Food business registration
If you store, prepare, distribute or sell food on premises, it is a legal requirement to register your business.
If you run a food business without registering it, you may be fined or imprisoned for up to two years or both. It is an offence to give information which you know is false.
Registration allows us to maintain an up-to-date list of food premises in the borough and visit when we need to. The frequency of visits will depend on the type of business.
Who needs to register
Food premises include:
- Restaurants
- Hotels
- Guest houses
- Cafes
- Shops
- Supermarkets
- Staff canteens
- Kitchens in offices
- Warehouses
- Delivery vehicles
- Buffet cars on trains
- Market and other stalls
- Hot dog and ice cream vans
Exemptions
The majority of premises will have to be registered. However, certain premises are exempt from registration. For example:
- Those already registered for food law purposes (such as tents and marquees, but not stalls)
- Some domestic premises
- Some village halls
You should contact us if you think you might be exempt.
Vehicles
If you use vehicles for your food business in connection with permanent premises such as a shop or warehouse, you should tell us how many vehicles you have.
You do not need to register each vehicle separately. If you have one or more vehicles, but no permanent premises, you must tell us where they are normally kept.
Registration of mobile traders
If you run a mobile catering van, food delivery van or market stall, you must register where you keep your mobile stall or where you return to between trading. Contact us if you require further information.
Apply to register your business
You must register your food business at least 28 days before opening.
If you are registering a new business, you should provide the date that you intend to open. If that date is delayed, you should email us at foodandsafety@merton.gov.uk.
If you use premises in more than one local authority area, these need to be registered separately. We can only register the premises that are in Wandsworth.
Register by post or email
You can also download and complete the food premises registration form.
The completed form should be emailed to food.registration@merton.gov.uk or posted to:
Food and Safety Team
Regulatory Services Partnership
Merton Civic Centre
London Road
Morden
SM4 5DX
Postal and email applications will only be accepted until 31 March 2026. From 1 April 2026, applications must be completed online. Any old forms received after this date will be rejected.
Change of circumstances
Once registered you should notify us by email if:
- There is a change of proprietor
- The nature of the business changes
- There is a change of address at which moveable premises (such as vehicles) are kept
Email us at foodandsafety@merton.gov.uk.
Handling meat or products of animal origin
Food manufacturers, food processors and catering butchers handling products of animal origin may need to be approved rather than registered.
Premises which need this approval must not operate before it has been approved.
See food premises approval for more information.
Food Premises Register
We will enter the details on our database and the Food Premises Register.
The following details from the Register are available upon request:
- Business name and address
- Nature of the food business
The Register is open to inspection by the general public by appointment only. An appointment can be requested by email to foodandsafety@merton.gov.uk.