Broome County, NY Public Health Rules: Restaurant Grade Cards (2026)

Every food establishment in the county needs an annual operating permit from the Commissioner of Health, issued only on proof of compliance with the State Sanitary Code (Title 10 NYCRR Part 14) and payment of the fee set in Chapter 257's Schedule of County Fees, per §305-5. The Commissioner can waive the permit for one-off meals served by nonprofit, fraternal or religious groups. The enforcement bite is in §305-13(A): once the Broome County Health Department inspects and notifies a service food establishment of violations affecting food or food-contact surfaces, the permit is automatically suspended and the establishment must close for at least three days if it hasn't corrected the problems within 24 hours.

It cannot reopen until the Commissioner confirms full Sanitary Code compliance through a satisfactory follow-up inspection. The Department can also take, embargo or condemn food samples under §305-13(E) whenever unwholesome or unsanitary conditions are suspected, holding an owner's hearing within five days if the owner contests the finding. Local Law No. 1-2010 added §305-13(F), banning food establishments from storing, distributing or using cooking oils, shortenings or fats containing trans fat for frying, and requiring the original product labels be kept on site. Any violation of this article, the Public Health Law, or the State Sanitary Code is enforced under the chapter's general penalty, §305-41.