New York City Department of Consumer Affairs

Controls Over Restaurant and Food Vendor Licenses and Permits

The New York City Department of Consumer Affairs issues licenses and permits for restaurants and food vendors, and collects the fees for these licenses and permits. We audited the Department’s controls over these activities and identified certain weaknesses. For example, access to blank licenses and permits was not adequately controlled, and an inventory record of the blank licenses and permits was not maintained. As a result, there was a risk that licenses and permits could be created and sold illegally. We also found that license and permit fees were not always deposited promptly. We recommended that certain actions be taken to strengthen the Department’s controls over licenses and permits for restaurants and food vendors.

For a complete copy of Report 2007-N-15 click here.