Food business registration

When you start a new food business, or take over an existing business, you must register it at least 28 days before you start trading.

Registration of your food business is free and can’t be refused. If you are already trading and have not registered yet, you need to register as soon as possible.

You are required to register your food business if you:

  • sell food
  • cook food
  • store or handle food
  • prepare food
  • distribute food

Businesses that require registration include:

  • restaurants, cafes and takeaways
  • catering businesses run from home, B&Bs, mobile catering and temporary businesses
  • marquees, food stalls, food pop-ups and food vans
  • nurseries, schools and care homes
  • distance selling, mail order and food delivery including online

If you are a food business that makes, prepares or handles meat, fish, egg or dairy products for supply to other businesses, a higher level of Approval may be required.

More information on the types of food businesses that need to register.

Register your food business 

Once you have submitted your registration form:

  • you are then free to trade
  • you must notify us of any changes to your business
  • most should expect to receive an unannounced food hygiene inspection visit, the timing of which cannot be expedited. You will be assigned a Food Hygiene Rating score following the visit unless exempt.
  • others may be provided with a questionnaire in place of a visit
     

Changes to food hygiene re-rating

As part of the food hygiene inspection, a report will be issued to the business owner. The business will be awarded a Food Hygiene Rating which will be published on the Food Standards Agency (FSA) website. 

If you are a food business and you have received a rating below 5, you can apply to be re-rated.

You will need to:

  • Provide written and photographic evidence to show that the issues raised in the previous inspection report have been resolved.
  • Make a payment of £250 in order to submit your application.

You will also need to understand that:

  • Your rating may go up, down or remain the same.
  • We may not be able to progress your application if you do not provide enough evidence in the form.

The timeline for re-rating inspections are at the discretion of the Food Safety Inspectors responsible for your case.

Request a food hygiene re-rating

Animal Feed Legislation and Guidance

Legislation on animal feed is harmonised at European Union (EU) level. It applies to feed for farmed livestock, but also covers feed for:

  • horses
  • pets
  • farmed fish
  • zoo and circus animals
  • creatures living in the wild

Premises that market products (e.g. surplus food) for use as, or in, animal feeds, must be registered as feed business establishments, under EC Regulation 183/2005.