How are restaurants graded in City of Berkeley?

City of Berkeley uses a Pass / Fail (Checkmark System) evaluation method for food safety inspections, administered by City of Berkeley Environmental Health Division.

Who handles fire safety inspections in City of Berkeley?

Fire safety for commercial kitchens in City of Berkeley is overseen by Berkeley Fire Department.

How many food facilities are in City of Berkeley?

City of Berkeley has approximately 1,000+ permitted food facilities.

Local Results

City of Berkeley County, California

Name: City of Berkeley Restaurant Inspection Data
Creator: City of Berkeley Environmental Health Division

The Score Behind Every Table.

Data verified: April 2026

CaliforniaPass / FailCalCode

City of Berkeley County — Food Safety & Fire Safety

Food Safety: City of Berkeley Environmental Health Division

Fire Safety: Berkeley Fire Department

The university city that writes its own rules — one of only four independent city health departments in California, using a unique checkmark-based inspection system instead of letter grades.

The Score Behind Every Table.

Food Safety

Evaluation

Pass / Fail

Public Posting

No mandate

Inspection Freq.

Risk-based

Facilities

1,000+

Fire Safety

Fire Code

CFC

Cleaning Standard

NFPA 96

Cleaning Freq.

Per NFPA 96 Table 12.4

Authority

Berkeley Fire Department

Pass / Fail Inspection

Berkeley's unique checkmark-based inspection system — inspectors mark items satisfactory or unsatisfactory without numeric scoring or letter grades. Facilities are evaluated holistically based on the pattern of satisfactory and unsatisfactory marks.

Pass

Facility meets requirements

Closed

Imminent health hazard

Fire Safety

Fire Authority

Berkeley Fire Department

Berkeley Fire Department (BFD) covers the entire city — a single fire authority. The 1991 Oakland Hills firestorm burned into Berkeley hills, shaping fire safety awareness in the region.

Hood Cleaning Standard

Commercial kitchen exhaust hoods must be cleaned semi-annually per NFPA 96. Higher-volume operations may require more frequent cleaning based on cooking volume.

Suppression Inspection

UL-300 wet chemical suppression systems required in all commercial cooking hoods. Semi-annual inspection and certification per NFPA 96.

Hillside restaurants in WUI (Wildland-Urban Interface) zones face additional fire safety requirements due to the legacy of the 1991 Oakland Hills firestorm.

UL-300 wet chemical suppression system required in all commercial cooking hoods
Semi-annual suppression system inspection and certification per NFPA 96
Hood and duct cleaning on NFPA 96 schedule
Service must be performed by a licensed C-16 Fire Protection contractor
WUI zone fire requirements for hillside restaurants

Official Inspection Portal

Search City of Berkeley County restaurant inspections

City of Berkeley Environmental Health

Source: City of Berkeley Environmental Health Division

Inspection Authority

Agency

City of Berkeley Environmental Health Division

Code Basis

CalCode

ScoreTable

The Score Behind Every Table.

All data from official public health and fire authority records only · founders@getevidly.com

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