You must notify your local council if you intend to operate a permanent, mobile, or temporary food business. If you are only handling lower-risk foods, you only need to provide notification before starting operations. However, if your business handles higher-risk foods, you must also register with the council each year.
A food business is a business, enterprise or activity that involves the handling or production of food intended for sale or the sale of food (e.g. cafe, restaurant, bakery, food manufacturer, market food stall, food van, etc).
A temporary food business is a food business run from a temporary structure for a limited period, such as at a market, festival, fair, community event or street stall.
Temporary structures include, but are not limited to:
- tents, marquees, any other temporary covered or uncovered structure
- trestle tables, benches, boxes
- any other stall or non-permanent food outlet
After you notify your local council of your food business, the council will use a risk classification system (RCS) to classify your food businesses based on the risk presented to public health and safety. There are five risk classifications with P1 being the highest risk category, to the lowest risk category of P4.
The risk category assigned determines whether registration is required:
- P3-N and P4 - business only need to notify their local council
- P1, P2 and P3 - business must also be registered with local council
Please be aware that you are required to comply with the requirements of the Food Standards Code and Act to maintain this registration or notification and your premises or structure and food handling may be inspected at any time to ensure that it is compliant.
Businesses that do not need to notify or register with their local council include those that:
- handle food only by transporting or delivering it in a food transport vehicle
- handle food in their family day care business
- operate as part or in connection with a dairy premises
- operate as part or in connection with a business operating under food safety scheme
If you are conducting your food business in whole or in part from a mobile structure then a certificate of registration from one council is sufficient to enable you to conduct your food business throughout the State. You must register with the local Council where your vehicle / stall is garaged.
Please consult the Contact Officer for more information.
