The Hawaiʻi Department of Health posts color-coded placards at every food establishment on Oʻahu after inspection: green (pass), yellow (conditional), or red (closed) — visible at the entrance.
Under HRS Chapter 321 and Hawaii Administrative Rules Title 11 Chapter 50, DOH Sanitation Branch inspectors visit restaurants 1–3 times yearly and post a placard at the entrance. Green means the establishment passed without major violations; yellow means a follow-up is required for non-critical issues like equipment or storage; red means immediate closure due to imminent health hazards (vermin, sewage backup, no hot water). Placards must remain visibly posted and not be obscured. Inspection reports are published online via the DOH Food Safety portal. Honolulu does not run a separate municipal grading system — DOH operates statewide.
Removing or hiding a placard, operating with a red placard, or refusing inspection are misdemeanors with fines up to $10,000 per day under HRS §321-22.
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