Restaurant Closures

The Snohomish Health District food program protects the health of its residents by regulating restaurants in the county. We order a restaurant to close only when the facility violates certain health and food safety practices. These critical item violations are those that health inspectors look for most closely when inspecting food service establishments.

Current Food Establishment Closures

There are currently no closures at this time.

Reasons for Restaurant Closures

Restaurant closures occur only when:

• An immediate health hazard exists, such as loss of electricity, a sewer backup, a lack of running water, structural damage, or a communicable disease in food workers in the facility is confirmed that might cause a serious public health hazard
• Ongoing, severe, and repeat violations warrant enforcement action after an effort has been made to achieve voluntary compliance
• Excessive hazard points (exceeding 100 total or 75 critical item points) following an office conference
• The owner/operator fails to inspect, maintain, and operate an on-site sewage disposal system in accordance with WAC 246-272-15501(4)
• A valid food establishment permit does not exist

A restaurant closed due to serious violations of the food code is never allowed to reopen on the same day it was closed and may reopen only when reinspection confirms that all the violations leading to the closure have been corrected.