Are Home Kitchens Inspected? How to Check

Yes. The County inspects before issuing the permit and once a year after that, plus any time there is a complaint or a report of illness.

Why it matters

A home kitchen is still someone’s home, but once it holds a permit it is a regulated food business. That inspection is the difference between a permitted home kitchen and an informal, unpermitted food sale.

What inspectors look at

The County’s own checklist for home kitchens covers where food comes from and how it is stored, protection from contamination, cooking and holding temperatures, thermometers, equipment and utensils, cleaning and sanitizing, hand washing, and keeping children and pets out of the kitchen and dining area during service.

How to look up a home kitchen yourself

Go to SD Food Info (link below). It is the County’s public inspection database for all food businesses.
Search by business name, address, city, or ZIP code.
To see only home kitchens, follow the County’s MEHKO search instructions (link below) to filter by business type.
Open the listing to see the most recent routine inspection results.

Every My Home Kitchens listing tells you the date we last checked the County’s public information for that kitchen.

Two limits to understand

An inspection is a snapshot. The County’s disclaimer says a problem found during an inspection may have been fixed the next day, and new problems can appear later.
SD Food Info does not show permit status. It shows inspection results, not whether the permit is currently active. To confirm a permit, contact the County’s Department of Environmental Health and Quality, Food and Housing Division: (858) 505-6900 or fhdutyeh@sdcounty.ca.gov.

If something concerns you

A question about the meal? Ask the cook. A food-safety concern or a suspected foodborne illness? Report it to the County’s Department of Environmental Health and Quality: (858) 505-6900 or fhdutyeh@sdcounty.ca.gov.

Inspection should reassure you. It is not a promise of zero risk — no restaurant can promise that either.