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The seller’s permit cannot pass to you
For the fixed retail food process discussed here, the county requires a facility evaluation for takeover and the new operator’s own health permit before operating. Identify the actual buyer/operator and ownership-change date.
SCCDineOut provides historical inspection observations and closure information. That history can help investigate the facility, but an old score or placard does not transfer the permit or approve your menu.
A changed menu or kitchen can require further review
The October 2026 evaluation packet asks about food preparation, menu, equipment and remodelling; provide the menu where preparation occurs. Changed menus, new equipment or major structural deficiencies can lead to plan review.
If you retain a café counter but add hot-food cooking and equipment, describe the new process and hood arrangements before budgeting only for evaluation. The plan route asks for the actual scope, equipment/specifications, finishes and relevant mechanical/plumbing/electrical information. A complete submission and payment enter the review queue, not approval. Approved plans, relevant construction inspections and operating-permit steps remain different stages.
Before the nonrefundable fit-out deposit
Obtain the county’s route for the actual changes and the separate city building/use/fire answers for the planned works. Specialised processes, including reduced-oxygen packaging or manufacturing, need their applicable review rather than automatic use of the ordinary takeover route.
Scope
- County fixed-food process only. San Jose tax/zoning/building/fire pages were inaccessible, so no city fee, exemption, deadline or premises outcome is established.
- No numeric current fee, guaranteed review duration or actual operating approval is supplied.
Next step
Use the county evaluation before purchase and resolve the proposed menu/equipment changes before committing to fit-out.
Sources & review notes
County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health
Passage, dates and research notes
official-guidance · Facility Evaluation/Change of Ownership; Food Facility Plan Review
Operating permits for food facilities are unable to be passed on to new owners.
Full official HTML read. County health process only. New construction, remodeling, hood/equipment changes and evaluation-directed work can require plan review. No municipal business-tax or zoning permission inferred.
County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health
Passage, dates and research notes
official-guidance · Steps to complete a facility evaluation
This permit is not transferrable to new owners.
Full official HTML read. Requires a new owner to request evaluation and receive the health permit before operating; purchase diligence may start before purchase. Significant updates can lead to plan review.
County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health
Passage, dates and research notes
official-guidance · Application, review queue and construction inspections
We will not begin work and projects will not be placed into the review queue until application items are complete and payment received.
Full official HTML read. Scope/menu/equipment plans, separate initial plan-review and operating-permit fees, and staged construction inspections are described. Listed review duration is not an opening-date guarantee. Fee amounts not verified.
County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health
Passage, dates and research notes
official-guidance · Checklist and request form; specialized processes
A food facility evaluation packet must be submitted whenever a new owner is interested in opening a new
Full official current linked PDF read, including checklist, menu/equipment questions, written-approval acknowledgement and specialized-process list. Revision 10-26-26 on the checklist/request form; embedded generic permit form retains Rev 08/2024. Five-business-day contact statement is not permit issuance. No numeric fee is published here; revision date is not an identified publication date.
County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health
Passage, dates and research notes
official-guidance · Official county food inspection program
SCCDineOut provides easy access to food facility inspection results within Santa Clara County
Full official HTML read. Supports county inspection-record search as acquisition diligence. A prior inspection score is not a transferrable permit or prospective approval.
Detailed rule records (2)
County DEH requires a new owner to request a facility evaluation and obtain its own operating permit before operating. Submit the menu where food preparation occurs; evaluation can redirect substantial deficiencies or changed operations to plan review.
Restaurant, grocery store, or other fixed food facility operating permit Request a fixed food facility evaluation Food Facility Evaluation checklist, request form and ownership-change packetCounty guidance calls for plan review for listed new facilities, remodeling, hood/equipment changes and evaluation-directed work. Complete scope/menu/equipment plans and required payment precede the review queue; applicable construction inspections and operating-permit steps follow approved plans.
Restaurant, grocery store, or other fixed food facility operating permit Submit for plan review for restaurants, grocery stores and other retail food storefronts Food Facility Evaluation checklist, request form and ownership-change packetKeep this reading in your learning library.
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