Food & Lodging Applications & Forms

Retail Food Establishments

Plan submittal, review, and approval for retail food establishments (such as restaurants, mobile food units, pushcarts). Contact 704-853-5200 for information regarding plan submittal, review and approval of existing establishments listed in the following:

  • Food Service Facilities:
    • Restaurants
    • Caterers
    • Food Stands
    • Educational Food Service
    • Elderly Nutritional Sites
    • Institutional Food Service
    • Meat Markets
    • Deli
    • Mobile Food Units
    • Pushcarts
    • School Cafeterias
  • Lodging and Bed and Breakfasts
  • Hospitals/Nursing Homes/Assisted Living/Other Institutions

Retail Food Forms

  1. Commissary Letter for MFU-Pushcart 2018 (PDF)
  2. Food Service Plan Review Application (PDF)
  3. Pushcart Plan Review Application (PDF)
  4. Pushcart Requirements (PDF)

Childcare & Festivals

Plan submittal review, and approval for adult day service, child care, limited food services, residential cares, summer camps, and temporary food establishments (festival food vendors and festival organizers). Contact Hunter Capps by calling 704-853-5055 or by email for information regarding plan submittal, review, and approval.

Completed Coordinator Applications, Vendor Applications, and Vendor Fees must be submitted at least 15 days prior to the event for consideration. Each question must be answered or the application will be considered incomplete. Applications received less than 15 days prior to event are not guaranteed to be reviewed.

A "Temporary Food Establishment" permit is required to sell food or drink at a special event. This permit is issued in conjunction with a fair, carnival, circus, public exhibition, or other similar gathering that operates for a period of 15 days or less. Examples are holiday festivals, traveling carnivals and special events.

Childcare & Festivals Forms

  1. Adult Day Service Application (PDF)
  2. Child Care Application (PDF)
  3. Limited Food Application (PDF)
  4. Residential Care Application (PDF)
  5. Temporary Food Event (TFE) Vendor Application (PDF)
  6. TFE checklist (PDF)
  7. TFE Organizer Application (PDF)

Swimming Pools & Tattoos

Public swimming pool and tattoo plan submittal, review and approval.

Tattoo Program

For information regarding the plan submittal, review, and approval for a tattoo parlor or the permitting of a tattoo artist please contact 704-853-5200. All initial applications and applications for renewal of an existing tattooing permit shall be submitted to the local health department at least 30 days prior to initial issuance of a tattooing permit or expiration date of an existing permit.

Tattooing Permit
Tattooing permits shall be issued in the name of the individual tattoo artist, shall list the address of the tattoo establishment where the artist will practice, and shall not be transferable to another person or place of practice.

Tattoo Application (PDF).

Swimming Pool Program

For information regarding the plan submittal, review, and approval for public swimming pools or if your Management Company or Billing Address has changed, please contact 704-853-5200.

If building a new public swimming pool, a Plan Review must be submitted. Submit plans for new pools or for existing pool renovation to the:
Gaston County Health Department
991 W Hudson Boulevard
Gastonia, NC 28052.

Gaston County inspects and permits public swimming pools to ensure compliance with state rules.

Gaston County Application for Swimming Pool Operational Permit