Register a temporary food stall

Before you can trade at a market or event, you must register with us.

At least $170 – There are 2 fee categories for temporary food premises.

Project Status: When you need to do this

What you need to do

Temporary food stall applicationPDF · 94.89 KB · Last modified
Temporary food stall checklistDOCX · 154.09 KB · Last modified

Before you start

Food not requiring notification

Anyone who sells food at a fundraising event for community or charitable causes isn’t required to notify us, unless selling food could pose a health risk. For example, food not thoroughly cooked and eaten immediately or it has to be kept hot or under refrigeration to be safe.

Anyone who provides food for free or donates food isn’t required to notify us. Examples may include:

  • a free sausage sizzle for junior soccer players
  • providing food for people experiencing homelessness
  • making food for volunteer firefighters during the bushfire season.

After you finish

  • If you’re a new stallholder, when you have completed and submitted the temporary food stall application, you will receive a confirmation email with your individual temporary food premises or TFP number, for example, TFP/2020/xxx.
  • If you already have a number you won’t need to renew your registration with us again. Your number is now permanent.
  • You must keep a record of the confirmation email with your number when you are trading at any event or market in the local area. Event organisers will request your number to help them register their event with us.

Other information

Changes to your business

When you register with us your temporary food premises or TFP number is your business’ individual number.

If you sell your business or something significantly changes with your business, you or the new owner of the business will need to complete and lodge the temporary food stall application again.

Food safety requirements

If you are selling high-risk food types or potentially hazardous food, your temporary food premises requires a food safety supervisor. If you don’t have a supervisor already, you must obtain a food safety supervisor certificate through an approved and registered training organisation.

Charity organisations do not require a food safety supervisor.

If you live in the City of Sydney's local area you cannot prepare food at home unless you have consent to carry out food manufacturing in your residential property. This can be done with a complying development certificate or consent from a development application.

The kitchen in your residential property must comply with all requirements of Australian Standard AS4674.

If you wish to prepare food before the event you must rent or use a commercial kitchen that has recently had a satisfactory health inspection.

Your temporary food stall application must provide evidence of a current satisfactory food safety inspection for all off-site food preparation and storage associated with your stall. The City of Sydney, another council or the NSW Food Authority can carry out the inspection for you.

The food safety inspection report must be lodged with your temporary food stall application.

Your food stall must practise safe food handling, comply with our fact sheet on temporary food stall operation requirements, the Food Act 2003 and the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.

Temporary food stall operation requirementsPDF · 65.77 KB · Last modified

New laws for food businesses

From 8 December, businesses handling unpackaged, potentially hazardous foods must:

  • employ a qualified onsite food safety supervisor
  • train all food handlers in safety and hygiene
  • demonstrate food safety.

Businesses that slice, weigh, repack, reheat, or hot-hold food they didn't make must also have a qualified onsite food safety supervisor and trained food handlers.

Changes impact retail, hospitality, school canteens, childcare centres, charities, delis and more. The NSW Food Authority offers resources and free online training to prepare for the new Standard. Use a quick quiz to check if the changes apply to you.