Announced Inspections - Risk Level 3 Food Establishments

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Northern Nevada Public Health (NNPH) Environmental Health Services Division is implementing a new inspection notification process for certain food establishments designed to support transparency, preparedness, and continued food safety compliance.

Beginning Feb. 15, 2026, certain food establishments will receive automated email notifications advising them that a routine food establishment inspection has been scheduled. These inspections will occur within seven (7) calendar days of the date the email is sent.

Who Will Receive Announced Inspections

Announced inspections will apply only to:

  • Risk Level 3 food establishments, and
  • Only the first routine inspection of the calendar year

All other inspections, including second routine inspections, follow-up inspections, complaint investigations, foodborne illness investigations, and enforcement-related inspections, will remain unannounced.

What Is a Risk Level 3 Food Establishment

Risk Level 3 food establishments are operations that conduct complex food preparation processes that require active managerial control to reduce the risk of foodborne illness. These processes may include:

  • Cooking, cooling, and reheating foods
  • Hot and cold holding of time/temperature control for safety (TCS) foods
  • Preparing food in advance of service
  • Handling raw animal products
  • Serving highly susceptible populations, when applicable
  • Conducting any specialized process such as but not limited to cook-chill, sous vide, curing, and acidification of food items.

These establishments present a higher potential food safety risk if controls are not properly implemented and maintained.

Inspection Notification Details

  • Notifications will be sent via automated, no-reply email
  • Emails will be delivered to the email address associated with the operator’s ACA account
  • Inspections cannot be rescheduled at the request of the operator
  • The Person in Charge (PIC) or designee should make every effort to be present and prepared with relevant food safety documentation and operational information

If an inspection does not occur within the seven (7) calendar day window due to circumstances beyond the Health Department’s control (such as staff absences or a public health emergency requiring reallocation of resources), the inspection will be rescheduled. A new notification will be issued, and the inspection will again occur within seven (7) calendar days of the rescheduled notice.

Accela Citizen Access (ACA) Account Requirement

All food establishment operators are strongly encouraged to maintain an active ACA account, and ensure your preferred and correct email is associated with the account, as this system is used for official communications, including inspection notifications.

If you do not currently have an ACA account, you must create one to ensure you receive important regulatory notices:

For step-by-step instructions on registering for an account, please visit https://youtu.be/H5O0DMMtdyw or take the following steps:

  1. Visit OneNV.us and set up a secure Accela Citizen Access (ACA) account using the email address associated with your billing statement. If you are unsure what email address is currently associated, please contact our office.
  2. Once registered, email us at HealthEHS@nnph.org with the following information to request linking your existing permit to your new online account:
    • Permit Name
    • Permit Number
    • Billing Email

Failure to maintain accurate contact information, or issues such as emails being filtered to spam or junk folders, may result in missed notifications and does not exempt an establishment from inspection or compliance requirements.

Food Safety Resources for Operators

NNPH offers a variety of tools and educational materials to help operators support and improve food safety practices at their facilities:

A centralized collection of food safety guidance, training materials, signage, and best-practice resources are available at the NNPH Resource Library

Operators are encouraged to use these resources year-round to support compliance and active managerial control.

Sign up to receive NNPH food safety updates 

Commitment to Food Safety

This change reflects NNPH’s continued commitment to improving regulatory transparency while maintaining the integrity of the inspection process and protecting public health.

Food establishment operators are expected to operate in compliance with applicable food safety regulations at all times.

Last modified on 02/23/2026