Restaurants in Chattanooga are inspected and scored by the Hamilton County Health Department under Tennessee Department of Health rules. Scores must be posted publicly inside the establishment, and failing scores trigger reinspection or suspension of the food permit.
Chattanooga food service establishments are regulated under Tennessee Department of Health rules implemented locally by the Hamilton County Health Department Environmental Health Services. Inspectors evaluate food temperature, employee handwashing, equipment sanitation, and pest control on a 100-point scale. Scores below 70 require reinspection within ten days. Restaurants must post the most recent score in a customer-visible location. Repeat violations or scores below the threshold can trigger a permit suspension and emergency closure for imminent health hazards such as sewage backup, vermin, or no hot water.
A score below 70 triggers a follow-up inspection, and continued failure can result in food-permit suspension, closure orders, and fines under state public-health rules. Operating without a valid food permit is a misdemeanor.
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