Inspection Methodology & Scoring Guide
How Georgia food service health inspections are graded and scored.
Health inspections in Georgia are conducted by Environmental Health Specialists employed by county health departments operating under the statutory authority of the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) Rules and Regulations for Food Service, Chapter 511-6-1.
The 100-Point Scoring Scale
Each food service establishment begins with a perfect score of 100. Points are deducted based on observed violations during unannounced inspections:
- Grade A (90–100): Food service operations that display superior compliance with state sanitary rules.
- Grade B (80–89): Satisfactory compliance with state sanitary regulations.
- Grade C (70–79): Marginal compliance. Multiple or repeat violations cited.
- Grade U (Below 70): Unsatisfactory compliance. A score below 70 requires a mandatory follow-up re-inspection within 10 calendar days.
Priority Risk Factors vs. Good Retail Practices
Georgia classifies inspection items into two main categories:
- Priority & Priority Foundation Items (Items 1-1 to 9-2): Foodborne illness risk factors directly related to food temperature control (e.g. Cold Holding Item 6-1A), sanitation of food-contact surfaces (Item 4-2B), employee hygiene (Item 2-2D), and pest presence (Item 18). These carry the heaviest point deductions (typically 4–9 points).
- Good Retail Practices (Items 10 to 18): Operational controls and physical maintenance (e.g. physical facilities clean Item 17C, proper lighting Item 17D). These carry smaller deductions (typically 1–3 points).
Corrected On Site (COS)
When an inspector observes a violation that the kitchen staff corrects immediately in their presence (e.g. discarding out-of-temperature milk or setting up a sanitizing bucket), it is recorded on the public report as Corrected On Site (COS). The point deduction still applies to the official score, but the immediate public health hazard was resolved before the inspector left the premises.