A restaurant cannot open without a public health permit, and the permit starts on paper. The health department reviews your drawings before construction and inspects the finished space before you open. Designing for that review from the first sketch saves weeks.
Who reviews the plans
The Plan Check Program of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reviews new food facilities and major remodels in most of the county. Pasadena, Long Beach and Vernon run their own health departments. Approval is needed from the health department and from the local building department before construction starts, and the building department must sign off before the final health inspection.
Sinks
Sinks are the most common source of corrections. Each has one job and they cannot be combined.
- A three-compartment sink with drainboards for washing equipment
- Handwashing sinks in every food preparation and dishwashing area
- A food preparation sink where produce is washed
- A mop sink or curbed janitorial basin
- At a bar: its own handwashing and warewashing
Floors, walls and ceilings
Surfaces in kitchens, storage, dishwashing areas and restrooms must be smooth, durable, non-absorbent and easy to clean. Floors need a coved base where they meet the walls. This is where design and health rules meet: exposed brick, raw wood and open ceilings are fine in the dining room and usually not acceptable in food preparation areas.
Equipment and ventilation
Equipment must be certified for commercial food service. Cooking that produces grease or smoke needs an exhaust hood with fire suppression. Refrigeration must be sized for the menu, and the water heater must be sized for all the sinks and the dishwasher running at peak. The plans include an equipment schedule that lists every item with its make and model.
Restrooms, storage and staff areas
Plans must show restrooms for staff and, where guests eat on site, for customers. They also show dry storage, a place for staff belongings, a refuse area and the grease interceptor required by the sewer agency.
How to pass the first time
Read the county's Retail Construction Guideline before the layout is drawn. Fix the menu and the equipment list first. Submit to health and building at the same time. The county offers an expedited review for an added fee.
Sources
By Albert Galstyan · November 11, 2026
