Maricopa County Environmental Services Department inspects every food facility countywide under MCEHC Chapters 1 and 3, scoring critical and non-critical violations. Arizona uses a numerical scoring and online disclosure model rather than a posted A-B-C letter grade card.
The Maricopa County Environmental Services Department (MCESD) inspects every retail food establishment in the county at least annually, with risk-based facilities receiving two or three visits per year. Inspectors apply the Maricopa County Environmental Health Code (MCEHC) Chapters 1 and 3, which adopt the FDA Food Code. Each inspection produces a numerical score plus a list of priority, priority-foundation, and core violations. Reports are published on the MCESD online inspection portal so the public can search any establishment by name or address. Maricopa County has not adopted a letter-grade posting rule; transparency comes through the searchable database. Critical-violation failures trigger a follow-up inspection within ten days.
Operating without a current MCESD permit, refusing inspection, or failing to correct priority violations within ten days can trigger permit suspension, embargo of food, and misdemeanor citations under Maricopa County Environmental Health Code Chapter 1.
Maricopa County, AZ
Maricopa County Department of Transportation establishes loading zones along unincorporated county roads using ARS section 28-873 authority. Yellow-curb comm...
Maricopa County, AZ
Arizona Revised Statutes section 28-873 lets Maricopa County paint curbs to mark parking restrictions but does not lock in color meanings. The county Departm...
Maricopa County, AZ
Unincorporated Maricopa County applies Arizona Revised Statutes Section 36-1637, which requires an approved smoke detector in each new residential housing un...
Maricopa County, AZ
Unincorporated Maricopa County allows two tiers of home-based business under the Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance: low-intensity 'residential home occupation...
Maricopa County, AZ
Unincorporated Maricopa County imposes no cap on the number of nights a short-term or vacation rental may operate. Arizona Revised Statutes Section 11-269.17...
Maricopa County, AZ
Federal HUD and EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rules govern lead-hazard work in pre-1978 rentals. Arizona ARS 33-1338 requires written disclosure ...
See how Maricopa County's restaurant grade cards rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.