The Non-Profit Permit Exemption Request is a letter issued through the Environmental Health Division of the Durham County Department of Public Health. It identifies an organization as tax exempt or non-profit and documents that it is exempt from the food establishment permitting requirement for a food booth or stand. The letter names the organization, a representative, the event, its date and its location. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the official PDF is published by Durham County at dconc.gov.
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What is Non-Profit Permit Exemption Request – Durham County, NC?
The Non-Profit Permit Exemption Request, headed Non-Profit Permit Exemption Letter on the form, is the Durham County Department of Public Health document that identifies an organization as tax exempt or non-profit under the state food permitting exemption.
The Environmental Health Division prints the form as a one-page letter. It states that state law provides an exemption from permitting food for up to two consecutive days once a month, and that the letter should be displayed at the site where the food booth or stand is set up. The organization fills in its name, a representative, contact details, its tax exempt or non-profit ID number and the name, date and location of the event. The letter then carries signature lines for the organization's representative and for an Environmental Health Specialist.
The exemption it documents comes from rule 130A-250 (7) Exemptions, which the form quotes. It covers establishments that are:
- incorporated as nonprofit corporations under Chapter 55A of the General Statutes;
- exempt from federal income tax under the Internal Revenue Code, as defined in G.S. 105-228.90; or
- political committees as defined in G.S. 163-278.6(14).
The letter is not a temporary food establishment permit. The form says information on the requirements for permitted temporary food establishments is available from the Environmental Health Division. It concerns food permitting only; it is not a property tax document.
Who needs to file Non-Profit Permit Exemption Request – Durham County, NC?
Tax exempt or non-profit organizations that prepare or serve food or drink at a booth or stand in Durham County use this letter to document their exemption from food establishment permitting. The rule quoted on the form applies to three kinds of establishment:
- nonprofit corporations incorporated under Chapter 55A of the General Statutes;
- organizations exempt from federal income tax under the Internal Revenue Code, as defined in G.S. 105-228.90;
- political committees as defined in G.S. 163-278.6(14).
The exemption has limits printed on the form. Food or drink may be prepared or served for pay no more frequently than once a month, for a period not to exceed two consecutive days. This includes establishments that already hold a permit when they prepare or serve food at a location other than their permitted locations. A nutrition program for the elderly administered by the Division of Aging of the Department of Health and Human Services, serving on the premises where the program is located in connection with a fundraising event, is exempt only if food and drink are prepared and served no more frequently than one day each month.
A named representative of the organization completes and signs the letter. Organizations that do not fit these categories, or that will serve food more often than the limits allow, should ask the Environmental Health Division about temporary food establishment permits.
When to file Non-Profit Permit Exemption Request – Durham County, NC
Complete the letter when your organization plans to prepare or serve food or drink at an event and wants its exemption from food establishment permitting documented. The form prints no filing deadline, but it asks for the name, date and location of the event, so it is tied to a specific occasion. Once signed, the letter should be displayed at the site where the food booth or stand is set up.
The exemption itself is limited to food or drink prepared or served for pay no more frequently than once a month and for no more than two consecutive days. For the elderly nutrition program described on the form, the limit is one day each month. Because the form sets no lead time, ask the Environmental Health Division how far ahead of your event to submit it.
How to fill out Non-Profit Permit Exemption Request – Durham County, NC
Enter the organization name
At Organization Name, print the full name of the tax exempt or non-profit organization. The form asks you to print legibly.
Add the representative and date
At Representative Name, enter the person who represents the organization, and enter the date on the same line.
Enter the organization's address
At Address, write the organization's mailing address.
Provide phone, fax and email
Fill in Phone, Fax and Email so the Environmental Health Division can reach the organization.
Enter the tax exempt or non-profit ID
At Tax exempt ID # / non-profit ID #, enter the identification number that shows the organization's tax exempt or non-profit status.
Describe the event
Enter the Name of Event, the Date of Event and the Location where the food booth or stand will be set up.
Read the exemption excerpt
Check the quoted rule 130A-250 (7) Exemptions to confirm your organization fits one of the listed categories and the limit of once a month for no more than two consecutive days.
Sign and date as representative
The organization's representative signs at Representative Signature and enters the date.
Leave the specialist line for the Division
The Environmental Health Specialist signature and date line is completed by the Division, not by the organization.
Review and download the PDF
Check every entry, especially the event date and ID number. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and deliver it as described under How to submit.
How to submit Non-Profit Permit Exemption Request – Durham County, NC
The form does not name a delivery channel. It is an Environmental Health Division letter with a signature line for an Environmental Health Specialist, so the Division is the office to contact. Durham County publishes these details:
- Mail or in person: Durham County Department of Public Health, ATTN: Environmental Health, 414 East Main Street, Durham, NC 27701.
- Phone: 919-560-7800.
- Fax: 919-560-7830.
- Email: [email protected].
Confirm with the Division which of these it accepts for the completed letter. After it is signed, display the letter at the site where the food booth or stand is set up. For questions about temporary food establishment permits, the form directs you to the Environmental Health Division. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the agency's channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Planning to serve food for pay more often than once a month or for more than two consecutive days and relying on this letter; the exemption is limited to that frequency and duration.
- Leaving the Tax exempt ID # / non-profit ID # line blank, when the letter exists to identify the organization as tax exempt or non-profit.
- Writing illegibly; the form asks you to print legibly.
- Not displaying the letter at the site where the food booth or stand is set up.
- Filling in an event name or date but no location, when the form asks for the name, date and location of the event.
- Treating the letter as a temporary food establishment permit; the form says permit requirements are obtained from the Environmental Health Division.
- Claiming the elderly nutrition program exemption while serving food on more than one day each month.
- Leaving out the representative's signature and date or the Environmental Health Specialist block on the letter.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Non-Profit Permit Exemption Request?
It is a Durham County Department of Public Health letter, headed Non-Profit Permit Exemption Letter on the form, that identifies an organization as tax exempt or non-profit and documents its exemption from food establishment permitting under rule 130A-250 (7) for a food booth or stand.
Is this a Durham County property tax exemption?
No. The letter comes from the Environmental Health Division and concerns food establishment permitting only. It records the organization's tax exempt or non-profit ID number to document the food permit exemption, not to reduce any tax bill.
How often can a non-profit serve food under this exemption?
No more frequently than once a month, for a period not to exceed two consecutive days. A nutrition program for the elderly administered by the Division of Aging serves under a one-day-per-month limit, as the rule quoted on the form states.
Which organizations qualify for the exemption?
Establishments incorporated as nonprofit corporations under Chapter 55A of the General Statutes, those exempt from federal income tax under the Internal Revenue Code (G.S. 105-228.90), and political committees defined in G.S. 163-278.6(14).
Do I have to display the exemption letter at my event?
Yes, the form says the letter should be displayed at the site where the food booth or stand is set up. Print the completed letter and keep it visible at the booth during the event.
Where do I send the Non-Profit Permit Exemption Request?
The form names no channel. Contact the Environmental Health Division, Durham County Department of Public Health, 414 East Main Street, Durham, NC 27701, at 919-560-7800, or email [email protected], to confirm how to deliver it.
Can I fill out the Non-Profit Permit Exemption Request online?
Yes, you can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not file the letter with Durham County; you deliver it through the Environmental Health Division.
Is the exemption letter the same as a temporary food permit?
No. The letter documents an exemption from permitting. If your organization does not qualify, the form says information on permitted temporary food establishment requirements can be obtained from the Environmental Health Division.
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