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Starting a food business

Last updated
12 Sept 2025

If you start a new food business or take over an existing one, you must:

  • get your business registered or approved
  • have the correct licences and planning permission in place
  • register with Companies House if you run a UK limited company or overseas company with a base in the UK
  • follow guidance about food law and food safety

Get registered or approved

You either need to register your food business or get it approved. It depends on the type of food you're handling and what you're doing with it.

You can use this checker on the Food Standards Scotland website to find out if your business needs to be registered or approved.

You must register your business with your local council at least 28 days before you open.

Check your local council website for how to register a food business.

How to register a food business with your local council

If you're not sure which local council your business is in, you can use the postcode checker on GOV.UK.

If your business makes, handles or sells animal feed, you must register with Food Standards Scotland using the form on their website.

Food licences

You may need a licence for your food business, for example if you plan to: 

  • sell alcohol
  • provide entertainment
  • provide late hours catering
  • conduct mobile sales

Check with your local council licensing department if you need to apply for any licences.

Be aware it can take up to a year for some licences to be issued.

Planning permission

You may need planning permission if the building you want to use for your food business was not used for this purpose before.

You may also need building regulations approval for any structural alterations or extra drainage.

Check with your local council planning department that your business has the correct planning permission to operate as a food business.

Register with Companies House

All limited companies in the UK, and overseas companies with a branch or place of business in the UK, need to be registered with Companies House.

Find out how to set up and register a limited company on GOV.UK.

Make your business safe and legal

Your food business must be safe. This includes:

  • looking after and maintaining your premises
  • having suitable training
  • ensuring good hygiene, for example by keeping food preparation areas clean and having a waste management contract in place
  • preparing food safely for your consumers, including those with food allergies

Your food business must also be legal. This includes:

  • having written rules and procedures about food safety
  • keeping records, such as template sheets to record suppliers, ingredients, recipes and temperatures
  • considering the health and safety of everyone who enters your premises
  • following food law codes of practice

You can find more information on the Food Standards Scotland website, including industry specific advice.

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