Guide
How NYC restaurant letter grades actually work — scores, cycles, and the card in the window
The grade isn't a vibe — it's arithmetic. Every violation carries points, the points pick your grade, and your grade decides how soon the inspector comes back.
The A, B, or C in a NYC restaurant window comes from a points system with its own clock. Here's how scoring works, when the next unannounced inspection comes, and how DailyDog keeps you ahead of it.
When this applies
You operate a NYC food-service establishment and want to understand (or improve) the grade — or you just got scored and want to know what happens next.
How it's normally done — and how we make it easy
| Step | The usual way | With DailyDog |
|---|---|---|
| Know your standing | The paper report from the last visit, somewhere in the office | Score history and every open citation on one sheet, updated daily |
| The next inspection | A surprise, by design | A window estimated from your score band, with the punch list ready |
| What re-scores | Find out when the clipboard comes out | Open items listed with what fixes each one |
Step by step
- 1
Read the score, not just the letter
Each violation cited on an inspection carries points, weighted by how severe and how widespread the condition is. The total decides the band: 0–13 points is an A, 14–27 a B, 28 or more a C. Critical violations (the food-safety ones) score heavier and matter most.
- 2
Know which inspections grade you
Grades come from graded inspections. If an initial cycle inspection scores 14+ points, the establishment isn't graded that day — a re-inspection follows (typically within about a month), and THAT visit sets the grade. Score an A on the initial and the A posts immediately.
- 3
Know when the next one comes
The cycle restarts on a cadence set by your last score: an A band means roughly a year until the next unannounced visit; a B band roughly 5–7 months; a C band as little as 3–4 months. The exact date is never announced.
- 4
Fix the open items before the window
Inspectors re-cite what's still standing, and conditions from last time are the first thing checked. Walk your own kitchen against the last inspection's citations — every one you clear is points that never land.
- 5
Decide: post the grade, or contest it
After a graded re-inspection you either post the card or contest the score at OATH and post 'Grade Pending' while you wait. Points knocked out at the hearing can flip a band — see the Grade Pending guide for when contesting is worth it.
Before you start — have this ready
- Your last inspection report — the score, and each citation with its points.
- The date of that inspection (it starts the clock on the next cycle window).
Who to contact
What to ask
If a citation on your report doesn't match what you saw at the visit, ask how to obtain the full inspection report for your establishment — the points math starts from that document.
See if this is on your record
Look up any NYC establishment free — then let DailyDog watch the record so none of this sneaks up on you.
Frequently asked
- Does paying the fines improve the grade?
- No. Fines and grades run on separate tracks — the money settles the summons, the grade only changes at the next graded inspection. You can be fully paid up and still carry a C.
- Can the grade change between inspections?
- No. The posted grade holds until the next graded inspection (or a hearing outcome on a contested score). That's why the cycle cadence matters — a bad grade lingers longest for the restaurants that got it.
- What's the fastest way from B to A?
- Clear the critical violations from the last report before the next cycle visit, since they carry the heaviest points and get re-checked first. Then score 13 or fewer at that visit.
- Do inspections ever come off-cycle?
- Yes — complaints (a 311 report, an illness claim) can trigger a visit any time, and those citations land on the record the same way.
Verified 2026-07-13· Informational only, not legal advice · Confirm current requirements on the city's official portal