food establishments. The department may charge a fee for such assistance which covers the cost of providing the assistance and which must be deposited in the General Inspection Trust Fund for use in funding the food safety program. (c) A building permitting authority or other subdivision of local government may not require the department to approve construction or remodeling plans for food establishments as a condition of any permit or license at the local level.

(3) Any person selling or distributing for sale any candy containing more than 0.5 percent but less than 5 percent by volume of alcohol must apply for a food permit pursuant to subsection (1) and disclose to the department any intent to sell or distribute such candy. If the person already holds a permit, written disclosure of intent to sell or distribute such candy shall be provided to the department, and the person shall comply with all rules adopted by the department relating to such candy. If the product is sold by a person licensed under chapter 565, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation shall inspect, sample, and verify compliance with this chapter. The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation shall enter into a cooperative agreement relative to the enforcement of this chapter, including delegation of authority under ss. 500.173-500.175 relating to seizure and condemnation of adulterated or misbranded products.

(4)(a) The department may suspend immediately upon notice any permit issued under this section if it finds that any of the conditions of the permit have been violated. The holder of a permit so suspended may at any time apply for the reinstatement of such permit; and the department shall, immediately after prompt hearing and an inspection of the establishment, reinstate such permit if the department finds that adequate measures have been taken to comply with and maintain the conditions of the permit, as originally issued, or as amended. (b) The department shall have access to any food establishment for the purpose of ascertaining compliance with this section. Denial of access for such inspection is a ground for suspending the permit until access to the food establishment is freely given by the operator.

(5) It is the intent of the Legislature to eliminate duplication of regulatory inspections of food. Regulatory and permitting authority over any food establishment is preempted to the department, except as provided in chapter 379. (a) Food establishments that have ancillary food service activities shall be permitted and inspected by the department. (b) Food service establishments, as defined in s. 381.0072, that have ancillary, prepackaged retail food sales shall be regulated by the Department of Health. (c) Public food service establishments, as defined in s. 509.013, which have ancillary, prepackaged retail food sales shall be licensed and inspected by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. (d) The department and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation shall cooperate to assure equivalency of inspection and enforcement and to share information on those establishments identified in paragraphs (a) and (c) and to address any other areas of potential duplication. The department and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation are authorized to adopt rules to enforce statutory requirements under their purview regarding foods.

(6) The department shall adopt rules for the training and certification of managers of food establishments and food service establishments regulated under this section and for the training and certification of department personnel.

(7) In conducting any preoperational or other inspection, the department may enforce provisions of the Florida Building Code relating to food establishments.

(8) A person who applies for or renews a local business tax certificate to engage in business as a food establishment must exhibit a current food permit or an active letter of exemption from the department before the local business tax certificate may be issued or renewed.

History: s. 12, ch. 19656, 1939; CGL 1940 Supp. 4151(675); ss. 14, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 3, ch. 70-994; s. 3, ch. 76-168; s. 1, ch. 77-457; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 11, 39, ch. 82-225; ss. 1, 3, 4, ch. 83-8; s. 2, ch. 87-269; s. 8, ch. 87-388; s. 11, ch. 92-180; s. 102, ch. 92-291; s. 9, ch. 94-180; s. 201, ch. 94-218; s. 19, ch. 97-220; s. 1, ch. 98-13; s. 14, ch. 98-396; s. 243, ch. 99-8; s. 45, ch. 2000-141; s. 15, ch. 2000-308; s. 11, ch. 2001-279; s. 12, ch. 2006-289; s. 5, ch. 2008-107; s. 64, ch. 2009-21; s. 33, ch. 2014-150; s. 7, ch. 2023-154; s. 48, ch. 2025-22.