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Register food business premises
To operate a food business in the North Sydney area, you must first register with Council.
Please note, you cannot prepare food for sale at home unless you have a Complying Development Certificate or Development Consent. If you do not have Council consent to prepare food for sale at home, you must rent or use a commercial kitchen.
If you want to alter the design or layout of your food premises, refer to this Food Premises - Design, Construction and Fit-out Guide.
To register your food business, you will need to supply the following information about your business:
- name of business owner
- business address
- type of business
- type of food
- name of your Food Safety Supervisor, if required
- location of all food premises used by your business.
You must also notify us of any changes to your business details or of a change of ownership.
Failure to register your food business may result in a Penalty Infringement Notice (fine).
Please note, all food businesses will be charged an annual administration fee.
Food business administration fee
Food businesses must pay an annual administration fee which helps recover the indirect costs associated with implementing the Food Act 2003. These include:
- newsletters or mailouts providing food safety information to food shops
- advertising, promoting and implementing new initiatives
- maintaining a food premise database
- development and delivery of training and educational materials
- involvement in any food recall activity
- negotiating with stakeholders such as solicitors, builders, shop fitters or contractors on behalf of a food business operator
- providing verbal advice on plans for new food businesses or changes to existing food businesses
- inspection of premises that have been subject of a complaint but which, upon inspection, cannot be substantiated and no inspection fee is charged against the business
- issuing letters of an advisory or warning nature
- when part or full closure of a business is required in the interests of food safety, the issuing of a Prohibition Order and the subsequent Clearance Certificate.
Failure to pay fees may result in Council working with a debt collection agency. Details may be forwarded to credit authorities in the event of non-payment.