SNHD Grade Card Cheat Sheet
This is the whole SNHD grading system on one page. Print it, tape it inside the office door, and the demerit math stops being a mystery. I spent years scoring inspections with these exact numbers, and every owner I've ever taught them to has said the same thing: I wish someone had shown me this sooner.
The grade thresholds
| Grade | Demerits | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| A | 0–10 | Passing. Routine inspections continue. |
| B | 11–20 | Downgrade. Fees, a posted B card, and a re-inspection. |
| C | 21–40 | Downgrade. Same cycle, higher stakes: failing the re-inspection from a C means closure. |
| Closure | 41+ | The kitchen closes until violations are corrected and SNHD approves reopening. An imminent health hazard (no hot water, broken refrigeration, sewage backup, pests) closes a kitchen at any score. |
How demerits add up
- Critical violation: 5 demerits. Anything tied directly to foodborne illness: cold food above 41°F, improper cooling, handwashing failures, contaminated ready-to-eat food.
- Major violation: 3 demerits. Conditions that become critical if nobody fixes them.
- Good-practice items: 0 demerits. Still written on the report, still worth fixing.
Do the math like an inspector: two criticals is 10 demerits, still an A with zero room to spare. Two criticals plus one major is 13, and the card in the window changes.
The repeat rule
Repeating the identical critical or major violation from your previous inspection forces a downgrade even if your demerit total would otherwise be an A. Fix the system behind the violation, not just the finding, because the finding is the first thing the next inspector checks.
The downgrade clock
- Within 10 business days: the downgrade fees are due. A C downgrade carries a $1,524 inspection fee on top of the disruption.
- After 15 business days: SNHD schedules the re-inspection. You can request it earlier once corrections are made and fees are paid, and many kitchens do.
- To get the A back: the re-inspection must score 10 demerits or fewer with no repeats of the violations that caused the downgrade. More than 10 on a B re-inspection means a C. Failing a C re-inspection means closure.
The five violations SNHD cites most
From the district's own 2021 Restaurant Risk Factor Study, with the one-line habit that prevents each.
| Violation | One-line prevention |
|---|---|
| 1. Cold holding above 41°F (65.7% of restaurants out of compliance) | Probe one pan in every cold unit each shift, log it, and repair any unit that can't hold 41°F. |
| 2. Food not protected from contamination (50.0%) | Cover everything, store raw proteins below ready-to-eat food, and give each task its own utensils. |
| 3. Food-contact surfaces not clean and sanitized (39.6%) | Keep a fresh sanitizer bucket and test strips at every station, and clean in-use equipment on a schedule. |
| 4. Not washing hands when required (36.6%) | Make every task switch and glove change a trigger to wash, and keep the handsink stocked and clear. |
| 5. Improper handwashing technique (31.3%) | Soap, 20 seconds, single-use towel. Train it once a month and watch for it every day. |
Free educational tool from Vinh Food Safety Solutions (vinhfoodsafety.com). This is not an official Southern Nevada Health District document, and no preparation can guarantee a grade. Figures reflect the SNHD 2023 Food Regulations, the current SNHD fee schedule, and SNHD's 2021 Restaurant Risk Factor Study.
Want to see how your kitchen scores before SNHD does?
A mock inspection walks your kitchen with the same demerit math on this page, then teaches your crew the why behind every finding.
Let's make your food safety program stronger, simpler, and more effective.
Free, no pressure, at your restaurant. If you don't need help, I'll tell you.