How Florida Food Safety Scores Work
Florida DBPR publishes detailed inspection records — violation counts, dispositions, and emergency closures — but does not publish a single composite score like some other states. Florida Food Scores calculates an independent Food Safety Score (0–100) from that public data, with optional A–F bands for quick scanning. The score is our analytical methodology, not an official government rating.
What the score represents
Each establishment receives one composite score from 0 (worst) to 100 (best), mapped to a letter band. The score reflects up to the last 4 qualifying inspection cycles within a rolling 36-month window, with more weight on recent performance. It is not based on a single visit alone.
How scores appear on this site
The numeric score is the primary rating. Colored A–F letters are shorthand bands for quick scanning — they are not official DBPR grades.
- Restaurant listings: a colored letter badge appears beside each name. Hover or tap the badge to see the full band (for example, “Band C · Fair”). The numeric score (such as 72/100) and band label are shown on the line below the name.
- Restaurant detail pages: the same band badge is shown alongside a larger numeric score, the outcome of the most recent DBPR inspection, and a score breakdown listing each weighted inspection cycle that contributed to the result.
- Filters: you can filter listings by score band (A through F). Sorting by score uses the underlying 0–100 number.
Step 1: Group visits into inspection cycles
DBPR records multiple rows per inspection event when follow-up visits occur. We group rows by inspection_number and treat each group as one cycle, using the worst disposition and highest violation counts from visits in that cycle. That avoids penalizing a restaurant twice for one bad routine inspection that required a callback.
Included in the score:
- Food inspections (
inspection_class = Food, or food-related inspection types) - Initial visits and callbacks within the same cycle
- Inspections within the last 36 months
Excluded:
- Complaint Full inspections
- Complaint Partial inspections
- Lodging-only inspections and data outside the 36-month window
DBPR risk level (1, 2, or 3) determines how often a place is inspected, not how it performed on a given visit. Risk level is intentionally not part of this formula.
Step 2: Score each cycle (start at 100, subtract)
For each cycle, we start at 100 points and subtract the following (each category is capped so one visit cannot zero out on violations alone):
| Factor | Deduction |
|---|---|
| Each high-priority violation | 10 points (max 50 per cycle) |
| Each intermediate violation | 4 points (max 24 per cycle) |
| Each basic violation | 1 point (max 10 per cycle) |
| Disposition: Met Inspection Standards | 0 points |
| Disposition: Follow-up Inspection Required | 12 points |
| Disposition: Warning Issued | 8 points |
| Disposition: Administrative Complaint | 20 points |
| Disposition: Emergency Order Recommended | 35 points |
Weights mirror DBPR’s three-tier violation model. A restaurant can record violations on a visit that still closes with “Met Inspection Standards” or “Inspection Completed — No Further Action Required”; those dispositions carry no extra penalty, but violation counts still reduce the cycle score.
Step 3: Blend cycles with recency weighting
We take up to the last 4 cycles (newest first) and compute a weighted average. If fewer cycles exist, weights are renormalized so the available history still sums to 100%:
| Cycle | Weight |
|---|---|
| Most recent cycle | 45% |
| 2nd most recent | 30% |
| 3rd most recent | 15% |
| 4th most recent | 10% |
Step 4: Emergency closure adjustments
| Condition | Effect |
|---|---|
| Active emergency closure (not yet reopened) | Score capped at 40 |
| Any emergency closure in the last 24 months (since reopened) | −10 points |
| No qualifying inspections in the window | No score assigned |
Step 5: Score bands (A–F)
The primary display is the numeric score (0–100). For quick scanning, we also map the score to a letter band:
| Score | Band | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 90–100 | A | Excellent |
| 80–89 | B | Good |
| 70–79 | C | Fair |
| 60–69 | D | Below average |
| 0–59 | F | Poor |
Why the score can differ from the latest inspection
Restaurant detail pages show both our composite score and the outcome of the most recent DBPR inspection. A low score with a passing latest disposition usually means earlier cycles in the 36-month window still weigh on the result, or the latest visit recorded violations even though DBPR closed the cycle without further action. Each detail page includes a score breakdown showing the inspection cycles and weights used in the calculation. See the full inspection history on that page for the underlying DBPR records.
Data source and updates
Scores are computed from Florida DBPR public inspection files, synchronized nightly. We may refine this methodology over time; the formula described on this page reflects the current configuration. For legal terms governing use of this site, see our Terms of Service.
Disclaimer: The Food Safety Score is an independent calculation by FloridaFoodScores.com. It is not published, endorsed, or equivalent to any official rating from DBPR or the State of Florida. In case of discrepancy, official DBPR records prevail.