Food Premises Registration

General information about registration

To store, prepare, distribute or sell food on premises you need to be registered with the local authority. Anyone starting a new food business must register with the local authority at least 28 days before doing so.

All food business need to register. Food premises include restaurants, hotels, cafes, shops, businesses, 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 and any other type of premises not in this list but used for storing, selling, distributing or preparing food.

Some manufacturers handling products of animal origin may need to be approved by the local authority or the Meat Hygiene Service, rather than registered. If you are uncertain whether your business needs to be approved or registered, please contact us.

Registration allows the local authority to keep an up-to-date list of all those premises in the area so they can visit them when they need to. The frequency of the visits will depend on the type of business.

If you use vehicles for your food business in connection with permanent premises such as a shop, or warehouse you only need to tell the local authority 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 the authority where they are normally kept.

Eligibility criteria

No provision in legislation

What the law says

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs

Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin

top

Registration process

You will be able to act as though your registration is granted even if you do not hear from us.

Apply online

Apply for registration of a food business establishment

There is no charge for registration and it cannot be refused.

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

Complaints about food premises

We would always advise that in the event of a complaint the first contact is made with the trader by you - preferably in the form a letter (with proof of delivery). If that doesn't work and if you are located in the UK, Consumer Direct will give you advice. From outside the UK please contact the UK European Consumer Centre.