Plan Submission Guidelines and Basic Facility Requirements for Retail Food Establishments in Kentucky

Northern Kentucky Health Department
Environmental Health and Safety
610 Medical Village Drive
Edgewood, KY 41017
859.341.4151

Retail food establishments in Kentucky are required to have permits issued by the health department prior to operating.  Furthermore, the facilities from which the establishments are to operate must be approved by the Health Department prior to receiving a permit to operate.  For new and extensively altered establishments or those that have not previously been permitted as a retail food establishment, plan drawings are required to be submitted for approval prior to construction, alteration or use of the facility.  Drawings must be submitted according to the following guidelines:

1. Five sets of drawings must be submitted on paper measuring at least 11”x 17”. Scale drawings are preferred but not required.
2. Each set of drawings is to consist of a site plan, a floor plan and a plumbing riser diagram. Site plans should show the property being developed, the location of the building(s), abutting streets or highways, creeks or streams and where water and sewer service abut the property. The floor plan must show areas proposed as a commercial facility in detail, including equipment layout, equipment schedules, type of ventilation, floor, wall and ceiling surfaces, lighting arrangement and location of existing or proposed plumbing fixtures, etc. The plumbing riser diagram(s) consists of isometric drawings of all proposed plumbing. 
3. If water and sewer service are other than municipal, detailed drawings of these existing or proposed utilities are required.  Approval by the Kentucky Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet, Division of Water may also be required.  Also, a sixth set of plans is required for facilities to be served by private water or private sewage disposal.
4. Each submission must be accompanied by a completed Plan Application Form (download this form as a PDF or in Microsoft Word) and the required plan review fee.

Plan drawings will be reviewed for the following items:

1. Proposed facility must be physically separated from domestic living quarters. Processing of commercial foods in a domestic or residential kitchen is not allowed.

2. Toilet and hand washing facilities must be conveniently located and meet requirements of the Kentucky State Plumbing Code.

3. For the purposes of the manual cleaning and sanitizing of equipment or utensils a three compartment sink with drain boards on both sides is required. Sinks must be sized so as to permit the proper handling of your largest piece of equipment or utensil. Automatic ware washing/dish washing machines must be commercial grade.

4. A hand washing lavatory is required in all food processing areas and ware washing areas.

5. A conveniently located mop/utility sink is required.

6. Cooking equipment and/or food manufacturing areas require approved adequate ventilation.

7. Floors, walls, and ceilings must be smooth, easily cleanable, durable, nonporous and preferably light colored. Cove base moldings are required at wall/floor junctions. All openings to the outside must be designed so as to exclude the entrance of animals, insects, etc. from the building.

8. Lighting arrangement must provide adequate illumination and protection against shattering of bulbs.

Plan drawings can be submitted to the attention of the Food Program Manager at the address shown above.

Note: The installation of all plumbing must be performed by a plumber licensed by the state of Kentucky under permit and approval of the local state plumbing inspector.