The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department inspects about 1,550 food businesses, usually twice a year. Search scores online; complaints: 859-231-9791.

Last checked Oct. 12, 2026. Facts on this page come from the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department’s Food Protection and Restaurant Inspections page and the state’s Food Establishment Inspection Report form (PDF). Complaints and suspected food poisoning: 859-231-9791.

Every restaurant, grocery, school cafeteria and food truck in Lexington is permitted and inspected by the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department, not the city. The department regulates about 1,550 food establishments in Fayette County and inspects them usually two times a year, according to its food protection page. Scores are public.

Who to call

  • Complaint about a food business, or a suspected foodborne illness: health department food protection, 859-231-9791
  • Search inspection scores: the department’s food establishment search
  • Health department: 650 Newtown Pike

How to look up a score

On the Food Protection and Restaurant Inspections page, start typing an establishment’s name in the search box and choose the match from the drop-down list. The result shows the latest inspection score. The department links a copy of the inspection form so you can read what each violation item means.

Tips for searching:

  • Use the name on the permit, which may differ from the sign out front.
  • Chains with several locations: check the address.

How inspections work

Inspectors use the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s Food Establishment Inspection Report, the same form used across the state. It has 58 numbered items in two groups:

  • Foodborne illness risk factors and public health interventions, the practices the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention most often links to foodborne illness: supervision and a certified food protection manager, employee health, handwashing, approved food sources, keeping raw and ready-to-eat food apart, cooking, holding and cooling temperatures, and protecting highly susceptible people.
  • Good retail practices, the preventive basics: food storage and labeling, thermometers, utensils and equipment, water, plumbing and sewage, restrooms, garbage, pest control and lighting.

Each item carries a point value of one to three, set separately for food service and retail operations. Items marked “out” of compliance count against the score. The report also records why the visit took place (regular, follow-up, complaint or other) and whether a follow-up inspection is required.

The department enforces the Lexington-Fayette County food code, Board of Health Regulation No. 19, along with Regulations No. 26 and No. 27 and state food law, through inspections, notices, administrative conferences and, when needed, formal legal action. It also reviews construction plans for new and remodeled food businesses and investigates consumer complaints, including outbreaks of foodborne illness.

Reading a score fairly

A score is a snapshot of one visit. It reflects what the inspector saw that day, and many violations are corrected on the spot or by the follow-up visit. A lower score on a single inspection does not by itself mean a business is unsafe, and a high score does not guarantee conditions on another day. Look at the date, the type of inspection, whether a follow-up was required and which items were marked, not only the number. Lexington Now reports scores as published by the health department and does not rate businesses.

Who is covered

Besides restaurants, the department’s food programs cover retail markets, vending, temporary and mobile food service such as food trucks and festival stands, farmers market vendors and bed and breakfasts. It also runs food handler testing and food manager certification. The department’s page lists the regulations and guidance for each.

Opening a food business

Anyone opening a restaurant, grocery or catering business in Lexington needs a health department permit, and plans for new or remodeled kitchens are reviewed in advance. Start with the department’s Get a Permit page, and see our building permits and zoning guide for the city side.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I find inspection scores? On the health department’s Food Protection and Restaurant Inspections page.

How often are restaurants inspected? Usually twice a year.

How do I report a problem? Call 859-231-9791.

More: new businesses in Lexington and farmers markets.