Food business registration
Register your new food premises.
View further guidance on registering your food business.
Who needs to register
All food businesses are legally required to register with the council any premises used to prepare, store, transport or sell food. You should do this at least 28 days before opening. There is no charge for registration and the council cannot refuse to register premises.
Exemptions from registration
Some food activities do not need to register, for example:
- Infrequent activities, such as one-off events
- If you make food for friends and family
- Places where the main activity is not to do with food, such as a hairdresser providing tea and biscuits
- Places where food is only sold through vending machines
In order for registration to be appropriate, a food operation must have both ‘a certain continuity of activity’ and a certain ‘degree of organisation’. Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council Food Safety Officers will need to assess these scenarios on a case-by-case basis.
How to register
Registration involves completing a form online which details the name, address, type of food business, the foods handled, the name of the proprietor, address of head office or registered office, number of people engaged in the food business and whether or not it is a seasonal business.
What happens next
Once a registration form has been received an officer from the Business Regulation and Support team will visit unannounced to carry out an inspection. We aim to visit newly registered premises within 28 days of registration being received. If you have not heard from us within this period you may begin operating as though your registration has been accepted.
Changes you need to tell us
Registration does not need renewal. However, you must tell us if your business closes, or if there is a change of:
- business activity (for example caterer to manufacturer)
- food business operator
- company name
- address for the food business operator, or where you store your mobile food vehicle
What we do with your information
We have to maintain a list of registered food businesses within the Nuneaton and Bedworth area. We have to make this list available for inspection by the public if they ask. The list will contain the name, address and type of food business only.