Any business that sells food or drinks for human consumption will be required to be registered under the Food Act and to continue to meet the standards required.
Advise that your food or health business has closed Food allergens and intolerances for everyone Food classifications Food premises notification Food registration - principal Council Food registration at home Food registration fees Food safety Food Safety Newsletter Food Safety Programs Guidelines for Temporary Food Premises Mobile food registrations New food businesses Pay a food or health registration renewal Register a Food or Health Premise Rubbish storage Temporary and portable food premises Trade waste
Our Environmental Health Officers (EHO) will approve food businesses and conduct regular assessments to ensure that Food Safety is maintained.
Safe Food Australia is a guide to the three mandatory national food safety standards and is published by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). It is primarily aimed at councils responsible for enforcing the standards, however food businesses may also find it offers helpful information about the standards and food safety issues.
The three standards are:
- Standard 3.1.1 Interpretation and Application
- Standard 3.2.2 Food Safety Practices and General Requirements and
- Standard 3.2.3 Food Premises and Equipment.
FSANZ reviewed Safe Food Australia in 2016 to ensure it addresses current food safety issues and trends, contains up-to-date evidence and references and provides information targeted for temporary and mobile vendors and for home-based businesses.
Under the Food Act 1984, all the FSANZ Standards, including the three in Safe Food Australia are enforceable by us, so we encourage your businesses complies and are aware of your requirements and responsibilities.
Common Questions
When you lodge a new Food or Public Health and Wellbeing Act application, we will be in contact with you by email or phone within 10 working days of receiving your application.
An application for a food or health registration can take between 4 and 6 weeks, before approval to trade is given.
This does not include any building or planning permit requirements, which is a separate application process with the relevant departments. Our business concierge may be able to assist you.
Missing or incorrect information and not being able to contact the applicant are common problems the assessing officer may have and this delays the approval of your business.
Uncovered food on display is a common complaint we regularly receive from the public about food businesses. Foods must be protected from contamination.
If you have foods on display like cakes or slices on benches or on top of display units, you must keep them covered, such as under a glass cloche.
Foods that are uncovered can be tampered with by customers, coughed on, have flies lay larvae on them and do not portray a food safe business to customers. So, please make sure your food is always protected.
The dedicated website for customising your FoodSmart Class 2 food safety program has been relocated to the Department of Health Victoria webpage FoodSmart from the 7th March 2025.
The updated FoodSmart template and records is a free food safety program for class 2 retail and food service businesses, which covers the most common high-risk and potentially hazardous food processes. The template is also available Arabic, Simplified Chinese and Vietnamese.
FoodSmart is not suitable for food manufacturers as your business has different requirements that are not covered by the FoodSmart template.
For further information and to find out more about the suitability of FoodSmart for your food business activities please email [email protected] with your business details.
In this section
Advise that your food or health business has closed Food allergens and intolerances for everyone Food classifications Food premises notification Food registration - principal Council Food registration at home Food registration fees Food safety Food Safety Newsletter Food Safety Programs Guidelines for Temporary Food Premises Mobile food registrations New food businesses Pay a food or health registration renewal Register a Food or Health Premise Rubbish storage Temporary and portable food premises Trade wastePage last updated:
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