Food Premises Approval Licence

If your business involves handling meat, fish, egg, or dairy products, you must be inspected and may require approval by your local council. This is in the form of a food premises approval licence.

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Authority

Local Authority

Duration

28 days (varies depending on local authority)

Valid For

5 years

Unlimited exam retakes till you Pass

Get your exam results the same day

Full refund if you don't pass. Terms apply

95% pass rate

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.

We make getting your Food Premises Approval licence a simple, stress-free process ✅

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:

✅ mincemeat

✅ meat preparations

✅ mechanically separated meat

✅ meat products

✅ live bivalve mollusks

✅ 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.