Health Code Cheat Sheet · Jefferson County, MO

Jefferson County, MO Restaurant Equipment Requirements

These are the Jefferson County restaurant requirements for Arnold, Festus, Hillsboro and the rest of the county. Jefferson County Food Code, plan review and the steps to open a restaurant in Arnold, Festus, Hillsboro and the rest of Jefferson County.

Print this checklist

Start with the federal Food Code equipment checklist and the Missouri Food Code guide. Both apply here. This page covers who you deal with locally and what’s different.

Plan review is required

New food establishments must go through plan review and pass a pre-opening inspection before they operate. Submit the county’s Food Establishment Plan Review Application with:

• A floor plan showing every piece of equipment, hand sink, three-compartment sink, mop sink and floor drain
• Equipment spec sheets showing NSF/ANSI or ETL Sanitation certification
• Your menu, so reviewers can check refrigeration, hot holding and cooling capacity
• Plumbing details: water heater size, indirect drains on ice machines and prep sinks, backflow prevention
• Finish schedule for floors, walls and ceilings

Steps to open

1. Call the health department (636-797-3737) before you sign a lease or order equipment.
2. Submit the plan review application with your layout, menu, equipment list and processes.
3. Get building, zoning and business license approvals from your city, or from the county if you’re unincorporated.
4. Pass fire inspection for your hood and suppression system.
5. Pass the pre-opening health inspection and pay your permit fee.

Sources

• Jefferson County Health Department: Food Permits
• Food Establishment Plan Review Application (PDF)
• Jefferson County Code Chapter 230

Questions about Jefferson County restaurant requirements?

Call the health department listed above before you buy equipment. Getting your list approved first costs nothing and can save you from buying something that won’t pass.

Last reviewed September 2026. This guide is general information to help you plan and ask better questions. It is not legal advice. Codes change and inspectors have final say, so confirm with your health department, building department, fire marshal, and sewer district before you buy or install equipment.