Scores on Doors

Sushi chef preparing food

Scores on Doors is the NSW hygiene and food safety scoring program that displays the results of food premises regular inspections.

Retail food businesses in the City of Ryde can be awarded a certificate and sticker to display after their hygiene and food safety inspection by the local council.

Scores on Doors is for:

  • Restaurants
  • Takeaways
  • Cafes
  • Pub bistros
  • Bakeries
  • Hotels
  • Clubs.

These NSW food service businesses usually process and sell food that is ready-to-eat, intended for immediate consumption and potentially hazardous. This means it may require special handling to be safe, such as temperature control.

Scores on Doors is not intended for:

  • Supermarkets
  • Delicatessens or greengrocers
  • Low risk food premises or businesses that serve pre-packaged food, such as petrol service stations and convenience stores
  • Temporary markets and mobile food vending vehicles
  • Retail food businesses which hold a NSW Food Authority licence and are separately audited, such as butchers.

How does it work?

The questions in each of the nine sections of the Food Premises Assessment Report, or FPAR, have been weighted based on their risk of causing food contamination and foodborne illness. Non-compliance with individual questions attracts a risk weighting of 1, 4 or 8 (known as a breach score). Scores are dependent on the presence of circumstances such as:

  • The risk to food safety and how likely it is to occur
  • Whether the breach is administrative in nature
  • How widespread the problem is within the premises
  • Whether there is a systemic breakdown in procedures.

Once all individual questions from all nine sections are answered, a total score can be calculated and a “star rating” will be applied, as indicated in the table below. At the conclusion of an inspection, the officer will ask if you would like to participate in the Scores on Doors program and can provide you with the certificate and sticker.

Cumulative score Facility rating Inspection result
0-3 points  5 stars Excellent
4-8 points 4 stars Very Good
9-15 points 3 stars  Good
> 15 points or 8 any critical 8 point food safety breach   No grade awarded Unacceptable