If you're starting a new food business or changing the business name, location or activities of your current food business you must tell your food enforcement agency.
What are the requirements?
Under Standard 3.2.2 - Food Safety Practices and General Requirements, if you're starting a new food business or changing the business's name, location or activities you must tell your food enforcement agency.
A list of food enforcement agencies is available on our website.
Do I need to notify?
- No matter how big or small your food business is, or if it's home-based, online, mobile, a 'once only' activity, or you are using a permanent or temporary premises, you have to tell authorities about your business.
- Even if you're not a typical food business i.e. a chemist, cinema, petrol station or swimming pools - you need to notify authorities if you sell any food.
- Charities and community organisations generally also need to tell authorities when planning events that involve selling food.
What do they need to know?
- contact details including the business's name, address and owner's name
- business type and size
- foods you make or supply
- details on supplying people at most risk of becoming ill (e.g. children or elderly)
- location of all your food premises in the enforcement agency's area
- for mobile businesses, all sites you work at and/or where you house your van.
How often should I be in touch?
- You generally only need to tell authorities about your business once, as long as the information you gave is still right.
- If there are any changes you must tell the authorities before these changes happen.