Food business registration
Licence summary
Registration of premises used for a food business (including
market stalls, delivery vehicles and other moveable structures) is
required by law.
Registration will allow us to keep an up-to-date list of all
those premises in the area so we can visit them when we need to.
The frequency of the visits will depend on the type of
business.
Eligibility criteria
There is no eligibility criteria for the registration of a food
premises.
Regulation summary
If you run a food business for five or more days in any five
consecutive weeks, you must tell (or arrange for someone else to
tell) us about any premises you use for storing, selling,
distributing or preparing food. Food premises includes:
- Restaurants
- Hotels
- Cafes
- Shops
- Supermarkets
- Staff canteens
- Kitchens in offices
- Warehouses
- Guest houses
- Delivery vehicles
- Buffet cars on trains
- Market and other stalls
- Hot dog and ice cream vans, etc.
If you use vehicles for your food business in connection with
permanent premises such as a shop, or warehouse, you only need to
tell us how many vehicles you have. You do not need to register
each vehicle separately. If you have one or more vehicles but no
permanent premises, you must tell us where they are normally
kept.
Anyone starting a new food business must register with us at
least 28 days before doing so.
The majority of premises have to be registered. However, certain
premises are exempt from registration, such as those which are
already registered for food law purposes, certain agricultural
premises, motor cars, tents and marquees (but not stalls), some
domestic premises and some village halls. You should contact us if
you think you might be exempt.
Application evaluation process
Register by filling in the application form. Registration cannot
be refused and there is no charge. The registration form must be
sent to us at the address on this page. If the form is sent to the
wrong address, your application will not take effect until it is
received at the proper place. If you use premises in more than one
local authority area, you must register with them separately.
You must tick all the boxes which apply to your business, answer
all the questions and give all the information requested. Seasonal
businesses operating for a certain period each year should give the
dates between which they will be open.
Once you have registered with us, you only need to notify us of
a change of proprietor, if the nature of the business changes, or
if there is a change of the address at which moveable premises are
kept. The new proprietor will have to complete an application form.
If we wish to change the entry in the Register because of
information which we receive from someone else, you will be given
28 days notice and an opportunity to comment on the proposed
change.
Will tacit consent apply?
Yes. This means that you will be able to act as though your
application is granted if you have not heard from us (Environmental
Health) by the end of the target completion date.
Apply for registration of a food business
Download a food premise
registration form (39kb word file) here and return to the
contact details provided.
If you have any questions, we will help you. It is an offence to
give information which you know is false.
Consumer complaint
Please contact the Food Safety team at the contact details
provided on the right hand side of this page.
Who needs to seek approval and how to apply?
If you run or intend to start up a business which makes or
handles food of animal origin (eg meat, fish or dairy) and you
supply another establishment rather than sell your food to the
final consumer, ie the person who is actually going to consume the
food you may need approval. Approval is not the same as
registration. If you think you handle these sorts of foods and
supply other establishments please contact the Environmental Heath
Service.
Application for
food premise approval. 41kb.