Food Inspection and Permitting Software
Food Safety Software for FDA Retail Food, Mobile, Temp Events and Complaints
Local food protection programs need reliable food inspection software for restaurants, grocery stores, schools, and other food establishments. GovOwl gives city and county health departments a complete food program management system for inspections, permitting, plan reviews, temporary events, and foodborne illness tracking — all connected to each facility’s history.
At a Glance
- Retail food inspections – scoring, violations, photos, and reinspections
- Food permitting – new, renewal, and seasonal permits with plan reviews
- Foodborne illness – complaint intake and follow-up tracking
- Temporary events – inspections for festivals, fairs, and mobile units
- Program visibility – clear views for supervisors and required reporting
Our Solution
GovOwl replaces scattered spreadsheets and outdated tools with a single food protection platform. Inspectors use fast, consistent field tools (online or offline) while office staff manage applications, reviews, renewals, and complaints from the same system. All activity — permits, inspections, complaints, and plan reviews — stays linked to the facility so staff always see the full picture.
Why It Matters
Food programs must protect public health while documenting inspections in a way that stands up to review. GovOwl helps departments:
- Standardize inspections – consistent forms, scoring, and violation language
- Document clearly – photos, comments, and signatures tied to each report
- Respond quickly – foodborne illness and complaints routed to the right staff
- See patterns – trends in scores, violations, and follow-up activity
This provides supervisors and managers a defensible record of food program activity.
Food Inspections
- Retail food inspections – restaurants, groceries, schools, and other food facilities
- Scoring and violations – configurable scoring and violation categories
- Photos and comments – evidence attached directly to inspection records
- Corrective actions – tracking for corrections and reinspections
- Risk-based programs – support for FDA Retail Food–aligned inspections
Works as modern FDA Retail Food and restaurant inspection software for city and county teams.
Permits & Licensing
- Online applications – new, renewal, and seasonal food permits
- Document uploads – plans, menus, and equipment lists
- Plan reviews – comments and conditions tied to the permit
- Permit history – inspections, complaints, and permits linked to each facility
- Renewals and fees – reminders, payments, and issuance in one workflow
Provides the food permitting software capabilities departments need without adding another system.
Foodborne Illness & Complaints
- Structured intake – guided questions for foodborne illness and related complaints
- Routing – assigned to the correct investigator or program area
- Linked history – inspection and permit history visible during review
- Follow-up – tasks, notes, and reinspections tracked in one record
Supports efficient foodborne illness tracking and faster resolution.
Temporary Events & Mobile Units
- Event applications – applications and approvals for temporary events
- Vendor and unit lists – approved vendors and mobile units tied to events
- Event inspections – forms tailored to temporary operations
- Event history – records by vendor, unit, and event
Functions as temporary event inspection software for fairs, festivals, and mobile food operations.
Related Programs
Ready to modernize your food protection program?
See how GovOwl helps cities and counties streamline food inspections and permitting.