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Requirement · Food businesses: Register at least 28 days before opening

All food businesses must register with their local authority Environmental Health department at least 28 days before opening. This applies whether you're running a restaurant, cafe, takeaway, mobile food van, or even preparing food from home to sell.

Registration is free and can usually be done online through your council's website. After registration, you'll receive a food hygiene inspection, typically within 28 days of opening. The inspection determines your Food Hygiene Rating (0 to 5). Displaying the rating sticker is mandatory in Wales and Northern Ireland, and voluntary (but encouraged) in England.

Applies to: All businesses preparing or selling food directly to consumers, including restaurants, cafes, takeaways, caterers, food trucks, and home-based food businesses

Official guidance

gov.uk

Register your food business (opens in a new tab)

You must register with your local authority at least 28 days before opening.

Food hygiene rating

After registration, you'll be inspected and given a food hygiene rating. Here's how it works.

Rating scale: 0 to 5
Rating 5: Very good - hygiene standards are very good
Rating 4: Good - hygiene standards are good
Rating 3: Generally satisfactory
Rating 2: Improvement necessary
Rating 1: Major improvement necessary
Rating 0: Urgent improvement necessary
Display requirement (England): Voluntary
Display requirement (Wales/NI): Mandatory by law

food.gov.uk

Food hygiene training (opens in a new tab)

Staff handling food need appropriate food safety training.

Requirement · Hospitality businesses: Alcohol licensing for on-premises sales

If you plan to sell alcohol for consumption on your premises (pub, restaurant, bar), you need a Premises Licence from your local council under the Licensing Act 2003. This is separate from food hygiene registration and takes longer to obtain.

You'll also need a Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) who holds a Personal Licence. The DPS is responsible for alcohol sales and must be named on your Premises Licence. Application fees vary by rateable value (£100-£1,905) plus ongoing annual fees. Allow 8-12 weeks for the application process, including a 28-day consultation period.

Even if you only plan to serve alcohol with food, or offer BYO, you still need a licence. Late-night refreshment (hot food/drink between 11pm-5am) also requires licensing.

Applies to: All premises selling alcohol for on-premises consumption (restaurants, pubs, bars, hotels, clubs), and businesses serving hot food/drink between 11pm-5am

Official guidance

gov.uk

Apply for alcohol licence (opens in a new tab)

Apply early - licensing can take 8+ weeks. You need both premises and personal licences.

Alcohol licensing

Selling alcohol requires proper licensing. Here's an overview of what's needed.

Premises licence: Required to sell alcohol. Costs £100-£635 based on rateable value.
Personal licence: At least one person must hold a personal licence.
Designated Premises Supervisor: Must hold a personal licence and act as primary contact.
Age requirement: Must be 18 or over to apply for a premises or personal licence.

Alcohol licensing guidance (opens in a new tab)

Hospitality licences and permits

Hospitality businesses may need various licences beyond alcohol. Here's what to consider.

Premises licence scope: Covers sale of alcohol, regulated entertainment, and late-night refreshment (11pm-5am)
Designated Premises Supervisor: Required for all premises selling alcohol. Must hold personal licence.
Licence duration: No expiry unless revoked or surrendered. Annual fee payable.
Age requirement: Anyone over 18 can apply for a premises licence.

Apply for a premises licence (opens in a new tab)

Fire safety

Complete a fire risk assessment - essential for premises with cooking equipment.

Get the right insurance

Public liability, employer's liability, and product liability are essential.

Insurance for restaurants

Restaurants face specific risks from food preparation, customer injuries, and equipment. Here's what insurance you might need.

UK businesses need different types of insurance depending on their activities. Some are legally required, others are contractually required, and some are optional but prudent. Understanding the differences helps ensure adequate protection.

Employers' Liability: LEGALLY REQUIRED if you employ anyone. Minimum £5m cover. Protects against employee injury/illness claims.
Motor Insurance: LEGALLY REQUIRED for any vehicle used for business. Criminal offence to drive uninsured.
Professional Indemnity: Required for some regulated professions under their profession-specific rules, including many solicitors, financial advisers and architects. Covers negligent advice claims.
Public Liability: NOT legally required but often contractually required by clients. Covers third-party injury/damage claims.
Products Liability: NOT legally required but essential for manufacturers and retailers. Covers claims from defective products.
Business Contents: NOT required but recommended. Covers theft, fire, damage to business assets.
Business Interruption: NOT required but recommended. Covers lost income when you cannot trade.
Cyber Insurance: Increasingly important. Covers data breaches, ransomware, GDPR fines.
Key Person: Optional. Compensates business if critical person dies or is incapacitated.

Choosing the right cover:

Do you employ anyone? Employers' Liability is legally required
Do you use vehicles for work? Business motor insurance is legally required
Are you a regulated professional? Check your regulator's profession-specific Professional Indemnity rules
Do you interact with customers or visit premises? Public Liability is practically essential
Do you sell physical products? Products Liability is strongly recommended

Health and safety

Kitchen safety, slips and trips, manual handling - know your duties.

Health and safety essentials

Restaurants have specific health and safety requirements. Here's what you need to do.

Written policy (5+ employees): Required by law - must record your health and safety policy
Risk assessment: All employers must assess workplace risks and act on findings
Employers' Liability insurance: Mandatory £5 million minimum cover (£2,500/day penalty)
First aid provision: Assess needs and provide appropriate equipment and trained staff
Accident book (RIDDOR): Record injuries and report serious incidents to HSE

HSE - Getting started with health and safety (opens in a new tab)

Hire kitchen and front-of-house staff

Set up as an employer - PAYE, pensions, and employment contracts.

PAYE for employers

Before your first employee starts, you need to register with HMRC.

Self Assessment (sole traders/partnerships): Register by 5 October after your first tax year
Corporation Tax (limited companies): Register within 3 months of starting to trade
VAT registration threshold: £90,000 turnover in 12 months (mandatory)
PAYE (employers): Register before first payday
CIS (construction): Register before first payment to subcontractors

gov.uk

National Minimum Wage (opens in a new tab)

Make sure you're paying at least the legal minimum - rates depend on age.

Minimum wage rates

Hospitality often employs young workers. Make sure you know the different rates.

21 and over (NLW): £12.71 per hour
18 to 20: £10.85 per hour
16 to 17: £8.00 per hour
Apprentice rate: £8.00 per hour

These rates apply from 1 April 2026. You must pay at least the minimum wage for all hours worked, including training time and travel between work sites. The apprentice rate applies to apprentices under 19, or those aged 19+ in their first year of apprenticeship.

Register for VAT

Requirement · Food businesses: Allergen information requirements

Since 2021 (Natasha's Law), all food businesses selling prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) food must provide full ingredient lists and allergen labelling. This includes sandwiches prepared on-site, bakery items packaged before sale, and any food packed before the customer orders it.

The 14 major allergens must be emphasised in the ingredient list (bold, capitals, or different colour). Even if you don't sell PPDS food, you must still provide allergen information for non-prepacked food (verbally, written menu, or clear signage). This applies to all 14 allergens: cereals with gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soybeans, milk, nuts, celery, mustard, sesame, sulphites, lupin, molluscs.

Applies to: All food businesses selling food directly to consumers, including restaurants, cafes, takeaways, bakeries, and catering businesses

Official guidance

food.gov.uk

Allergen information (opens in a new tab)

You must provide allergen information to customers - it's the law.

asa.org.uk

Advertise your restaurant (opens in a new tab)

Menu claims, pricing, and promotions - know the advertising rules.

Advertising regulations

Food and drink advertising has specific rules. Make sure your marketing is compliant.

Accuracy: All claims must be truthful and evidence must be available to back them up.
Price information: Prices must be clear. Include VAT if selling to consumers.
Comparisons: Comparisons with competitors are permitted but must be fair and factual.
Endorsements: Paid partnerships and gifted items must be clearly disclosed.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) enforces advertising rules. Breaking the rules can lead to ads being banned and reputational damage.

Food business registration

Before you open your restaurant, you must register with your local authority as a food business operator. Here's what you need to know.

All food businesses in the UK must register with their local authority's environmental health department at least 28 days before starting to trade. Registration is free and is a legal requirement under food safety law. This applies whether you operate from commercial premises, home, a market stall, or as a mobile caterer.

Registration cost: FREE
Registration deadline: At least 28 days before trading
Registration validity: Permanent (notify of changes)
Processing time: Immediate confirmation, inspection scheduled later
Home-based businesses: Must register (same as commercial premises)
Mobile food businesses: Register once, with the local authority where the vehicle or equipment is normally kept
Food hygiene rating: Issued after first inspection (rating of 0 to 5)

Who needs to register

Commercial premises: Restaurants, cafés, pubs, hotels, takeaways, shops, bakeries, manufacturers
Home-based: Home baking businesses, childminders providing food, food sold online from home
Mobile: Food trucks, market stalls, mobile caterers, ice cream vans
Temporary: Pop-ups, event catering, farmers markets (register even for occasional trading)

Separate from premises licence

Food business registration is separate from premises licences for alcohol. Restaurants serving alcohol require both free food registration with environmental health AND a premises licence (£100-£1,905) from the licensing authority. Both are usually departments within the same local council.

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