Legislation Details

File #: Int 0908-2026    Version: * Name: Digital verification of food protection certificates and penalties for failure to maintain a physical certificate on premises.
Type: Introduction Status: Committee
Committee: Committee on Health
On agenda: 5/14/2026
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to digital verification of food protection certificates and penalties for failure to maintain a physical certificate on premises
Sponsors: Kayla Santosuosso , Farah N. Louis, Carl Wilson , Crystal Hudson, Frank Morano
Council Member Sponsors: 5
Summary: This bill would require the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) to maintain a digital system of Food Protection Certificates that can be used to verify Certificate holders during an inspection of a food service establishment. The bill would also prohibit DOHMH from issuing a violation that penalizes a food service establishment solely based on a physical Food Protection Certificate not being present in such establishment at the time of an inspection, provided that the certification status of the required Certificate holder is verified as valid in the required digital system.
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 908, 2. Int. No. 908, 3. Memorandum in Support

Int. No. 908

 

By Council Members Santosuosso, Louis, Wilson, Hudson and Morano

 

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to digital verification of food protection certificates and penalties for failure to maintain a physical certificate on premises

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

 

Section 1. Section 17-1509 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by local law number 80 for the year 2021, is amended to read as follows:

§17-1509 Food protection. a. A person who is charged with the management or supervision of the operations of a food service establishment shall comply with the requirements set forth in subdivision (a) of section 81.15 of the health code of the city of New York regarding a food protection course and certification.

   b. A food service establishment that violates subdivision a of this section or any rule promulgated pursuant thereto shall be subject to a civil penalty of $400.

c. The department shall maintain and operate a secure, searchable digital system containing records of all valid food protection certifications issued by the department. Such system shall be accessible to authorized department personnel for purposes of verifying during a sanitary inspection or other enforcement action the certification status of any person required to hold such certification.

d. During a sanitary inspection of a food service establishment conducted by the department, verification of a valid food protection certification through the digital system maintained pursuant to subdivision c of this section shall constitute full compliance with subdivision a of this section. No violation of subdivision b of this section and no penalty pursuant to any such violation shall be issued solely on the basis that a physical copy of a food protection certification is not present at a food service establishment at the time of a sanitary inspection, provided that the certification status of the required certificate holder is verified as valid in the digital system maintained pursuant to subdivision c of this section.

§ 2. This local law takes effect 180 days after it becomes law.

 

CP

LS # 21296

3/4/2026 1:48 PM