Food safety guidance for mobile caterers
Mobile food businesses can operate in many different ways, including catering vans, food stalls, market stands, event catering units and street food kitchens. If you plan to run this type of business, several important legal and safety requirements apply.
Registering your business
You must register your mobile food business with the Food and Safety team before you start trading. This is a legal requirement. An officer may contact you to confirm your plans. Visits for home‑based preparation areas will always be arranged in advance.
Guidance is available on:
Allergen awareness
When selling food to customers, you must clearly understand and communicate allergen information. This helps protect people with food allergies.
Food safety management
All food businesses must have a written food safety management system. The free Safer Food Better Business – Food Standards Agency pack is designed to help mobile and event caterers meet this requirement. You can complete it digitally or print the relevant sections to fill in manually.
Additional resources include:
- the Industry Guide to Good Hygiene Practice – Food Standards Agency (for mobile and temporary businesses)
- guidance on how hygiene ratings are assessed and how to improve them
- advice on preventing cross‑contamination, including E. coli controls – Food Standards Agency
Legal hygiene requirements
The hygiene rules in EC Regulation 852/2004 apply to mobile and temporary food businesses. Chapter III covers specific requirements for mobile units, while Chapters 1–12 apply to fixed premises, such as rooms in your home where food is prepared or stored for your business. Following these guidelines will help ensure you comply with the law.
Training for food handlers
Food handlers do not need a formal certificate, but you must ensure that staff have appropriate food hygiene training and supervision.
Recommended training levels:
- Level 2 for staff handling or preparing food
- Level 3 for supervisors or food business operators
Online training courses are widely available.
Managing risks
Although health and safety laws apply differently to mobile units, an example food‑preparation risk assessment is available to help you identify and manage hazards.
It is strongly recommended that:
- you do not buy a catering unit without valid gas and electrical safety certificates
- the body of the trailer is made from material with at least 30 minutes of fire resistance, or has a protective heat‑resistant barrier between the unit and the LPG storage cupboard
Choosing where to trade
As a mobile trader, you must think carefully about suitable trading locations. This includes contacting:
- the Highways department
- the Planning department
You can also read guidance about street trading licences.
Business support
Further support and advice for mobile food businesses is available from the council’s economic development team.