What is a Food Premises Approval Licence?
A local council is required by law to inspect and grant permission for premises to handle, process and manufacture products of animal origin such as meat, dairy, egg or fish. This is called the process of approval and is displayed in the form of a food premises approval licence.
Food premises that fall under a need for a food premises approval licence includes restaurants, hotels, cafes, shops, supermarkets, staff canteens, kitchen in offices, warehouses, guest houses, delivery vehicles, buffet cars on trains, market stalls and hot dog and ice cream vans.
What food falls under the food premises approval licence?
Businesses which produce any, or any combination, of the following need a food premises approval licence:
- mince meat
- meat preparations
- mechanically separated meat
- meat products
- live bivalve molluscs
- fishery products
- dairy products
- egg products
- frogs' legs
- snails
- edible co-products (including rendered animal fats and greaves, treated stomachs, bladders and intestines, gelatine and collagen)
How to apply for a food premises approval licence
Food premises approval licence applications must be made via your local council. You can find the contact details for your local council at the Official UK Government Website.
How often will my business get inspected?
The frequency of inspections to your business will depend on the type of business you have. Being approved by your local council and being granted a food premises approval licence allows local authorities to keep an up to date list of all those premises in their area so they can visit them when they need to.
How to apply for a Food Premises Approval Licence (Scotland)
Food premises approval licence applications must be made via your local council in Scotland. You can find the contact details for your local council at the Official UK Government Website.
For more information, please read more on Guidance from Food Standards in Scotland.
Food Premises Approval Licence (Northern Ireland)
Food premises approval licence applications must be made via your local council in Northern Ireland. You can find the contact details for your local council at the Official UK Government Website.
All other businesses which fall under the Food Hygiene Northern Ireland Regulations 2006 and other European Commission regulations, including Regulation EC 853/2004, also require a food premises approval licence.
Fines and penalties
It’s a criminal offence to run unapproved food premises without a food premises approval licence. As a result, you could be potentially prosecuted and may face having to pay a fine.
