Can a new restaurant owner be blamed for health code violations from before they bought it?

Generally, a new owner is not personally responsible for violations that occurred under the previous operator's watch, since public health enforcement is aimed at whoever was actually in control of the premises at the time of the violation. That said, the practical effects of past violations can still follow the business in ways that matter to a new owner: unresolved compliance orders on the premises, a pattern of past issues that increases scrutiny going forward, or conditions that were never actually fixed can all become the new owner's problem to resolve, even if they weren't the one who caused them.

This is different depending on how the deal is structured. In a share sale, the corporation that was actually cited for past violations continues as the operating entity, so its compliance history and any outstanding orders travel with it more directly. In an asset sale, a new operating entity is usually involved, which offers more separation, though the physical premises' history and any unresolved orders on the property itself can still matter.

Reviewing recent inspection history and confirming there are no outstanding orders before closing, with appropriate representations in the purchase agreement, is the practical way to manage this risk.