Food Hygiene Ratings

Who needs to register?

Anyone who sells food, cooks food for the public, or stores and distributes food needs to register as a food business. This includes:

• Hot food vendors at markets and craft fairs.
• Cake and baked goods sellers (including from home).
• Jam, chutney, and preserve makers.
• Anyone selling food online or via social media.

The only exemptions are for purely private and domestic purposes; once you sell to the public, you need to register.

How to register

Registration is done through your local authority (the council where your business or home kitchen is based). You can usually register online through the GOV.UK 'Register a food business' service. It is free and must be done at least 28 days before you start trading.

Once registered, an environmental health officer will arrange an inspection, usually within a few weeks, though timescales vary.

What inspectors look for

Food hygiene inspections assess three main areas:

• Hygienic food handling: how food is prepared, cooked, stored, and served.
• Physical condition of the premises or stall: cleanliness, layout, facilities, ventilation, and lighting.
• Food safety management: your documented procedures for keeping food safe (e.g. a food safety management system based on HACCP principles).

Each area is scored and combined into an overall rating from 0 (urgent improvement necessary) to 5 (very good).

What to expect from an inspection

Inspections are usually unannounced, though for a temporary or mobile stall an officer may contact you to catch you on a trading day. The visit is a conversation as much as a check. Expect the officer to:

• Look at how you handle, store, and separate food, and check temperatures where relevant.
• Ask how you keep food safe: where your ingredients come from, how you manage allergens, how you clean.
• Ask to see your written records and your food safety management system.
• Give you verbal feedback at the end, followed by a written report and your rating.

You do not need to be an expert. Officers expect small vendors to run simple systems, and they would rather help you get it right than catch you out. If you cannot answer something, say so and ask; being honest and willing to learn counts in your favour.

Records you should keep

Good records are often the difference between a 3 and a 5. You do not need anything elaborate; a notebook or a simple folder is fine. Aim to be able to produce:

• Temperature records: fridge, freezer, and hot-holding checks, dated.
• Cleaning schedule: what you clean, how often, and confirmation it was done.
• Supplier list: where you buy ingredients and packaging.
• Allergen information: the ingredients in each product and any cross-contamination risks (see our Natasha's Law guide).
• Your food safety management system: the completed Safer Food, Better Business pack, or equivalent.
• Training certificates: your Level 2 Food Hygiene certificate and any others.

These are exactly the documents you can store in your StallSync Event Passport, ready to share with an organiser or show an officer from one link.

Tips for a good rating

• Keep everything clean: surfaces, equipment, hands, and clothing.
• Store raw and ready-to-eat foods separately.
• Check and record fridge and hot-holding temperatures.
• Have a basic food safety management system written down; the FSA's 'Safer Food, Better Business' pack is a free template designed for small businesses.
• Complete a Level 2 Food Hygiene course, available online and typically costing £10–£25.
• Be honest with the inspector and ask questions if you are unsure.

Displaying your rating

In Wales and Northern Ireland, it is a legal requirement to display your food hygiene rating sticker at your premises or stall. In England, display is voluntary but strongly encouraged, as customers trust vendors who display a good rating.

Your rating is also published on the Food Standards Agency website, so customers can look you up.