Of 750 Durham County restaurants inspected in the past year, 712 earned an A at their latest visit. How grades work and how to look one up. 919-560-7800.
Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Facts on this page come from Durham County Environmental Health, the county’s establishment report on data.dconc.gov and the state’s food establishment rules.
Every restaurant in Durham County is inspected by the Durham County Department of Public Health’s Environmental Health Division, which enforces North Carolina’s food rules for the city and the county. Each inspection produces a score out of 100 and a letter grade. A score is a snapshot of one visit, not a verdict on a business.
Who to call
- Durham County Environmental Health: 919-560-7800, healthinspector@dconc.gov, 414 E. Main St.
- Look up grades: inspection grades portal (Durham County)
- Permitted food trucks and caterers: the county’s food truck list and caterer list
How the grades work
Under the state rule on grading (15A NCAC 18A .2662):
| Score | Grade |
|---|---|
| 90 or higher | A |
| 80 to under 90 | B |
| 70 to under 80 | C |
| Below 70 | Permit revoked immediately |
The rule also sets the look of the grade card, black on white. The county’s Registered Environmental Health Specialists are authorized by the state Division of Environmental Health to enforce these rules.
Durham County’s latest scores
We counted the most recent inspection for every establishment the county lists as a restaurant in its establishment report, downloaded Oct. 11. 750 restaurants had a latest inspection between Oct. 11, 2025, and Sept. 28, 2026:
- 712 (95%) scored 90 or above, an A.
- 37 earned a B.
- One scored in the C range, at 74.
- None scored below 70.
- The median latest score was 97; the average was 95.9.
These are latest scores only. A restaurant with a B may have had an A before and may earn one again at its next visit. The county’s list also includes 222 food stands, 199 mobile food units, school lunchrooms, meat markets, child care centers, pools and tattoo artists, which are graded or scored under their own rules.
In the same period, 148 mobile food units (food trucks) had a latest score on file, 143 of them 90 or above, and 199 of 203 food stands scored 90 or above. Both groups had a median latest score of 98.
What the county inspects
From Environmental Health’s general inspections page, the division reviews plans, issues permits and inspects:
- restaurants, caterers, commissaries and food stands;
- school lunchrooms, mobile food vendors, hot dog vendors and meat markets;
- special events selling food to the public;
- child care centers, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, jails, hotels, bed and breakfasts and tattoo artists.
It also investigates complaints and suspected foodborne illness at those places, and checks homes where a child under 6 has an elevated blood lead level.
Method notes
- Source: Durham County’s public establishment report (data.dconc.gov, report 38), which lists each establishment’s last score and inspection date. We counted only rows with the type “Restaurant.”
- Live lookups: the state-run inspection portal the county links to was not loading when we checked Oct. 11. If it is down, call 919-560-7800.
- Neutral wording: we report scores as the county recorded them. We do not rank or name restaurants on this page.
What this means for you
- Look for the grade card near the entrance; anything below 90 is posted as a B or C.
- Worried about a meal? Call 919-560-7800.
- Opening a food business? Start with the county’s plan review before you build.
More: new businesses in Durham, farmers markets and building permits and zoning.
Frequently asked questions
How do I look up a restaurant inspection score in Durham?
Durham County Environmental Health links its inspection grades from its website through the state’s public inspection portal. You can also call Environmental Health at 919-560-7800 or email healthinspector@dconc.gov.
What do restaurant grades mean in North Carolina?
Under state rules, a score of 90 or above is an A, 80 to under 90 is a B, and 70 to under 80 is a C. A score below 70 means the permit is immediately revoked.
How many Durham County restaurants have an A grade?
Of the 750 restaurants whose latest inspection fell in the year to Sept. 28, 2026, 712 scored 90 or above, 37 earned a B and one a C, according to the county’s establishment report. The median score was 97.
How do I report a food safety problem at a Durham restaurant?
Call Durham County Environmental Health at 919-560-7800 or email healthinspector@dconc.gov. The division investigates complaints and suspected foodborne illness at the places it regulates.
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