Food premises (including mobile premises like kebab vans and market stalls) must be registered. There are some exceptions, including the sort of premises registered or licensed under other regulations. These include: - Slaughterhouses
- Poultry meat slaughterhouses and cutting premises
- Meat-export cutting premises, cold stores and transhipment centres
- Meat-product plants approved for export to another country in the EEC
- Dairies or dairy farms
- Premises used by milk distributors
- Licensed wild game processing premises
Or where:
- The only retail sale is by automatic vending machine
- The main activity has nothing to do with food - like in a hairdressing salon for example, where tea and coffee might be served
How to apply
You must register at least 28 days before starting to trade. You need to complete a premises registration form - you can download a form or contact us for one.
If you are registering a mobile food business you need to register where the vehicle is normally kept or garaged. Separate registration is not needed if the vehicle is used in connection with a pre-registered food business like, for example a van used to deliver goods from a bakery.
Once we have received your application, we will inspect your premises. We will also give you advice on what you need to do to comply with food hygiene regulations.
The name, address and nature of your business will also be transferred to a public register which is available for inspection by the general public.
Changes to the business
If the nature of your business changes or the owner changes we need to know. If you have a mobile business, we also need to know if your vehicle is going to be kept at a different address.