The PassMyKitchen compliance score is a single number (0 to 100%) that tells you how prepared you are for a health inspection right now. It is calculated from three factors: whether you have a current HACCP plan, how consistently you complete your daily compliance tasks, and whether your logged temperatures are within safe limits. Here is exactly how it works and what it means.
For the Today screen where your score is displayed, see your compliance dashboard explained. For the daily workflow that drives your score, see daily food safety routine under 5 minutes. For temperature logging details, see how to log food temperatures digitally.
What the compliance score measures
Your compliance score is a self-assessment metric that predicts how well your food safety records would hold up during an actual health inspection. It is not a health inspection score. Inspectors do not see this number. What they see is the evidence behind it: your temperature logs, cleaning records, HACCP plan, and staff certifications. A high compliance score means all of that underlying evidence is strong, consistent, and organized.
The score answers one question: "If an inspector walked in right now, would my records demonstrate consistent daily compliance?"
HACCP plan status
Do you have a current, generated HACCP plan? Is it active? This is the foundational component of your score. Without a HACCP plan, your food safety system lacks its primary document, the written plan that defines your critical control points, monitoring procedures, and corrective actions. Having an active plan is the baseline requirement for a strong compliance score.
Daily task completion rate
What percentage of your daily compliance tasks have you completed over the last 7 days? This is the most dynamic factor in your score and the one you influence most directly every day. Tasks are generated from your HACCP plan and equipment inventory (temperature checks, cleaning tasks, handwash station verification, and other monitoring procedures). Consistent completion raises your score. Gaps lower it.
Temperature log accuracy
Are your logged temperatures within safe limits? The FDA Food Code specifies clear temperature requirements: cold holding at 41°F or below, hot holding at 135°F or above, frozen storage at 0°F or below. Readings within these limits contribute positively to your score. Out-of-range readings lower it. However, out-of-range readings with documented corrective actions are better than missing data, because they show you are monitoring and responding to problems.
How the score is calculated
The compliance score is a weighted sum of three components, each contributing a specific number of points to a maximum of 100.
HACCP plan status (up to 40 points). An active HACCP plan contributes 40 points. A plan in draft status contributes 20 points. No plan contributes 0 points. This weighting reflects the fundamental importance of having a written food safety plan. Without one, your entire compliance system lacks its foundation.
Daily task completion (up to 40 points). The app calculates your average daily task completion rate over the last 7 days. If you have 6 daily tasks and you complete all 6 every day for a week, you earn the full 40 points. If you average 50% completion (3 of 6 tasks daily), you earn 20 points. If you complete nothing for a day, that day contributes 0% to the average, pulling your score down.
The 7-day rolling window means your score reflects your recent behavior, not your all-time history. A bad week followed by a good week will recover your score. Conversely, a great month followed by a week of neglect will show up as a declining score.
Temperature log accuracy (up to 20 points). The percentage of your temperature readings that are within safe limits over the last 7 days determines this component. If all 20 temperature readings this week were within limits, you earn the full 20 points. If 15 out of 20 were within limits (75%), you earn 15 points. If you have no temperature logs at all, this component contributes 0 points.
The score updates in real time. Complete a task or log a temperature and your score recalculates immediately. The circular progress ring on your Today screen animates when the number changes, and a badge shows the point change since your last visit.
What your score means
90 to 100%: Inspection ready
Your records demonstrate consistent daily compliance. You have an active HACCP plan (40 points), a strong track record of completing all daily tasks for the past week (close to 40 points), and accurate temperature readings within safe limits (close to 20 points). When an inspector arrives, open Inspector Mode from the Inspection section in the sidebar with confidence. For details on Inspector Mode, see how to use Inspector Mode.
70 to 89%: Good but gaps exist
You are generally compliant but have some missed days, incomplete tasks, or occasional out-of-range temperatures. Review your Today screen to identify which tasks you are skipping. Common causes: forgetting temperature checks on slow days, skipping cleaning logs on busy nights, or not logging receiving temperatures for deliveries. Close the gaps and your score will climb.
50 to 69%: Needs attention
Significant gaps exist in your compliance record. An inspector reviewing your logs would notice inconsistency, missed days, or incomplete monitoring. This typically means you are completing tasks some days but not others, or you are logging temperatures but missing cleaning tasks (or vice versa). Focus on completing all tasks daily for the next 2 weeks to rebuild your score and establish consistency.
Below 50%: At risk
Your records would not demonstrate compliance to an inspector. This is common for new users who have a HACCP plan (40 points) but have not yet built the daily logging habit (0 task points, 0 temperature points). Start today: complete every task for 7 consecutive days and watch your score climb from the plan baseline up toward 80% or higher.
How to improve your compliance score
Complete all daily tasks every day
Consistency is the single biggest factor. The daily task completion component is worth up to 40 points and is calculated from a 7-day rolling average. Seven days of 100% task completion earns the full 40 points. Missing one day out of seven drops your average to about 85%, losing roughly 6 points. Missing three days drops your average significantly.
Log temperatures at the required intervals
Temperature accuracy is worth up to 20 points. The more readings you have within safe limits, the higher this component scores. Log temperatures at least once per shift for each piece of equipment. Do not skip checks on slow days. A consistent temperature logging habit means this component stays at or near 20 points permanently. For best practices, see our temperature log food safety guide.
Document corrective actions
When a temperature is out of range, documenting what you did about it is critical. While the reading itself counts as "out of range" for scoring purposes, having corrective actions on record demonstrates active managerial control to inspectors. The corrective action does not directly raise your score, but it protects you during inspections.
Keep your HACCP plan current
The HACCP plan component is worth 40 points (the largest single factor). An active plan earns all 40 points. If your menu changes, your state changes, or you add new equipment, regenerate your plan from the HACCP Plan section in the sidebar to keep it current. A current plan ensures your daily tasks match your actual operation. For food trucks and cloud kitchens, keeping the plan updated as your menu evolves is especially important.
Build your compliance streak
Your streak counts consecutive days where you completed ALL daily tasks. While the streak does not directly contribute to the score calculation, maintaining a streak naturally keeps your task completion component at 100%. If your streak is alive, your daily task score is at or near 40 points.
The compliance streak
The streak counter on your Today screen shows how many consecutive days you have completed every daily task. A flame icon accompanies the number. When you hit milestones, a celebration message appears:
- 7-day streak: "Consistency is the key to passing inspections."
- 14-day streak: "Two weeks strong! Your compliance habits are solid."
- 30-day streak: "You are in the top tier of food safety compliance."
The streak resets if you miss completing all tasks on any day. Tasks reset at midnight local time, so anything not completed by midnight counts as missed.
Think of the streak like a fitness tracker for food safety. The number itself is motivating, and the milestones reward consistency. Your longest streak is also tracked, so even if you break a streak, you can aim to beat your personal best. For a complete guide to food safety management, see our food safety management system guide.
How the score helps during inspections
The compliance score itself is not shown to inspectors. It is an internal metric for your own awareness. What inspectors see is the underlying data that produces the score.
When an inspector arrives, you open Inspector Mode from the Inspection section in the sidebar. Inspector Mode presents your HACCP plan, recent temperature logs, cleaning records, compliance history, and staff certifications in a clean, read-only format designed for professional review.
A compliance score of 90% or higher means all of that underlying data is strong: consistent daily logs, temperatures within safe limits, a current HACCP plan, and a complete documentation trail. The score is your shorthand for "am I ready for an inspector right now?" If the answer is yes (green ring, 80%+), you can face any surprise inspection with confidence. For our complete health inspection checklist, see the health inspection checklist.
Ready to get started?
Your compliance score starts building the moment you generate your HACCP plan and complete your first daily task. In under 5 minutes per day, you build the consistent record that keeps your score high and your operation inspection-ready.
Start your free trial and see your compliance score today.
Frequently asked questions
Is the compliance score the same as a health inspection score?
No. The PassMyKitchen compliance score is an internal self-assessment metric. Health inspectors use their own scoring systems (which vary by jurisdiction) based on their direct observation of your operation. Your compliance score predicts how well your documentation would hold up during an inspection, but it is not visible to inspectors and is not part of any health department system.
Why did my score drop overnight?
Your score uses a rolling 7-day window. If a strong day from 8 days ago dropped out of the calculation and was replaced by a weaker recent day (or a day with no activity), your average drops. The most common cause: you had a perfect day 8 days ago and a missed day yesterday. The fix is simple: complete all tasks today and rebuild consistency.
Does the score factor in all log types?
The score directly factors in daily task completions (which include temperature, cleaning, and general tasks from your HACCP plan) and temperature log accuracy. Receiving logs, water logs, and allergen logs are not directly weighted in the score calculation, but completing those tasks when they appear on your Today screen contributes to your daily task completion rate.
Can I see my score history over time?
Your current compliance score is displayed on the Today screen as a circular progress ring. The score updates in real time as you complete tasks. A small badge shows the point change since your last visit (for example, "+5" after completing tasks). Historical score trends are reflected in your log history: consistent entries over time correlate with a consistently high score.
What is a good compliance score to aim for?
Aim for 80% or above (green ring). This means you have an active HACCP plan, you are completing most of your daily tasks consistently, and your temperature readings are within safe limits. A score of 90% or above means your compliance record is excellent and you are fully prepared for an inspection at any time. New users typically reach 80% within their first week of consistent daily logging.