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Food Premises Registration
What is registration?
Registration of premises used for a food business (including market stalls, delivery vehicles and other moveable structures) is required by law.
Registration will allow local authorities to keep an up-to-date list of all those premises in their area so they can help them comply with the law, keep them abreast of new trends in food safety and warn them of food safety hazards/incidents.
Who needs to register?
If you run a food business for five or more days in any five consecutive weeks, you must tell (or arrange for someone else to tell) the Commercial Team about any premises you use for storing, selling, distributing or preparing food. Food premises includes
- restaurants
- hotels
- cafes
- shops
- supermarkets
- staff canteens
- kitchens in offices
- warehouses
- guest houses
- delivery vehicles
- buffet cars on trains
- market and other stalls
- hot dog and ice cream vans etc.
If you use vehicles for your food business in connection with permanent premises such as a shop, or warehouse you only need to tell the local authority how many vehicles you have. You do not need to register each vehicle separately. If you have one or more vehicles but no permanent premises, you must tell the authority where they are normally kept.
Anyone starting a new food business must register with the local authority at least 28 days before doing so.
The Food Standards Agency produce a useful booklet called 'Starting Up' which is to help take the first steps in running a catering business. This can be downloaded for free from their website.
The majority of premises will have to be registered. However, certain premises are exempt from registration e.g. some which are already registered for food law purposes, certain agricultural premises, motor cars, tents and marquees (but not stalls), some domestic premises and some village halls. You should contact the Commercial Team if you think you might be exempt.
How do I register?
To register you need to complete a food premises registration form.
Food Premises Registration Form (52.3KB) 
The completed form should be sent to the Commercial Team using the contact details below. You must tick all the boxes which apply to your business, answer all the questions and give all the information requested. Seasonal businesses operating for a certain period each year should give the dates between which they will be open. If you have any questions about registration, the Commercial Team will be able to help you. It is an offence to give information which you know is false.
If you use premises in more than one local authority area, you must register with each authority separately. There is no charge for registration.
What happens to the information given on the form?
We will enter the details of your food business on our register. A register of addresses and the type of business carried out at each will be open to inspection by the general public. Records of the other information provided will not be publicly available.
What happens if something changes?
Once you have registered with the Council you only need to notify us of a change of proprietor, if the nature of the business changes, or if there is a change of the address where moveable premises are kept. The new proprietor will have to complete an application form.
If the local authority wishes to change the entry in the register because of information which it receives from someone else you will be given 28 days notice and an opportunity to comment on the proposed change.
These notes are provided for information only and should not be regarded as a complete statement of the law.
Contact Details
The Commercial Team can be contacted via the Customer Service Centre on 01462 474000, at env.health@north-herts.gov.uk or at;
Commercial Team
North Hertfordshire District Council
Council Offices
Gernon Road
Letchworth Garden City
Herts
SG6 3JF