Food business licensing

Under the Food Act 2006 most food businesses need a licence from their local Council. You will need to apply for a food business licence when you are:

• starting a new food business
• taking over an existing food business

The following will be considered before a food business licence is approved:

• the applicant is a suitable person to hold a licence
• the premises from which the food business is to be carried on is suitable
• a food safety program is accredited (only when required)

Who needs a food business licence?

You need to apply for a food business licence with Council when your business:

• manufactures food (including making food by combining ingredients and packaging for resale at another location)
• sells unpackaged food by retail, for example:
  • a café, restaurant or bar
  • a takeaway food shop
• is a non-profit organisation and sells:
  • on at least 12 days each financial year
  • meals prepared by your organisation at a particular place

Who does not need a food business licence?

If your food business meets one or more of the following, you do not need a food business licence:

• the production of primary produce under an accreditation issued under the Food Production (Safety) Act 2000, part 5 (for example the Meat Scheme, Seafood Scheme, Dairy Scheme and Egg Scheme). The regulation of this Act is the responsibility of Safe Food Production Queensland.
• the sale of unpackaged snack food (e.g. cakes and biscuits without cream or custard, confectionary, potato chips, nuts)
• the sale of whole fruit or vegetables
• the sale of seeds, spices, dried herbs, tea leaves, coffee beans or ground coffee (not including manufacturing)
• the grinding of coffee beans
• the sale of drinks (other than fruit or vegetable juice processed at the place of sale) including, for example, tea, coffee, soft drinks and alcoholic drinks
• the sale of ice including flavoured ice
• the sale of food by a non-profit organisation that meets the exemption criteria