Registering a food business

Application form and guidance notes (Word 47kb)

What is registration?

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 degree of risk involved.

Please note that you may also need to register for VAT, apply for planning permission and pay business rates.

Who needs to register?

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.

Anyone starting a new food business must register with the local authority at least 28 days before doing so.

How do I register?

By filling in the form. Registration cannot be refused and there is no charge. The registration form must be sent to us here in Environmental Health. The address can be found in at the bottom of the form. 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 each authority 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 in answer to question 9. It is an offence to give information which you know is false.

What happens to the information given on the form?

We will enter the details on our Register. A register of the name of the business, the address, telephone number and the type of business carried on at each will be open to inspection by the general public. Records of the other information provided will not be publicly available.

Changes

Once you have registered with us you only need notify us of a change of owner or if the nature of the business changes. The new owner will have to complete a new form.

These notes are provided for information only and should not be regarded as a complete statement of the law.