What you need to do before you register your food business
Thinking of starting a food business?
Under the Food Act 1984, all food businesses that prepare, store, and handle food for sale must register their premises with their local Council. This includes businesses including:
- restaurants and cafes
- takeaway food operators
- home-based food businesses
- child care centers
- aged care facilities
- hospitals
- bakeries
- supermarkets
Setting up or altering your food business
- You may need a building or planning permit before construction, prior to construction please contact our Planning or Building teams
- We recommend you apply for a plan's approval application prior to any structural works or refurbishments
- We will assess your application subject to compliance with the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (standard 3.2.3: Food Premises and Equipment)
- Before construction, we recommend you contact our Environmental Health Unit to arrange an inspection
Read our guidelines to find out more information on the requirements for designing and constructing premises.
You must satisfy all the requirements under the Act and have qualified for a Food Act registration before you can operate a food business.
Meat, fish, and dairy food business
Some types of food premises do not need to register with Council instead they must register with the appropriate agency depending on the type of business they are.
- If your business primarily sells, transports or prepares meat or seafood, you must register with PrimeSafe
- If your business primarily wholesales, makes, transports or prepares dairy products, you must register with Dairy Food Safety Victoria
