A temporary food service facility is one operating for no more than 30 consecutive days at a fixed location in conjunction with a fair, carnival, public exhibition, construction project, recreational facility or similar gathering.
A temporary event coordinator plans, organizes and implements events involving two or more temporary food service facilities. The temporary event coordinator is responsible for ensuring that public health requirements are met. See Temporary Event Coordinator Requirements.
A temporary food service license application must be completed two weeks prior to the event and submitted to the Anne Arundel County Department of Health, 3 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis, MD 21401. A fee of $114 for high and moderate priority facilities or $35 for low priority facilities must be submitted with the Temporary Food Service Facility License Application.
High and moderate priority temporary food service facilities include those stands which prepare and serve potentially hazardous foods, such as hamburgers, sausages, hot dogs, pizza, fish, chicken, barbecue, crab cakes or shellfish. Download the Priority Assessment for Temporary Food Service Facilities.
Low priority temporary food service facilities include those stands which serve commercially packaged potentially hazardous foods, such as ice cream, milk or yogurt. Other foods in this category are non-potentially hazardous foods that are directly handled, cut, assembled or packaged on the premises.
A license is not required for those food facilities which serve only non-potentially hazardous commercially packaged foods, such as candy, pretzels, chips, nuts, sodas, bottled water or other similar snack foods. No fee is required for a non-profit organization with proof of IRS tax-exempt status. The application should provide the name and daytime/cell phone number of a person the Department of Health can contact.
To apply for a food service license for a temporary event, bring or mail the TEMPORARY Food Service Facility License application to the Anne Arundel County Department of Health located at 3 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis, MD 21401 TWO WEEKS BEFORE you intend to begin operating.
There will be a penalty fee assessed for applications received less than two weeks prior to the event. The application requires information such as the location, date(s) and time of the event, what foods will be served, and the address and phone number of a contact person. The fee for the license is:
Penalty Fee (for applications received less than two weeks prior to event)
If you supply proof of IRS tax-exempt status and the food service facility will be operated by a nonprofit organization, there is no fee. The operator of a temporary food service facility may be contacted prior to the event and the license will be issued on or before the first day of operation.
Food, water and ice must be obtained from an approved source. Well water must be tested before use. Temporary food service facility license holders may not prepare food in a home kitchen and bring it to the event for service to the public. Food not prepared at the event must be prepared in a licensed food service facility and transported to the event at proper holding temperatures. Food Temperature Requirements Maintaining proper temperature for potentially hazardous foods is critical. Foods such as meat, poultry, seafood, shell eggs (raw or cooked), milk products, cooked rice and beans, gravy and combination salads such as potato, macaroni, chicken, tuna and other meat salads are potentially hazardous.