Food Licensing

Scope of operation

If you operate across multiple districts or your scope of operations is a National Programme (NP), you can register with Council or Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), however you will require a third-party verifier.

If you are required to hold a Custom Food Control Plan, you must register with MPI.

When you register your FCP with Council, we will contact you to complete a verification within six weeks of registration. Please ensure you submit your application when you are ready to start trading.

Registering a food business

If you need to register with Council, please complete the application form below (single or multi-site) and the relevant scope of operation form from the link above.

Once you have completed this, please contact us on 07 348 4199 to arrange an appointment with a licensing officer.

What happens after you register

If your registration is approved, a Council verifier will contact you by phone or email to arrange for a verification, confirming that the food you make is likely to be safe and suitable. They will inspect the premises and verify your plan. Verifications will have two possible outcomes:

• Acceptable
• Unacceptable.

Depending on the outcome, the next verification date will be set. Businesses with good compliance history are inspected less frequently than businesses with repeat non-compliances. Serious non-compliances or a history of unacceptable outcomes may result in enforcement action.

Taking over an existing food business

If you are the new owner of a food business, you may or may not need to reregister your Food Control Plan or National Programmes. This depends on how much the business is changing, or not.

Registration exemptions

Certain activities and businesses are exempt from having to register. Examples include:

• Fundraising up to twenty times a year
• Once-a-year operations (such as at a Christmas Parade)
• Some accommodation providers
• Some clubs and organisations where the sale of food is not the primary activity.

Read more about who is exempt from registering on the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) website.

Mobile shops, food trucks and market stalls

If you intend to sell food from a non-fixed location such as a food truck or market stall, you will likely need an additional permit and/or permission from the landowner. Read more about permits for these types of food businesses on the Selling in Public Places page.