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.
Surprise, AZ
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Surprise, AZ
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Maricopa County.
See how other cities in Maricopa County handle restaurant grade cards.
See how Surprise's restaurant grade cards rules stack up against other locations.
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