Cook County restaurants get 10–30 days for failed inspections to correct violations. Every open violation at re-inspection costs you points or closes the restaurant. Here is everything you need to know, and how to fix it fast.
Deadlines are typical for Cook County. Always verify with Chicago Department of Public Health (city) / Cook County Department of Public Health (suburban).
The inspector returns to recheck every violation from the original report. They will verify that corrective actions were actually taken, not just that the symptom was temporarily fixed.
For Priority violations this means documented evidence: temperature logs showing proper cold-hold since the original inspection, signed employee illness agreements, corrected food handling observed on-site. A corrected temperature reading alone is not enough if the underlying practice has not changed.
Inspectors may also flag new violations they observe during the re-inspection visit. A re-inspection is not limited to the original violation list.
Correcting the condition without documenting it. Bring written proof to every re-inspection, even for violations that seem obvious to verify.
Priority violations must be corrected Critical violations must be corrected within 24 hours. Priority Foundation violations are due 10 days for serious violations. Core violations have 30 days for minor violations. Always confirm the exact deadline with Chicago Department of Public Health (city) / Cook County Department of Public Health (suburban).
Cook County may issue additional fines, schedule a second re-inspection, or, for serious ongoing violations, suspend your operating permit. Restaurants with scores indicating an imminent health hazard risk immediate closure.
Re-inspection fees in Cook County are typically $200–$500 per re-inspection (Chicago city fees). Fees vary by violation count and may increase for repeat failures. Verify current fees with Chicago Department of Public Health (city) / Cook County Department of Public Health (suburban).
Bring your Corrective Action Plan showing what was fixed and when, staff training sign-off sheets, temperature logs covering the period since the original inspection, and any invoices for equipment repairs or pest control.
Immediate closure for critical violations not corrected on-site; results published on Chicago Data Portal. For violations that do not trigger an immediate closure, you can typically continue operating while corrections are made, but all Priority violations must be corrected by the deadline or you risk closure at re-inspection.
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This document is for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice and does not guarantee a passing re-inspection score. Deadlines and fees are based on publicly available jurisdiction data and may change. Always verify requirements directly with Chicago Department of Public Health (city) / Cook County Department of Public Health (suburban).
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