Temporary Food Service Permit

Updated June 17, 2024

UW students or personnel hosting or sponsoring an event at a UW location where food will be served, sold, or given away, may need to apply for a Temporary Food Service Permit from UW Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S).

A Temporary Food Service Permit application is a Washington state regulatory requirement when serving foods at public or campus community events. The permit application allows EH&S to assess the safety of the food source, evaluate food preparation steps, handling, and storage to protect health and prevent foodborne illness.

During application review, EH&S may verify a vendor or caterer’s operating permit from the local health department, operating history and inspection history, and require individuals handling food, food equipment or utensils to have current food worker cards.

When event organizers submit an application for a Temporary Food Service Permit, they agree to meet Washington State Retail Food Code requirements designed to ensure event food is prepared and handled safely and under sanitary conditions.

When a Temporary Food Service Permit is required

An EH&S Temporary Food Service Permit is required for food service if the event is at a UW location in Bothell, Seattle or Tacoma and meets any of the following conditions:

The event is sponsored by a UW department or group, including registered student organizations; or
The event is open to the public or UW campus community (students, faculty, staff); or
Event information was advertised in public media (e.g., posters, flyers, social media) or wider campus communications (e.g., email, word of mouth); or
The event is sponsored by a non-UW group and UW campus community members are invited to attend.

When a Temporary Food Service Permit is not required

An EH&S Temporary Food Service Permit is not required if any of the following exceptions are true.

The event is not held on UW property. Check with your event site regarding specific local health department requirements for permits.
The event is invitation only and private (hosted and attended by a non-UW group). This may include food service for weddings, birthdays, funerals, or external company retreats at UW venues, where the campus community is not invited and will not attend.
The event is limited to members of a small (50 people or less), closed campus community group (e.g., a class, a lab group, an RSO).
The only food served will be non-perishable, commercially pre-packaged, ready-to-eat foods (e.g., prepackaged chips, candy, individually packaged baked goods, pasteurized, bottled or canned beverages) from a licensed and permitted food establishment or food processing plant.
The only food served will be individually prepackaged frozen confections (e.g., ice cream cones or popsicles in their original packaging) from a licensed food business or food processing plant.
The only food served is provided by food establishments with current EH&S-issued operating permits (e.g., UW Housing & Food Services, Bay Laurel Catering, UWMC Plaza Café).

Even if a permit is not required, organizers should follow safe food handling practices, including proper handwashing practices, storing food at safe temperatures, limiting food service to a short window of time, and keeping food covered and protected from potential contamination.

No home-prepared foods

University units, departments, registered student organizations, and sponsored non-UW groups are not allowed to give away or sell food prepared or stored at home (or in a kitchen that has not been approved by EH&S or a local county health jurisdiction) at a temporary food establishment.

Questions about food service at your planned event? Contact the EH&S Environmental Public Health team.

Apply for a Temporary Food Service Permit

If an EH&S Temporary Food Service Permit is required, event organizers must apply online at least 2 weeks prior to the event date. EH&S cannot guarantee review of an application submitted within a shorter time frame.

To apply for a Temporary Food Service Permit, you must be a current UW student or personnel with a UWNetID.

If you do not have a UWNetID, please identify a sponsoring UW department, the UW sponsor may complete and submit a permit application on behalf of a non-UW food vendor or group. EH&S may contact the UW sponsor with questions about the event plan.

Not sure whether you need a Temporary Food Service Permit for your event? Review the frequently asked questions below.

Contact the EH&S Environmental Public Health team with questions.

Check the status of your application

Check the status of an existing application.

Food safety guidelines

If you are hosting an event on UW property, please follow the EH&S Guidelines for Temporary Food Establishments for safe food preparation, handling and transport.

The Mobile Food Unit Policy and Guidelines apply to UW mobile food units (a readily movable food establishment, such as a food truck) serving food at UW locations.

Services available

EH&S offers the following services:

Careful review of Temporary Food Service Permits
Consultation to groups hosting events where food is served
On-site inspection of temporary food establishments

FAQs about the permit application

A permit is usually required to operate a temporary food establishment (refer to the definition below) serving food or refreshments on University property in association with public or campus community events, regardless of whether the food is being sold for profit or provided at no charge.

There are some exceptions stated on this webpage. If you are unsure if you need a permit for food service at an event, contact the EH&S Environmental Public Health team for clarification.

A Temporary Food Service Permit applications may be denied by UW EH&S if the food source (e.g., caterer, restaurant, food truck) does not meet EH&S risk-based screening criteria at the time of permit application review. These criteria consider the establishment operating history and recent food safety inspection details from the local jurisdictional health department.

During the application review process, EH&S will evaluate each vendor/caterer application against risk-based screening criteria that includes:

The food establishment that is providing the event food must have a current permanent operating permit from a WA state local health jurisdiction or current permit from the Washington State Department of Agriculture.

The food establishment has been operating for at least one year.

No indication of bare hand contact with ready to eat food on the most recent local health department inspection report.

No health-based establishment closures on record in the past two calendar years.

Most recent routine inspection report score from local health department does not exceed 45 violation points.

No repeated red critical violations in the most recent routine inspection.

Failure to meet risk-based screening criteria will result in EH&S rejecting the Temporary Food Service Permit application.

Do I need a permit if the only food served at the event is…

No. EH&S does not issue Temporary Food Service Permits for potlucks.

Sharing of homemade food at a potluck may occur when all of the following conditions apply:

The gathering is limited to members of a small, closed group (e.g., a class, club or office potluck); and
Attendees bring food to share; and
There is no compensation given to individuals bringing the food; and
There is no charge for individuals eating the food; and
The potluck event is not for commercial purposes.

Home-prepared foods (and foods prepared in kitchens without EH&S or a local health jurisdiction approval) are prohibited from being served or sold to the public or wider campus community.

Potlucks (and home-prepared foods) can have inherent food safety risks related to potential unsafe ingredient sources, and improper food preparation, cooking, food storage and service. This is why it is important for potlucks to be small and controlled if they do occur. There are best practices that groups can take to ensure that food is prepared and shared safely, including:

Review state and federal food safety guidance related to picnics and barbeques and cooking for groups.
Be conscious of the ingredients in the food items being served. Consider that attendees may have food allergies or sensitivities. Proper ingredient labeling of items (especially ingredients that are food allergens) is extremely important.
Protect food from potential contamination (i.e., keep food covered when not being actively served and use clean utensils to serve food and to prevent hand contact with shared food).
Choose a potluck location where handwashing and/or hand sanitizer supplies are available for attendees.
Consider limiting potluck food items to those that typically don’t require temperature control (e.g., baked goods like cookies, muffins, brownies, candy brittle, breads and pretzels; dried fruits and nuts; whole fresh fruits like bananas, apples oranges).

FAQs about food safety

Yes. UW EH&S requires at least one event organizer per 50 planned servings to have a current Washington state food worker card where organizer(s) plan to transport perishable foods, and/or handle unpackaged food or food contact surfaces at temporary food establishments.

Food worker cards must be obtained (and provided to EH&S for review) prior to the event. Food workers should have a digital or hard copy of their current food worker card available onsite in case requested by EH&S during the event.

As a best practice all people involved in transporting or handling event foods or food contact surfaces should have food safety training. If you have a food worker card from another state, it is not valid in Washington. Each state has distinct food code regulations and food safety requirements.

For more information, please visit the Washington State Department of Health Food Worker Card website.

FAQs about food vendors

More information

Definitions

Contact

Environmental Public Health Contact

(206) 616-1623

phdept@uw.edu

Reference Files

Guidelines for Temporary Food Establishments (updated September 2022)

244.20KB (.pdf)

Mobile Food Unit Policy and Guidelines

176.00KB (.pdf)

Reference Links

Application for a Temporary Food Service Permit

Temporary Food Service Permit

When a Temporary Food Service Permit is required

When a Temporary Food Service Permit is not required

No home-prepared foods

Apply for a Temporary Food Service Permit

Check the status of your application

Food safety guidelines

Services available

FAQs about the permit application

Is a permit required to operate a temporary food establishment?

How do I obtain a Temporary Food Service Permit?

Is there an application fee?

Why could an application be denied?

What can I do if my application is denied?

Do I need a permit if the only food served at the event is…

… pre-packaged non-perishable foods from a commercial retail store?

… catered by a UW Housing & Food Services food establishment?

… prepared by a non-UW vendor or caterer?

... potluck?

FAQs about food safety

Why would EH&S close a temporary food establishment?

Can University personnel serve home-prepared food at a UW location?

Must all foods that require cooling be done at an approved and permitted kitchen?

Do event organizers need a food worker card to serve food?

FAQs about food vendors

Do food vendors need a King County health department food permit?

I have a business license and a health department permit. Can I serve food at a University event?

Does EH&S provide a list of approved food vendors?

More information

Training

Regulation and policy

Definitions

Food establishment

Food worker

Perishable food

Permanent food establishment

Sponsor

Temporary food establishment

Contact

Environmental Public Health Contact