A person may not begin operation or extensive renovation of a food establishment in Dent County without obtaining written approval issued by the Dent County Health Center. Applications must be submitted at least 30 days prior to the planned opening date or renovations. The application must be completed by an owner or officer of the legal ownership.

Food establishments in Dent County must comply with the Missouri Food Code, the Missouri Indoor Clean Air Act.

Procedure for Opening a Food Establishment

  1. Establish your business organization and operating plan. You must submit a menu, a description of your food storage, a schematic drawing of the floor plan of the kitchen and dining areas, a list of your procedures, and an estimate of the number of meals served daily. See the application form and supplemental questions for more information.
  2. Familiarize yourself with the Missouri Food Code.
  3. Review the List of Pre-Opening Requirements (Common Mistakes)
  4. If you are constructing or renovating, submit your plans to the inspector to determine if they are in compliance with the Missouri Food Code. Starting July 1st, 2024, there is a $150 fee for plan inspections. Having plans approved may save you from having to redo construction by identifying non-complying areas before construction begins. In most cases, first time applications will require a plan inspection. This is up to the discretion of the inspector.
  5. In addition to the Missouri Food Code, establishments must demonstrate compliance with the Missouri Clean Indoor Air Law, and must have proof of a food safety course.
  6. Submit your application for opening a minimum of 30 days in before you plan to open. Submitting further in advance can be beneficial by giving more time for the inspections to take place. Starting July 1st, 2024, the applicable inspection fee is required to be submitted before an application will be approved. The fee varies based on the risk category of the application.

Application

Please complete the following application, both part 1 and part 2. You may return the FULL application, including all required documentation, by the following methods:

In Person or by Mail

Dent County Health Center
1010 E. Scenic Rivers Blvd
Salem, MO 65560

Electronic

Email: environmental@dentcohealth.org
Fax: 573-729-3546

PART 1

580-3058Download

PART 2

You must provide written documentation in addition to the above application. A list of these questions can be found below:

Food-Application-Additional-Information-1Download
DCHC-Pre-Opening-Requirements-The-Physical-FacilityDownload