San Mateo County commercial kitchen compliance

San Mateo County (CA) operates a Green/Yellow/Red color-coded placard program enforced under the California Retail Food Code by San Mateo County Environmental Health Services (within SMC Health). Placard determination is driven by the count of major violations observed during inspection, with major violations defined by the CDC's five critical risk factors framework. Green = PASS, Yellow = CONDITIONAL PASS, Red = CLOSURE. Major violations are CDC risk factors that contribute to foodborne illness outbreaks and pose imminent health hazards requiring immediate correction; examples include no hot water, no handwashing capabilities, and cooking/cooling/holding temperature violations. San Mateo County does not publish a public-facing numeric score; placard color is the sole public display. Placards must be posted in clear view of prospective customers entering the facility. The program launched January 2016 as part of a deliberate Bay Area regional alignment; San Mateo's own Placarding FAQ states: "Taking a regional approach to grading and placarding provides consistency for food operators who operate restaurants in multiple counties, and benefits the public by presenting an easy and consistent way to make an informed decision." Approximately 3,000 retail food facilities are permitted countywide, including approximately 100+ food concessioners at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), which is located within San Mateo County rather than San Francisco County.