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Food business registration

About this service

Food business operators must register their establishments under Article (6) of EC Regulation 852/2004. There are no specific exemptions from the requirement to be registered. However, the need for registration does not apply either to primary production for private or domestic use or to domestic preparation, handling or storage of food for private domestic consumption.

You only need to register undertakings that take place on a frequent basis, not infrequent activities such as one-off events.

If you are not sure whether you need to register, we advise that you do so and allow the council to work out whether you are exempt.

Food business operators should register their food business establishments with the local authority at least 28 days before food operations begin. Provide details of activities undertaken and contact details for the food business operator. Registration is free and cannot be refused.

Once you have registered your food business you must tell the council about any significant changes to the food business. Significant changes would include:

Change of food business operator;
A change to activities carried out in relation to food;
Closure of the establishment.

Please read the explanatory notes carefully before completing the registration form

You will need

You will need to complete a food premises registration form, which you can download from this page or obtain from the council by any of the methods below. Once completed, the form will need to be signed and sent by post to Environmental Services at the council's Bourne Hill office.