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100% Pre-Packaged Food Facility Requirements

Community Development Agency

Upon constructing, remodeling or otherwise opening food facilities selling pre-packaged foods only, the following guidelines are provided to define the limitations of this type of facility:

  • No cooking, food preparation, packaging or repackaging of food products.
  • No ice making, bagging or dispensing.
  • No beverage or coffee dispensing, mixing or preparation.
  • No unwrapped beef jerky, candy or other unpackaged food products.
  • No beer taps or wine dispensers, or other types of drink dispensers.

If the proposed facility conforms to the above restrictions, the facility may be permitted as a 100% pre-packaged food facility.  If your facility has less than 25 square feet of storage, including both retail and back stock storage, for 100% non-potentially hazardous foods, you are not required to obtain a permit to operate in Marin County.  If you have more than 25 square feet of storage, the following items, as defined in the California Retail Food Code (CalCode) and the California Plan Check Guide for Retail Food Facilities will apply:

  1. Submit three sets of plans for review and approval.  An application and a plan check fee will be required for “New Limited Operation: Pre-packaged Only.”
  2. Provide an employee restroom.  Provide approved finishes (floor, base cove, walls and ceilings) and indicate this on the plans.  The walls and ceilings must be of a durable, SMOOTH, nonabsorbent, and EASILY CLEANABLE surface.  Floor surfaces shall be coved at the juncture of the floor and wall with a 3/8” radius coving and shall extend up the wall at least four inches.  Provide flooring and paint chip samples with the plan submittal.
  3. Provide a janitorial room or area with a janitorial sink.  Provide approved finishes (floor, base cove, walls and ceilings) and indicate this on the plans.  The walls and ceilings must be of a durable, SMOOTH, nonabsorbent and EASILY CLEANABLE surface.  The floor and base cove around the sink perimeter (at least three feet) must be coved at the juncture of the floor and wall with a 3/8” radius coving and shall extend up the wall at least four inches.  Provide flooring and paint chip samples with the plan submittal.  In addition, provide eight feet of wall protection on all sides of the janitorial sink.  Mop and broom hangers and chemical storage shelving are also required.
  4. If backup food storage will be required, provide approved floor, base cove, walls and ceilings in the food storage area.  NSF approved food storage shelving is required.  Clearly define this area on the plans.
  5. Show all food areas on the plans.  Clearly define the food sales from non-related food items.
  6. If refrigeration and freezer units are to be installed, also include these units on the plans.  If prepackaged POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS FOODS are to be sold, all units must meet NSF #7 Standards.  Provide manufacturer specification sheets for approval.
  7. Provide a hot water heater that produces at least 3,000 total connected watts or 10,000 BTU's   Provide a specification sheet for approval.

Provide a complete floor plan layout, equipment specification sheets, finish samples, etc. as defined in the California Plan Check Guide for Retail Food Facilities.