Apply to operate a home-based food business
Seek approval to prepare meals for sale from a domestic kitchen in the local area.
Project Status: When you need to do this
If you wish to operate a food business from a domestic kitchen in our area, you need to register with us. Operating without obtaining development consent is an offence.
Examples of home-based food businesses include:
- preparing food for sale at markets or school canteens
- bed and breakfast accommodation
- home-based child care for a fee that includes providing food
- home-based caterers.
Flexible regulations for businesses extended
The NSW Government has extended the date of temporary changes to the planning system until 31 March 2022.
In March 2020 the government amended the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act to include a new regulation allowing for a range of new ministerial orders in response to the pandemic.
The changes allow the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces to make an order for development to be carried out without the normal planning approval to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Since then, the NSW Government has issued ministerial orders under the act including:
- extending retail trading, delivery and waste removal hours
- allowing home businesses to operate 24 hours a day
- providing more flexible conditions for takeaway food and beverage facilities, food trucks and dark kitchens
- allowing construction sites to operate the same hours on weekdays, weekends and public holidays
- permitting temporary pop-up cycleways within the City of Sydney local area
- allowing temporary vehicle sanitisation stations for the professional cleaning of taxis, ride share and community transport vehicles.
For full details visit the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment website.
What you need to do
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Complete the business registration form
Ensure that all fields have been filled in correctly.
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Lodge the form by email, in person or by email
Include the relevant development approval numbers to ensure you have the appropriate consent.
Refer to the lodgement details section of the application form for further information.
If you haven’t obtained development consent to operate the food business
Contact us and make an appointment to speak to a planner about your proposed home-based food business. Once you have development consent, you can lodge your form.
New premises registration and change of existing registration formPDF · 66.84 KB · Last modified
Before you start
Ensure your at-home food business complies with relevant parts of the food standards code, including:
- standard 3.2.2 food safety practices and general requirements
- standard 3.2.3 food premises and equipment
- part 1.2 labelling and other information requirements.
If your at-home business only sells to other businesses such as cafes, restaurants and supermarkets, contact the NSW Food Authority for approval.
