Food premises registration

Food premises do not currently require a licence to trade in food. However, under Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 Article 6(2), food business operators must register food establishments under their control with us. Food establishments include market stalls, delivery vehicles and other moveable structures.

Registration enables us to keep an up-to-date list of all premises operating in Eden. All premises are subject to an inspection by an Environmental Health Officer from our Food, Health and Safety Team. The frequency of the visits will depend on the type of business.

Who needs to register?

Anyone running a food business must tell us about any premises used for storing, selling, distributing or preparing food. Food premises include:

• restaurants;
• hotels;
• cafes;
• shops;
• supermarkets;
• staff canteens;
• kitchens in offices;
• warehouses;
• guest houses;
• delivery vehicles;
• market and other stalls;
• hot dog vans;
• ice cream vans.

Market stalls and mobile vendors, such as ice cream vans or burger vans, must be registered with the local authority in whose area the vehicle is ordinarily kept overnight. Once the establishment has undertaken this process with its registering authority it should not be asked to register with any further food authorities in whose area it trades. However, any food authority can undertake an intervention, inspection or appropriate enforcement action at any mobile establishment that trades within its area.

Food premises registration

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

Complete the Food business registration on GOV.UK.

There are no specific exemptions from the requirement for 'food business' establishments to be registered. However, registration is not required for:

• primary production for private or domestic use:
  • for domestic preparation
• handling or storage of food:
  • for private domestic consumption.

It is not necessary to register if food is being handled at a one-off event, or if food is prepared only occasionally. This could be for coffee mornings, or charity functions, for example. The law says that to be considered a 'food business' there needs to be a certain continuity of activities and a certain degree of organisation.

See food hygiene for your business on the Food Standards Agency website.

If you provide food with your childminding business, the details you provide to Ofsted will also be used to register you as a food business. Your registration details will be available to your local authority and you will not have to register separately as a food business.

Bed and breakfast accommodation with less than three letting bedrooms used to be exempt from registration however changes in the law now mean they have to be registered.

How to register

By filling in an online application form for the registration of food premises. The online form is provided above. Registration cannot be refused. There is no charge. The registration form must be sent to the local authority in whose area the food premises are located.

When completing the application, all the boxes which apply to the business must be ticked. All the questions must be answered. All the information requested must be given. 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 Public Register. This contains the name and address of the food business establishment. It also contains the particulars and nature of the food business. A copy of the list, or any entry on it, may be provided to anyone who makes a request for such information. Copies of the registration details may be forwarded to other competent authorities, such as the local Trading Standards Department.

What about changes?

Once registered with us, food business operators must ensure that we always have up-to-date information on their food business establishment. Food business operators must notify us of any significant change of activity, or closure. Any change in operator of the food business must be made by the new food business operator, and a new food business registration online form will need to be completed.