Division of Environmental Health Food Safety and Sanitation Program

Temporary Food Service

Requirements for Operating Temporary Food Service

Please review the Operating Temporary Food Service webpage for information about requirements and considerations when serving food at events.

Permitting and Fees

Note: The State does not permit temporary food service within the Municipality of Anchorage. If the address where food will be served is within the limits of the Municipality of Anchorage, the operator must apply for a temporary food service permit from the Anchorage Health Department's Food Safety and Sanitation program.

Temporary food service permits are only valid for one food operation at a single event. Each operation requires an individual permit for every event.

Permits are determined by the number of days the temporary food service will be operating. For example, if food service is operating for two weekends (two Saturdays and two Sundays), then a four-day permit is required.

If a permit is for four days or longer, the operator is required to have an Alaska Food Worker Card or be a Certified Food Protection Manager.

The following types of organizations are fee-exempt for temporary food service permitting:

• Schools
• Churches
• 501(c)(3) groups

Temporary food service permit applications have deadlines and late fees. The table below describes the fees and deadlines associated with permit applications.

Fee Schedule

Permit Length	Permit Fee	Permit Application Deadline	Late Fee*
1 day	$35	At least 7 days prior to the event start date	Permit fee is doubled
2-3 days	$65	At least 7 days prior to the event start date	Permit fee is doubled
4-7 days	$90	At least 7 days prior to the event start date	Permit fee is doubled
8-28 days	$120	At least 15 days prior to the event start date	Permit fee is doubled
Fee-exempt	No fee	Refer to deadlines above, deadlines are assessed according to event length	Original permit fee is applied, see fees by event length

• *A late fee will be applied to permit applications that are not received by the deadlines listed above.
• *Late fees are applied to tax-exempt organizations. The only time a late fee is not applied is in the case of school fundraisers.

Permitting Exemptions

Non-potentially hazardous food products may be sold at temporary events without a permit if certain conditions are met. However, if an operation is selling any product that is not exempt from permitting, a permit is required.

Possible permit exemptions include:

• Cottage food (Visit the Cottage Food webpage to learn more)
• Raw agricultural products (Visit the Farmers Markets webpage to learn more)
• Operations at events lasting one day or less where the foods served:
1. Are pre-cooked, packaged, ready-to-eat, or commercially-processed; and
2. Require only limited preparation and handling (e.g., a one-day event where the operator is reheating hotdogs on a grill)

Applying for a Temporary Food Service Permit

Access and complete the Temporary Food Service Permit Application. Once an application is received, staff from the Food Safety and Sanitation program will follow-up to ask questions about the food service operation (if needed) and to collect payment.

The temporary food service permit will be issued after the application is approved and payment is received.

Temporary food service may not operate until the permit is issued.

Temporary food service permits are only valid for one food operation at a single event. Each operation requires an individual permit for every event.

If you have any questions about applying for a permit, please contact your local Environmental Health Officer.

Regulatory References

• 18 AAC 31 Alaska Food Code
• 18 AAC 31.600 Temporary Food Service
• 18 AAC 31.012 Alaska Food Code Exemptions

Resources and Contacts