Inspection guides · New York
Restaurant inspections in New York City
The NYC Health Department inspects about 29,000 restaurants, unannounced, at least once a year. Each posts a grade card by the front door. Fewer violation points earn a better grade.
What the results mean
| Result | What it means |
|---|---|
| A | 0 to 13 points, on an initial inspection or a reinspection. |
| B | 14 to 27 points on a reinspection. |
| C | 28 or more points on a reinspection. |
| Grade Pending | 14 or more points on both inspections. The restaurant may post it until its hearing. |
| Not Yet Graded | Not a card: the restaurant keeps its old one, if it had one. |
| Closed by DOHMH | The Health Department closed the restaurant, and any grade card comes down. |
Check before you go. ForkFax maps every New York City restaurant with its latest inspection, as the city published it. Free, no account.
Good to know
- An initial inspection under 14 points earns an A on the spot. Otherwise a graded reinspection follows.
- A real card is card stock, posted within 5 feet of the entrance, never in the dining area.
Check or report a restaurant
- Search any restaurant on ABC Eats, the Health Department's inspection lookup.
- Report a food safety problem, or a missing or fake grade card, to 311.
Sources
- NYC Health: Food Establishment Inspections
- NYC Health: The Inspection Process
- NYC Health: Letter Grading for Restaurants
- NYC Health Code rules, Chapter 23: Food Service Establishment Inspection Procedures (PDF)
- ABC Eats: Frequently Asked Questions
- NYC311: Restaurant and Mobile Food Letter Grading
- NYC311: Food Safety Complaint
- NYC Health press release: 15th anniversary of restaurant grading (2025)
Facts checked November 3, 2026. ForkFax is not affiliated with any health department; the agency's own records are the official ones.