Food Permits

If you are considering purchasing an existing food business, purchasing or becoming a partner in a corporation/company that owns a food business, or building a new food business, the facility must meet current requirements. Please contact the Portsmouth Health Department early in your business development process so that you fully understand Portsmouth Food Service requirements. 

An existing food service facility, even one that has been operating continuously, may require substantial upgrades in order to obtain a permit. A new food service permit is required whenever a food service establishment, or the entity owning that establishment, undergoes any change in ownership of any type. The Portsmouth Health Department is eager to assist you and would be happy to perform a "walk-through", which is a visit to the facility that will identify what needs to be corrected in order for the facility to be permitted to a new owner. This service is free of charge and can usually be scheduled within 2 business days. 

The steps for opening/changing a food related business are outlined in the "New/Renovated Food Establishment Checklist." Additional guidelines and more detailed information can be found in the "Restaurant/Food Service Construction Guide." Follow the instructions carefully and, as always, please contact the Health Department with your questions.

Please note: Permit Applications are completely processed online through ViewPoint Cloud. With this new system, you will be able to submit an application from anywhere 24/7, monitor the status of the application online, and receive notifications via email as your application is reviewed and processed. If you have any questions, please click on the link below and go to the section "For New Users and FAQs". If you are still unsure how to proceed, reach out directly to our office at (603) 610-7238 during business hours.

ViewPoint Cloud (click here)