Opening a food service business requires a lot of work and preparation. As a part of the preparation, you must become familiar with and adhere to the local laws that govern your business. Failure to do so will result in your business failing inspection and potentially being shut down. Since this is not your desired goal, you want to make sure you understand the laws and ensure that your establishment follows them as directed.

1. If you are opting to build the business from scratch rather than purchase an existing establishment, you will first have to familiarize yourself with zoning laws. In each city and town there are specific zones set up that separate where a particular building can be built. Before you purchase land for your building, it is important that you contact the city zoning department to ensure that the area you are interested in is zoned for your business. Otherwise you will be unable to build there as you had hoped to.
2. The most important laws that you will need to understand for your food service business are those that center on the Food Code. The Food Code was established by the FDA as a guideline for local and state governments as a way to regulate the food service industry and protect the health and safety of consumers, residents and employees.
3. Though it is used as a guideline, the Food Code is not a requirement of the state and local government. Each will have their own version specific to that area. In most areas, the Department of Health will be in charge of establishing and enforcing the local Food and Health Codes. It is important that you contact the Department of Health in the beginning of your planning stages of your business to ensure that everything is done according to the local laws.
4. Given its name and the fact that it was established by the FDA, the Food Code can often be mistaken for regulations that only govern food. This is not accurate as the Department of Health in your local area will have laws and regulations set up that cover virtually anything related to health, food and safety in a food service business. Some things that these laws will cover include:

• Preparation, handling, storage and display of any food products that your business plans to offer
  
• The health, cleanliness and hygiene of the personnel that work in your business.
  
• All aspects of the equipment and utensils that are being used including what material they are manufactered of, the installation, and even how they are stored.
  
• Every facet of the utilities and services that you will need including the restrooms, how you dispose of waste, and the way you handle pests.
  
• How the building is constructed and whether it holds the proper features such as ventilation, lighting, and space.
  
• Whether or not inspections are carried out, passed and any enforcement is needed.

The best way to ensure the success of your food service business from the start is to contact the proper agencies and know your local laws before you begin planning. This allows you to ensure that everything from your equipment to your food meets the criteria in the codes so that you can pass inspection and have a successful opening day.

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