Business Food Registration

There is no cost for registering your premise.

You need to register if you:

  • prepare food
  • store food
  • transport food
  • sell food

Examples of premises include:

  • restaurants
  • hotels
  • cafes
  • supermarkets
  • kitchens in offices
  • mobile food traders (ice cream or burger van)

Register a food business

If you are planning on selling food in a street you must apply for street trading consent. If you plan to trade on the highway you should first contact the Highways department.

Exemptions

You don’t need to register:

  • infrequent activities, such as one off events
  • if you make food for your friends and family
  • village halls with kitchens only let out for use by members of the public
  • places where the main activity is not to do with food (e.g. hairdressers providing tea and biscuits)
  • places where food is only sold through vending machines

Information needed to register

  • name and contact details of the food business operator
  • name of your primary or home authority (if you have one)
  • details about the nature and scope of your business
  • date you plan to start trading
  • type of water supply you have (spring, well or borehole)
  • planned opening time (commercial premises only)

Mobile food traders will need to provide details about where and how they plan to trade.

If you use premises in more than one local authority area, you must register with each authority separately.

Public Register

Registration information will be added to the public register.

The address and type of food business will be listed to the public, all other information will only be available to our food safety team for carrying out visits and providing guidance.

Changes

You will need to complete a new application if there are any changes to your registration, these could be:

  • change of food business operator
  • nature of the business changes
  • business moves address
  • vehicle is stored at a different address

Approved food establishments

If you intend to make, prepare or handle food of animal origin (e.g. meat, fish or dairy) for supply to other businesses, then your food business will require approval.

Counter fraud

We are under a duty to protect the public money we administer and may use the information you provide for the prevention and detection of fraud.

Find out more on our Data Matching Level 2 Notice page.
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