license - Sanitation standards. A. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate or maintain any establishment, stationary or otherwise, where food or drink is offered for sale, or sold, to the public, unless the person is the holder of a food establishment license issued for such purpose by the State Commissioner of Health or designee. A mobile food vendor that seeks to operate in a county that is governed by a city-county health department shall obtain a food establishment license from the local authority. This food establishment license shall be recognized by the State Commissioner of Health and all local authorities as a state food establishment license for purposes of this title. A food establishment license shall permit the mobile food vendor to operate in any local authority's jurisdiction upon the local authority's recognition of the license, the issuance of any relevant local license, and the vendor's compliance with all other municipal provisions not in conflict with this act. A food establishment license shall not be required for: 1. A produce stand that offers only whole, uncut and unprocessed fresh fruits, melons, vegetables and legumes and/or whole uncracked and unprocessed nuts; 2. A manufacturer, wholesaler or broker of food licensed pursuant to Section 1-1119 of this title; 3. A kitchen in a private home if only food that does not require time and temperature control for safety is prepared for sale or service at a function such as a nonprofit civic, charitable or religious organization's bake sale; 4. An area where food that is prepared as specified in paragraph 3 of this subsection is sold or offered for human consumption; 5. A private home that receives catered or home-delivered food; 6. A hotel licensed pursuant to Section 1-1201 of this title which provides limited food service in compliance with rules promulgated by the State Commissioner of Health; 7. A kitchen in a private home or in a bed and breakfast that prepares and offers food to guests, if the home is owner-occupied, the number of available guest bedrooms does not exceed four, and breakfast is the only meal offered; 8. A nonprofit civic, charitable or religious organization using unpaid individuals to prepare or serve food on its behalf, for occasional fundraising events sponsored and conducted by the organization. For the purposes of this paragraph, an "occasional fundraising event" shall be defined as an event that occurs four times a year or less; 9. Day care centers or family day care centers, and all other child care facilities as defined and licensed pursuant to the provisions of the Oklahoma Child Care Facilities Licensing Act; 10. Nursing facilities and specialized facilities, as defined in and licensed pursuant to the provisions of the Nursing Home Care Act, residential care homes as defined by the Residential Care Act, adult day care centers as defined by the Adult Day Care Act, and assisted living centers and continuum of care facilities licensed pursuant to the Continuum of Care and Assisted Living Act; 11. Vendors at farmers markets selling frozen meat that is either kept refrigerated or on ice; and 12. Other establishments exempted from food establishment licensure pursuant to state law. B. Each license shall expire one (1) year following the date of its issuance. The State Department of Health shall charge and collect for each such license an annual fee to be fixed by the State Commissioner of Health by rule or as provided for in this section. 1. The Commissioner may provide by rule for a fee-exempt license for a food establishment operated by a nonprofit, civic, charitable or religious organization that uses unpaid persons to sell or offer food on a more frequent basis than the occasional fundraising event. A fee-exempt license shall not expire but shall remain in full force and effect until affirmatively revoked, suspended, annulled or withdrawn by the Department in accordance with applicable law. 2. The Commissioner may by rule also provide that licenses for establishments serving events of limited duration or operating on a seasonal basis shall extend only for the term of the event or season, and may by rule adjust the fees for such licenses accordingly. 3. The Commissioner shall provide by rule a three-day license for vendors who only sell at farmers markets as defined in 310:257- 1-2 of the Oklahoma Administrative Code or at county fairs. Licenses for vendors who only sell at farmers markets or county fairs shall not exceed Fifty Dollars ($50.00). Vendors who do not sell food and vendors who meet the exceptions provided in subsection A of this section shall not be required to obtain a three-day license or a food establishment license. 4. The Commissioner shall provide by rule a multiseasonal license for snow cone stands that sell hot beverages in addition to snow cones. A snow cone stand that does not sell hot beverages shall be considered a seasonal food establishment. C. The State Commissioner of Health shall promulgate reasonable standards and rules for sanitation of establishments required to be licensed, which shall include the following: buildings, vehicles, and appurtenances thereto, including plumbing, ventilation and lighting; construction, cleanliness and bactericidal treatment of equipment and utensils; cleanliness, wholesomeness, storage and refrigeration of food and drink sold or served; cleanliness and hygiene of personnel; toilet facilities; disposal of waste; water supply; and other items deemed necessary to safeguard the health, comfort, and safety of customers. Added by Laws 1963, c. 325, art. 11, § 1118, operative July 1, 1963. Amended by Laws 1965, c. 190, §§ 1, 2, emerg. eff. June 8, 1965; Laws 1986, c. 121, § 2, emerg. eff. April 10, 1986; Laws 1989, c. 345, § 7, eff. Oct. 1, 1989; Laws 1995, c. 230, § 7, eff. July 1, 1995; Laws 2015, c. 93, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2015; Laws 2019, c. 505, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2019; Laws 2021, c. 450, § 1, emerg. eff. May 10, 2021; Laws 2023, c. 45, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2023; Laws 2024, c. 452, § 135, emerg. eff. June 14, 2024; Laws 2025, c. 19, § 8, eff. Nov. 1, 2025.
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