Reference guide
When Florida DBPR inspectors visit a restaurant, every finding is recorded with a specific multi-segment violation code (for example,
08A-05-6). The CSV bulk-download data groups those findings into 58 leading-number columns. This page translates those code families into plain English so people can move from a raw code prefix to what that category usually means in practice. If you want the bigger picture behind how these findings affect scores, read our food-safety methodology or jump straight into restaurant search.
Search by code prefix, keyword, or example text. If you have a full DBPR code like 08A-05-6, start with the first two digits: 08.
Showing all 46 code families.
DBPR classifies these as immediate public-health risks. This is where you see the categories most people worry about first: temperature control, cross-contamination, sanitization, chemical safety, sewage, and pest activity.
Stop Sale orders issued on food found unsafe to serve — temperature abuse, unsound condition, dented cans, expired ready-to-eat food, and shellfish tagging issues.
TCS food held above 41°F when cold-held, below 135°F when hot-held, or not cooled within required timeframes. The most-cited High Priority category in our current scraped dataset.
Time/temperature control for safety food or open food re-served to customers.
Raw animal food stored over or with ready-to-eat food, food stored on the floor, food stored uncovered, and improper storage by minimum cooking temperature.
Employees touching ready-to-eat food with bare hands without an approved alternative procedure or required training documentation.
Employee personal beverage container in food prep area; employees handling food or clean equipment without washing hands first or after touching soiled surfaces.
Sewage backup, wastewater on the ground, or improper disposal of mop/cleaning water — emergency-tier findings under DBPR rules.
Live insects, roach activity, rodent droppings, or other pest evidence; exterior door gaps that admit pests.
Spray bottles of toxic substances unlabeled, chemicals improperly stored, sanitizer above maximum allowed concentration, medicine improperly stored.
Operating with an expired DBPR license, license not displayed, license decals missing on mobile units, or operating without a license.
DBPR classifies these as significant but typically not an immediate hazard. This group is where you see certification gaps, sanitation misses, missing thermometers, and handwashing access problems that often signal weak operational discipline.
Ready-to-eat TCS food not properly date marked, working containers not labeled with common name, and menu disclosure issues for raw/undercooked foods.
Inadequate number or capacity of cold/hot holding units to maintain TCS food at proper temperatures.
Probe thermometers missing, inaccurate, or uncalibrated; ambient air thermometers missing from holding units.
Establishment lacks documented procedures for employee health reporting, response to vomiting/diarrhea events, or person-in-charge knowledge of foodborne illness.
No chemical test kit available for the sanitizer in use; dishmachine maintenance issues, label residue on cleaned containers, lime scale buildup.
Food-contact surfaces soiled with debris, mold-like substance, or slime; ice machine interiors with mold; dishmachine sanitizer at improper concentration.
Handwash sink water not at the required minimum 85°F, no hot running water at three-compartment sink, or insufficient water pressure.
Handwash sinks used for non-handwashing purposes, blocked, or missing soap, paper towels, or signage.
Establishment advertised one type of fish or food but served another; misrepresenting fresh juice or imitation crab; identity of food product misrepresented.
No proof of state-approved employee training; employee training expired or not available; no certified food manager on duty when required.
These are the lower-severity restaurant findings most people still see again and again: sanitation upkeep, equipment condition, storage practices, lighting, restrooms, plumbing, and other everyday operational misses.
Improper thawing methods for TCS food, and labeling/handling issues for commercially processed reduced-oxygen-packaged fish.
In-use utensils stored improperly between uses — in standing water below 135°F, on equipment door handles, or in unsanitary positions.
Employees engaging in food preparation without hair restraints, beard guards, or with prohibited jewelry/nail polish.
Cutting boards, equipment, and storage in poor repair — cut marks, ice buildup, rust, missing handles on dispensing utensils.
Wet wiping cloths not stored in sanitizing solution; wiping-cloth sanitizer (chlorine or quaternary ammonium) below required minimum strength.
Non-food-contact surfaces (gaskets, shelves, equipment exteriors, door handles) soiled with grease, debris, dirt, slime, or dust.
Equipment and utensils stored wet (wet nesting), stored uninverted, or stored in dirty drawers/racks after cleaning.
Single-service items (cups, plates, utensils, straws) stored improperly, exposed to contamination, or reused after intended single use.
Standing water in coolers, leaking pipes, missing vacuum breakers on mop sinks or hose bibbs, plumbing in disrepair.
Bathrooms not properly enclosed with self-closing doors, missing covered receptacles in women's restrooms, doors left open or self-closers broken.
Open dumpster lids, missing drain plugs, garbage on the ground around the dumpster, unused equipment on the premises.
Floors, walls, and ceilings soiled with grease, food debris, dust, or in disrepair. Standing water on floor surfaces.
Lights in food prep, storage, or warewashing areas missing protective shields, or insufficient foot-candles of lighting in required areas.
Employee personal items, cosmetics, or toiletries stored in or above food prep areas, food, or clean equipment.
Wet mops not stored in a manner allowing them to dry; maintenance tools stored where they could cross-contaminate food or equipment.
These codes do show up on restaurant inspections, but they read more like facility, fire-safety, signage, or mixed-use compliance findings than everyday food-handling issues. Separating them keeps the main restaurant reference cleaner without hiding them.
Findings observed in adjoining lodging facilities (this category is a combined hotel/restaurant inspection field; food-service findings are rare here).
Garbage and dumpster findings recorded under combined hotel/restaurant inspections. The active food-service equivalent is column 33 (Trash, dumpster & exterior storage).
Findings observed on lodging-area windows (combined hotel/restaurant inspection field; food-service findings are rare here).
Living/sleeping quarters opening into a food-service area without separation; unnecessary persons in food prep, storage, or warewashing areas.
Fire-safety findings recorded for reporting purposes — portable fire extinguisher gauges in the red zone, missing or inaccessible extinguishers, and cooking equipment producing grease-laden vapors without an installed hood suppression system.
Findings related to marked exits — paths to exits blocked, or exit doors locked when occupied.
Electrical safety findings — scorch marks around outlets, wiring in disrepair, exposed live wiring.
Boiler inspection certificates missing or outdated; propane tanks larger than 2.7 lb stored improperly. State Fire Marshal-related findings recorded by DBPR.
Flammables or combustible debris stored in bar rooms, attics, basements, or other prohibited locations.
CO2/helium tanks not adequately secured, no Heimlich/choking sign posted, plan review not submitted for renovations, latest inspection report not available.
Smoking or vaping in an enclosed indoor workplace; evidence of employee smoking or vaping in food-service areas.
Florida DBPR's bulk-download CSV uses a combined hotel-and-restaurant schema with 58 total column slots. The 12 columns below are unused in our restaurant-focused dataset and mostly map to lodging-only findings such as guest-room conditions, bedding, or hotel operations.
Look up a specific establishment and see the actual inspections, scores, and recent findings tied to that location.
Jump from code families to real Florida restaurants with the most serious recent inspection findings.
See which counties are currently running cleaner — or rougher — once you normalize by restaurant count.
Understand how InspectFL weighs severity, recency, and inspection history in the Health Score.
