Retail Food Establishment Licensing

All food facilities in San Miguel County must be licensed and inspected on a regular basis based on the food protection statute. Plans for any new retail food facilities or upgrades to existing food facilities are required to be reviewed by Public Health to assure compliance with food industry standards.  

Public Health conducts food licensing and safety inspections are based on the Colorado Retail Food Rules and Regulations (6 CCR 1010-2) (CCR 1010-2 en espanol). 

Retail Food Establishment Applications:

• Retail Food Establishment License Application (PDF)
• Retail Food Establishment Planning Checklist (PDF)
• Retail Food Establishment Plan Review Application (PDF)
• Temporary Permits and Special Events
  • Food services operating at festivals, farm markets, or other temporary events must be permitted. San Miguel accepts Temporary Food licenses issued by other health departments in Colorado, except Denver, by statute. 
  • Food operators from outside of Colorado must be reviewed and approved for a Colorado Temporary Food permit. 
  • Contact Chris Smith by phone at 970-369-5442 or by email at chriss@sanmiguelcountyco.gov to apply for a temporary food permit or provide an existing permit.

Food Handler and Manager Training

Colorado food safety regulations require all food establishments to have a certified food safety manager. There are several opportunities to train staff. Click here for more information surrounding food safety manager certification.

Helpful Signs and Resources

• What to do if your employee has a gastrointestinal illness (ZIP)
• Food Safety Signage for the workplace (PDF)
• What You Need to Know About Food Allergies (PDF)  
• How to Recognize and Respond to Food Allergy Reactions (PDF)
• Hepatitis A Information for Food Managers (PDF)
• Wild Mushroom Identification Expert Guidelines and Information (PDF)

We strongly encourage the reporting of any suspected food borne illness. Please call us at 970-369-5442 to report any suspected problems.

Many factors enter into your choice of where to eat: atmosphere, price, type of food and its flavor, as well as service. One factor that is difficult for the public to assess is the attention paid to food safety in the preparation of the meal. Food safety is particularly important if you are in poor health or on immune-suppressing medications. 

On any given day, any retail food establishment could have a failure in food safety practices that could lead to food-borne illness, no matter what kind of inspection results or ratings it may have received. Consumers should be aware of critical food safety issues described on this site in order to further assist in making dining decisions.

San Miguel County Environmental Health Department produces inspection reports for restaurants, fast food operations, delis, markets, cafeterias, and other types of retail food establishments that receive an inspection. To request a copy of an inspection report, please email chriss@sanmiguelcountyco.gov.

I got sick after eating at a restaurant. What should I do?

If this is an emergency, seek medical attention immediately.

Food-borne Illness, food poisoning, or gastroenteritis can have different onset times, severity, duration, and contagion. Symptoms can include diarrhea, vomiting and nausea, headache, discomfort, fever, and chills. Some pathogens are particularly harmful to people with weakened immune systems, such as the elderly and very young children, and can cause long term illness or death. Physical and chemical contamination to food can also cause illness or injury.

To report a food-borne illness or injury, or unsanitary conditions in a retail food establishment, please complete the Food-borne Illness Complaint Form (PDF) and call our Environmental Health Specialist at 970-369-5442. Be prepared to answer the following questions:

• Symptoms, start and end
• 72 hour food history
• Other individuals who may have eaten the same items
• Other individuals who are sick
• Medical diagnoses (if any)

We appreciate you taking the time to contact us in order to identify and prevent possible food borne outbreaks in the community.

Cottage foods are limited types of homemade food products that can be sold directly to informed consumers without licensing or inspections. 

Colorado Cottage Foods Act

In 2012, the Colorado Legislature enacted the Colorado Cottage Foods Act allowing limited types of food products  to be sold directly to consumers without licensing or inspection. Click here to read more about the Colorado Cottage Foods Act.