Food businesses must be registered at least 28 days before trading or before the food operations start.
Registration is free and cannot be refused.
If you are already trading and have not registered you need to do so, as soon as possible.
You can register online here or an application form can be downloaded/printed, completed and returned.
If business registration details are no longer up-to-date changes must be notified.
Food brokers involved with food distribution or food supply that may operate from an office and not where food is kept must register.
Registration also applies to those operating a website that arranges food deliveries.
Once registered you may be inspected.
To request an ‘awaiting inspection’ sticker, please contact us.
Information on food safety and hygiene requirements can be found here.
We maintain a database of food business establishments which have been registered with us. Requests relating to business registration records can be made and these will be handled and processed with due regard to Freedom of Information and Data Protection legislation.
Childminders and community and charity food service
Registration by childminders, who operate from a home address and supply food as part of their business, is not required. The details childminders provide to Ofsted will also be used to register you as a food business.
If you handle, prepare, store and serve food occasionally and on a small scale, at community and charity events you do not need to register. However you must make sure that the food you place on the market is safe and that consumers are able to make informed choices and are not misled.
Approval of a food establishment
If you handle products of animal origin, like meat, fish, milk and/or eggs and you supply other food businesses, you may need to be approved rather than registered.
