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1. What are the normal hours of operation?

Normal hours of operation are 8 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday.

2. How do I apply for a septic tank permit?

Applications for septic tank permits (Improvement Permits) are applied for at Craven County Planning & Inspections (252) 636-4987 or (252) 636-6618.  Fees are paid at the time the application is made.  Fee Schedule

3. What are the steps to opening a food service establishment?

If you are buying an existing restaurant, please fill out the New Owner Restaurant Permit Application (Transitional). 

If you are starting a restaurant in a new facility, please fill out the Food Service Plan Review Application and submit it to the Craven County Health Department. A proposed menu and scale drawings (blue prints) of the establishment, equipment, plumbing, and lighting will also have to be submitted to the health department. The applicaiton must also include the manufacturer's specification forms of the equipment (can be found on the manufacturers website).

4. How do I get a copy of an existing septic system permit?

First, check to see if a permit is available through the Craven County Geographic Information System (GIS). If a permit can not be located by this method, complete and submit a "Request for Document: Septic tank systems and Wells" form.

5. How do I find my septic system permit on Craven County GIS system?

Go to cravencountync.gov/gis. Once you get there, click "iMaps" and then "Start iMaps". It will bring you to the map of Craven County with fields to enter your information. Enter one of the following, your name, address or the parcel number for the property. The property information will pop up with several tabs at the top of the page. Click on the "EH Permits.A list of permits will pop up with the "View" button next to it.  Click on the one with the complete information regarding your septic system which will be "Operation Permit".You should be able to view and print permits issued between 2003 to the current year.

6. How do I apply for a septic tank permit?

Applications for septic tank permits are applied for at the Craven County Planning and Inspection office located at: 2828 Neuse Blvd., New Bern, NC 28562. You can also reach them by calling: (252) 636-4987. Fees are paid at the time the application is made.

7. What are the setbacks to my septic system?

Setbacks to septic systems can be found in the onsite sewage rules at 15A NCAC 18A .1950 Location of Sanitary Sewage Systems.

8. How do I find a Septic Contractor or Septic Inspector?

A list of contractors and inspectors certified to work in North Carolina can be found at https://ncowcicb.info/.

9. How do I get a Food Vendor permit for a festival?

To acquire a permit as a food vendor for a festival, an Application for a Temporary Food Establishment (TFE) has to be filled out and submitted to the Craven County Health Department along with a $75 application fee. The application will also require an attached drawing of your TFE layout.  All applications for TFEs must be submitted 15 days prior to the event in order to receive a permit.

10. What do I need to start a catering business?

All caterers must prepare food in a licensed and inspected commercial kitchen. To find out more about opening a commercial catering kitchen, please review our Food Service Establishment Permit & Plan Review Application.

11. How do I register for ServSafe? What items do I need for the course?

Information about the ServSafe Classes and Exam Proctoring at the Craven County Health Department can be found here.

12. How can I view Sanitation Inspection Reports for facilities inspected by Craven County Division of Environmental Health?

1. Open your Internet browser.
2. Enter in your search bar “Craven County Department of Environmental Health.”
3. The webpage is titled “Environmental Health | Craven County.”
4. Scroll down the webpage until you see a subsection titled “Sanitation Inspection Reports.”
5. Click on the available link for Sanitation Inspection Reports.
6. You will be taken to the Inspection Management System called CDP.
7. To find the establishment you would like to review, type the establishment name into the box labeled “Enter Establishment Name Containing.” This can be the full title or just keywords.
8. Once you have entered the establishment name/keyword, press Enter. A list of establishments with that name/keyword will appear.
9. Locate the establishment in question. Some establishments have multiple locations in Craven County, such as McDonald’s - in the column entitled ‘Address’ you can narrow down your search to the correct establishment.
   1. Some establishments can be under separate Establishment Types (a nursing home can show up as a Nursing Home and Institutional Food Service, for example), so look at the far-right column to ensure you have selected the correct Establishment Type for inspection review.
10. Once you have located the appropriate establishment, you can click “View Inspection Form” to look at the full inspection form, or “Violations” to view the violations and general comments.
    1. “View Inspection Form” will show the inspection form, temperature logs, violations, and corrective actions, in addition to the general comments; “Violations” will show the critical and non-critical violations, point deductions and corrective actions for violations, general comments, and the status of repeat violations. Additionally, these pages will include links to corresponding Rules Governing Inspection Scores for available establishment types.
11. To view previous inspections of an establishment, click “Return to Inspections.” To return to the search page, click “Return to Premises Lookup.”