Food Permit Process

If your event is being catered by a vendor with a valid permit issued by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, a temporary food permit is not required. Please request a copy of the vendor’s valid permit and forward to envhealth@ehs.ucla.edu for verification and approval.

Step 1: Speak with Your Advisor

Step 2: Reserve Space/Venue

Step 3: Complete Required Food Safety Training

All events must adhere to the applicable rules and regulations of the California Retail Food Code. Individuals that will be handling food must be properly trained in food safety and sanitation.

Events handling food are required to have properly trained food handlers on-site at all times. Individuals that will be present at the event location at all times must complete the “Food Safety for Temporary Food Permit Events” training via WorkSafe. A copy of the course completion certificate must be attached to the Food Permit Application, prior to submittal. See the instructions below on how to access the “Food Safety for Temporary Food Permit Events” training:

1. Go to https://worksafe.ucla.edu/
2. Sign in with your MyUCLA login credentials
3. Search “Food Safety for Temporary Food Permit Events” in the search bar
4. Select the “Food Safety for Temporary Food Permit Events” and complete the training
5. Download and save a copy of the course completion certificate. If not prompted to do so upon completing the training, the certificate can be found in your WorkSafe profile, which is accessed via the home page.

EH&S will be conducting inspections of temporary food events to ensure that the above training requirement is met. Events failing to meet this requirement are in violation of the California Retail Food Code and are subject to termination at any time by the campus Registered Environmental Health Specialist. 

Step 4: Fill out the temporary food permit application form

A person who will be directly in charge of the event (e.g. an RCO signatory) and who has knowledge of the event logistics and food being served will fill out the following Food Permit Application:

Temporary Food Permit Application
 

Step 5: Obtain Final Temporary Food Permit Approval

A copy of the completed Temporary Food Permit will be emailed to your advisor via DocuSign. After your advisor approves and signs the Permit, it will automatically be forwarded to EH&S for approval and signature. The permit must be submitted to EH&S for review and approval at least five working days prior to the event. EH&S will review, sign, and forward the fully signed permit back to all parties.

PLEASE NOTE, YOUR TEMPORARY FOOD PERMIT IS NOT VALID UNTIL BOTH YOUR ADVISOR AND EH&S HAVE REVIEWED AND SIGNED THE PERMIT.
 If you have not received your fully signed permit, please check with your advisor and/or EH&S (envhealth@ehs.ucla.edu) for status. A copy of the fully signed permit must be available on site for review during your event. Operating without a proper permit is a violation of the California Retail Food Code.
 

Step 6: Obtain a Temporary Use Fire Permit

• Bruin Plaza and Court of Sciences – see a Deputy Fire Marshal during their Wednesday office hours at least two weeks before your event between 12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. in the Strathmore Building 4th Floor. This will need to be done for all events, regardless of a heat source/cooking, as most events occupy fire lanes. 
• SAC Lounge, Sunset Rec – a fire permit is not required, unless there is a heat source.

 Information on Temporary Use Fire Permit

Office Hours

If you have any questions or concerns, please email envhealth@ehs.ucla.edu or book an appointment for virtual office hours with Environmental Health here.