Food Premises and Health Licences
Any premises used for the manufacture, preparation or storage of food for sale must be registered with the Far North District Council, including restaurants and cafes, bakeries, dairies, grocers, supermarkets etc.
Some businesses may be exempt from registration with Council if they are with New Zealand Food Safety Authority (e.g. Food Control Plans)
All activities relating to the sale of food or goods, fund-raising street stalls, mobile shops and door-to-door hawkers must also be licensed. Refer to Street Trading for further information.
Complaints
If you are concerned about a business that may not be registered, or about the condition of food sold by a food outlet, please contact us and lodge a Request for Service.
Licence Classes
Registered premises
- Class 1 - Premises selling pre-pack foods (e.g. dairies etc); one inspection per annum
- Class II - Premises on which food is prepared and sold (e.g. takeaways, cafes, restaurants, taverns etc.) and all camping grounds; two inspections per annum
- Class III - Premises involved in multiple activities, including preparing and packaging meat, fish, poultry, delicatessens, fruit and veg etc.; three inspections per annum
- Health - Other premises requiring registration, but not involved in the preparation of selling of foodstuffs (e.g., mortuaries, offensive trades (septic tank cleaners), hairdressers etc.); one inspection per annum
- Club - All sports, RSA, social clubs etc.; one inspection per annum
New food premises
The Food and Hygiene Regulations 1974 require food that is prepared at home to be sold to the public must be prepared in a separate kitchen from the domestic kitchen. This is called a home occupation. Kitchens used for the preparation of food for sale must comply with the regulations.
Please contact us and speak to:
- A Resource Planner – to discuss any resource consent requirements
- A Building Officer – to discuss any building requirements
Then you will need to complete a Health Licence Application Form and send this in to Council. A meeting with an Environmental Health Officer will be arranged on site, to discuss the application.
NOTE: If any sale of liquor is intended, a liquor licence application will need to be submitted also. Please refer to Liquor Licensing for further information.
Taking over an existing business
We strongly recommend that prior to purchase, you request a Land Information Memorandum. This will show if there are any outstanding requisitions or fees to be paid.
The Change of Ownership form needs to be completed and sent into Council as soon as possible, so amendments to the Health Licence can be made.
If there is a current registration certificate (or food licence) the balance of the fee becomes a matter for the new and old owners to sort out themselves or through their solicitors.
If the use of the food premises will be substantially changed, please contact us and speak to:
- A Resource Planner – to discuss any resource consent requirements
- A Building Officer – to discuss any building requirements
Then you can complete the Health Licence Application form and send this in to Council. A meeting with an Environmental Health Officer will be arranged on site, to discuss the application.
NOTE: If any sale of liquor is intended, a liquor licence application will need to be submitted also. Please refer to Liquor Licensing for further information.
Page created/updated: 18 August 2009 at 2:07 pm
