FEE FOR INSPECTION BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH.
SF Business and Tax Regulations Code § 35
in effectSEC. 35. FEE FOR INSPECTION BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH.
(a) Unless otherwise specifically provided, all fixed fees for inspection or permits which involve the Department of Public Health shall be payable in advance annually. A filing fee of $298 payable in advance to the Department of Public Health for each inspection for a permit is required for a first-time inspection of a premises or thing if such inspection is requested or required as a condition of the issuance of a first permit or of a first license, except applications for permits for ambulances, refuse trucks, swill trucks, fumigation site surveillance, soft-serve ice cream machines and hazardous material storage.
(b) When two or more food product and marketing establishments or food preparation and service establishments, or any combination thereof, subject to inspection are located on the same premises, are not contiguous to each other, and are conducted by one owner whether person, firm or corporation, a permit shall be required for each such establishment.
(c) When the owner or lessee of premises where said class or classes of business are located or conducted does not directly or indirectly conduct the same, the owner or lessee of said premises shall not be required to obtain a permit for said premises or pay any fee imposed by this Section.
(d) Any application for a special event referred to in Section 452(b) of the San Francisco Health Code shall be accompanied by fees set out in Section 249.11(c) of the San Francisco Business and Tax Regulations Code.
(e) Exemptions. The following establishments are exempt, as set forth in Section 249.1 of this Code, from paying fees:
(1) Food preparation and service establishments used exclusively by day care facilities for children.
(2) Food preparation and service establishments funded through the San Francisco Commission on Aging for nutrition projects for older individuals.
(f) Whenever the Department of Public Health provides environmental health inspection services, permit review, or training services, including in response to a permit or license application, in response to a complaint alleging violation of a permit or license condition, or applicable laws, or by request, a fee of $167 per hour will be charged for service by environmental health inspectors, and a fee of $150 per hour will be charged for service by environmental health technicians. When these services are provided during nonregular working hours, a fee of $174 per hour will be charged. “Environmental Health Inspection services, permit review, or training services” includes but is not limited to reviewing applications, plans and blueprints, providing consultations, and making site inspections.
(g) When the Department of Public Health, while in the process of conducting inspections of businesses required to have a valid Permit To Operate, issued by the Department of Public Health, finds violations of local, state law or federal law, requiring follow up inspection(s) to determine if the documented violations have been corrected, the permitted establishment is liable for payment to the Department of Public Health a fee of $75 per half-hour of on-site inspection services. Violations subject to reinspection fees include those listed as high-risk violations on the Department of Public Health food inspection report.
(h) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 35, when the Department of Public Health conducts inspections, permitting, and enforcement of solid waste facilities, as defined in Section 40194 and required by Section 43209 et seq. of the California Public Resources Code, as may be amended from time to time, a fee of $251 per hour will be charged for service by environmental health inspectors, and a fee of $229 per hour will be charged for service by environmental health technicians.
(i) When the Department of Public Health offers training, classes, or examinations to the person in charge of the operation of a food facility and food handlers, such as a food safety classes and food safety examinations as required by Section 113947 et seq. of the California Health and Safety Code, as may be amended from time to time, a fee of $188 per training, class or examination will be charged. The Department of Public Health may require a deposit in advance, which shall be returned to the depositor upon advance notice of cancellation in accordance with Department policy.
(j) Beginning with Fiscal Year 2024–2025, fees set forth in Sections 35, 120, 248, 249, 249.1, 249.2, 249.6, 249.7, 249.8, 249.11, 249.12, 249.13, 249.14, 249.15, 249.16, and 249.20 may be adjusted each year, without further action by the Board of Supervisors, as set forth in this Section 35.
Not later than April 1, the Director shall report to the Controller the revenues generated by the fees for the prior fiscal year and the prior fiscal year's costs of operation, as well as any other information that the Controller determines appropriate to the performance of the duties set forth in this Section.
Not later than May 15, the Controller shall determine whether the current fees have produced or are projected to produce revenues sufficient to support the costs of providing the services for which the fees are assessed and that the fees will not produce revenue that is significantly more than the costs of providing the services for which the fees are assessed.
The Controller shall, if necessary, adjust the fees upward or downward for the upcoming fiscal year as appropriate to ensure that the program recovers the costs of operation without producing revenue which is significantly more than such costs. The adjusted rates shall become operative on July 1.
(Ord. 270-85, App. 5/30/85; amended by Ord. 443-86, App. 11/13/86; Ord. 341-88, App. 7/28/88; Ord. 244-91, App. 6/24/91; Ord. 207-93, App. 6/25/93; Ord. 131-97, App. 4/18/97; Ord. 117-01, File No. 010515, App. 6/1/2001; Ord. 5-05, File No. 041588, App. 1/8/2005; Ord. 149-08, File No. 080744, App. 7/30/2008; Ord. 140-25, File No. 250606, App. 8/1/2025, Eff. 9/1/2025)
Source: City and County of San Francisco, Charter and Municipal Codes (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/san_francisco/latest/sf_business/0-0-0-378Fetched: 11/1/2026