Registering and starting a new food business

You need to consider the type of food produced or handled in your premises and the equipment, space and layout needed prior to starting any works to the building. You should contact this department for further advice if you are planning to construct a new food premises or carrying out renovation. This will avoid the possibility of having to redo works after a subsequent routine inspection.

If you are starting a food business which is not currently used for that purpose you will require Planning Permission and Building Regulation Approval. This may also be needed if you are carrying out renovation or extending an existing food premises.  Please telephone 01639 686868 for further advice on Planning and Building Regulations.

We have developed a useful guide to Starting a New Business in Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council which includes a checklist and covers many important issues. 

Food premises registration

All food business operators are required, under Regulation 852/2004 of the European Parliament and Council on the hygiene of foodstuffs, to register their food business with the local authority.

Registration allows the local authority to keep an up-to-date list of all those premises in the area so they can visit them when they need to. The frequency of the visits will depend on the type of business.

Food business operators must ensure that the local authority always has up-to-date information on the food business and they are informed about any significant change or closure.

Who needs to register?

All food businesses need to register any premise used for storing, selling, distributing or preparing food. Food premises include: restaurants, hotels, cafes, shops, supermarkets, staff canteens, kitchens in offices, warehouses, guest houses, delivery vehicles, buffet cars on trains, market and other stalls, hot dog and ice cream vans and any other type of premises not in this list but used for storing, selling, distributing or preparing food

If you use vehicles for your food business in connection with permanent premises such as a shop or warehouse, you only need to tell the local authority how many vehicles you have.  You do not need to register each vehicle separately. If you have one or more vehicles but no permanent premises, you must tell the authority where they are normally kept

Anyone starting a new food business must register with the local authority at least 28 days before doing so

The majority of premises will have to be registered. However, certain premises are exempt from registration e.g. some which are already registered for food law purposes, certain agricultural premises, motor cars, tents and marquees (but not stalls), some domestic premises and some village halls. You should contact us if you think you might be exempt.

How you can register your premises

There is no charge for registration and it cannot be refused.  To register, please complete the 'application for the Registration of a Food Business Establishment form' and return it to the Environmental Health Department at Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council. You can also apply online to register a food business. For further information relating to food business registration and to apply online, please read and complete the online application for food premises registration.

For more information contact us at:

Registration forms are available from this department.

Starting up – your first steps to running a catering business