Commercial Dishwashing Codes & Regulations: What You Must Follow to Pass Inspection

WHO ENFORCES DISHWASHING CODES?

Commercial dishwashing is regulated by multiple layers of authority:

• Local Health Department / Environmental Health
• State Department of Health
• Plumbing Inspectors
• Mechanical Inspectors
• Fire & Life Safety Inspectors
• Building Department (Occupancy)
• Federal Oversight (VA, DoD, USDA, etc.)

Each authority inspects different portions of the same dishroom.

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PRIMARY CODES & STANDARDS THAT APPLY

FDA Food Code (Foundation for Most States)

The FDA Food Code forms the baseline for most state health regulations and governs:

• Warewashing procedures
• Sanitizing temperatures
• Chemical sanitizer concentrations
• Air drying requirements
• 3-comp sink requirements
• Manual wash procedures
• Food-contact surface sanitation

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NSF / ANSI Standards (Equipment Certification)

NSF standards regulate:

• Dishwasher construction
• Wash performance
• Sanitizing effectiveness
• Materials
• Cleanability
• Drainage and plumbing interfaces

Common NSF references include:

• NSF/ANSI 3 – Commercial Warewashing Equipment
• NSF/ANSI 169 – Manual Warewashing Equipment

If it’s not NSF certified, it cannot be used for commercial warewashing.

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Plumbing Codes (UPC / IPC)

Plumbing codes regulate:

• Indirect waste connections
• Air gaps & air breaks
• Floor sink requirements
• Grease interceptor tie-ins
• Drain sizing
• Backflow prevention

Direct drains into the sewer are prohibited for dish machines.

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Mechanical Codes (IMC / Local Mechanical Code)

Mechanical codes regulate:

• Exhaust hoods
• Steam removal
• Make-up air
• Condensation control
• Heat rejection from booster heaters

Hood requirements may vary by:

• High-temp vs chemical
• Conveyor vs door-type
• Enclosure configuration

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Fire Codes (NFPA & Local Fire Marshals)

Fire codes regulate:

• Suppression coverage over conveyors
• Fire dampers
• Chemical storage safety
• Emergency shutoffs
• Hood fire systems integration

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REQUIRED SANITIZING TEMPERATURES & PPM

Heat (High-Temp) Sanitizing

• Final rinse must reach 180°F at the dish surface
• Machine gauge alone is not always sufficient
• Daily temperature logging is required

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Chemical (Low-Temp) Sanitizing (FDA Food Code Ranges)

• Chlorine: typically 50–100 ppm
• Quaternary Ammonium (Quat): typically 200–400 ppm
• Iodine: typically 12.5–25 ppm

Exact ppm ranges are enforced by your local authority having jurisdiction (AHJ).

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AIR DRYING REQUIREMENTS

All commercial ware:

• Must be air-dried
• Towel drying is prohibited
• Stacking wet dishes is prohibited

Violations here are among the most common inspection citations nationwide.

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3-COMP SINK REQUIREMENTS (EVEN WITH A DISHWASHER)

Most health codes still require:

• A 3-comp sink for manual warewashing
• Proper wash → rinse → sanitize sequence
• Separate hand sink in the same area
• Sanitizer verification even for manual washing

Dishwashers do not eliminate the requirement for a 3-comp sink in most jurisdictions.

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INDIRECT DRAINS & AIR GAPS (CRITICAL)

All commercial dish machines must:

• Drain to an indirect waste receptor
• Maintain a visible air gap or air break
• Prevent sewer backflow
• Protect potable systems from contamination

Violations here often result in failed plumbing inspections and failed health inspections.

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CHEMICAL STORAGE & SDS COMPLIANCE

Chemical sanitizers must:

• Be stored in labeled containers
• Have SDS sheets available on-site
• Be separated from food-contact items
• Be secured from unauthorized access

Improper chemical storage is both:

• A health violation
• A worker safety violation

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DIFFERENT FACILITIES FACE DIFFERENT ENFORCEMENT LEVELS

Restaurants & Bars

• Strict ppm and temp verification
• Heavy focus on towel drying and air gaps
• Heavy focus on glasswasher use limits

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Schools & Universities

• Strong preference for heat systems
• Tray system verification
• Drying space and rack volume scrutiny

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Hospitals & VA Facilities

• Heat systems favored
• Positive pressure kitchen environments
• Infection control integration
• Facilities engineering oversight

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Correctional & Federal Facilities

• Heat systems nearly mandatory
• Waste automation required
• Redundant system expectations
• Mission-continuity design requirements

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COMMON CODE VIOLATIONS THAT SHUT KITCHENS DOWN

• Dish machine draining directly into sewer
• Final rinse below 180°F
• No sanitizer test strips on site
• PPM outside code range
• No daily log documentation
• Towel drying of ware
• Improper chemical storage
• Grease backing up into dishroom drains
• No functional booster heater
• Hood not matched to steam output

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WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CODE COMPLIANCE?

Dishroom compliance is shared across:

• Owner / Operator
• Foodservice Equipment Dealer
• General Contractor
• Plumber
• Electrician
• HVAC Contractor
• Fire Protection Contractor
• Chemical Provider
• Health & Safety Team

This is why responsibility matrices and joint coordination documents are critical.

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WHAT CODE COMPLIANCE LOOKS LIKE IN A PROPERLY DESIGNED DISHROOM

A compliant dishroom includes:

• NSF-certified equipment
• Indirect drains with air gaps
• Proper 3-comp sink placement
• Verified sanitizing temperatures or ppm
• Adequate air-drying space
• Proper ventilation
• Documented logs
• Proper chemical storage
• Water treatment protections

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WHY CODE COMPLIANCE FAILS MOST PROJECTS

Most failures occur because:

• Dishwashing was treated as “just equipment”
• Utilities were not verified early
• Hood scope was misaligned
• Drainage was ignored
• Chemical service coordination failed
• Training was skipped
• Turnover eliminated continuity

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STOP RELYING ON GUESSWORK

Not Sure If Your Dishroom Would Pass Inspection Today?

• Check My Dishroom Compliance
• Request a Dishroom Code Review
• Download the Dishroom Inspection Preparation Checklist

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Built by Aldevra, a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business supporting federal agencies, healthcare systems, schools, bars, and commercial kitchens nationwide with compliant, inspection-ready dishroom systems.