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Starting or changing a food business

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.

Need more information?

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Page last updated 6 December 2023