Florida, not the county, inspects Tampa restaurants. Of 1,561 inspections since July 1, 1,230 needed no further action, the state's records show.
Last checked Oct. 10, 2026. Figures come from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s food service inspection file for District 3, downloaded Oct. 9, 2026, through the state’s public records page. Updated each month.
In Florida, restaurants are inspected by the state, not the county health department. The Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s Division of Hotels and Restaurants licenses and inspects every public food service business. Florida gives no numeric scores or letter grades; each inspection lists violations and ends with an outcome.
Who to call
- Division of Hotels and Restaurants: 850-487-1395
- Look up a restaurant: MyFloridaLicense.com license search
- File a complaint: MyFloridaLicense.com
Tampa since July 1
From July 1 to Oct. 8, 2026, state inspectors made 1,561 first-visit inspections at 1,499 food service businesses with Tampa addresses in Hillsborough County. Most were routine (1,288); 123 followed a complaint and 150 were licensing inspections. A Tampa mailing address includes some places outside the city limits, such as Town ‘n’ Country and Carrollwood.
| Outcome of the first visit | Inspections | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Inspection completed, no further action | 1,230 | 79% |
| Warning issued (a follow-up visit is set) | 218 | 14% |
| Administrative complaint recommended | 86 | 6% |
| Emergency order recommended (closure until fixed) | 25 | 2% |
| Administrative determination recommended | 2 | less than 1% |
838 of the 1,561 inspections, a little over half, found no high-priority violations. The middle inspection found three violations of all kinds. Countywide, the state made 2,354 first-visit inspections over the same period. Florida’s file lists outcomes, not the reasons a business was or was not closed, and a recommended action is not a final finding.
How to read an inspection
According to the division’s inspections page:
- High priority violations are those that could contribute directly to foodborne illness or injury.
- Intermediate violations could lead to those risks if not addressed.
- Basic violations are, in the state’s words, “considered best practices to implement.”
Each restaurant gets one to four unannounced inspections a year, depending on its risk: the type of food, how it is prepared and the business’s inspection and compliance history. Complaints can bring extra visits.
The outcomes:
- No further action: the inspection is complete.
- Warning issued: violations must be corrected by a set date, and the inspector returns.
- Administrative complaint recommended: the inspector recommended formal action, for example over high-priority violations or problems not corrected after an earlier visit.
- Emergency order recommended: the inspector recommended closing the business until violations are corrected. A callback visit shows whether it complied.
Look up a restaurant
Search any Tampa restaurant by name or address on the state’s license search. The full inspection reports list each violation in the inspector’s words. The raw data, statewide and by district, is on the public records page; Hillsborough County is in District 3.
Method
We counted rows in the state’s District 3 file whose county is Hillsborough, whose location city is Tampa and whose inspection date is July 1 to Oct. 8, 2026, using only first visits (visit number 1) so follow-ups are not counted twice. Complaint inspections combine full and partial complaint visits. Shares are rounded. We do not rank or name restaurants on this page; individual results are in the state’s records.
What this means for you
- Florida posts no grade to look for: check a restaurant’s latest report yourself.
- A warning means a return visit, not a closure.
- An emergency order is a recommendation to close until fixed; check the callback result.
- Report a problem to the state, not the city or county.
Related: new businesses in Tampa and who to call at City Hall.
Frequently asked questions
Who inspects restaurants in Hillsborough County?
The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s Division of Hotels and Restaurants. Each restaurant gets one to four unannounced inspections a year, based on its risk.
Do Florida restaurants get inspection scores or letter grades?
No. Florida does not give numeric scores or letter grades. Each inspection lists violations by type (high priority, intermediate and basic) and ends with an outcome, such as no further action, a warning or an administrative complaint.
How do I look up a restaurant’s inspection in Tampa?
Search the business name or address on the state’s MyFloridaLicense.com license search, or download the state’s District 3 inspection file, which includes Hillsborough County.
What does an emergency order mean on a Florida restaurant inspection?
The inspector recommended that the business close until the violations are corrected. A callback visit shows whether it complied.
How do I report a restaurant in Tampa?
File a complaint with the Division of Hotels and Restaurants through MyFloridaLicense.com or call 850-487-1395.
Have your say