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                    Temporary and mobile food premises

                    If you are a business or community group that sells or provides a sample of a food or beverage product for promotional purposes, a state-wide registration and notification scheme for temporary and mobile food premises applies under the Food Act 1984.

                    ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​To legally operate a temporary or mobile food premises at events such as festivals, markets, exhibitions, single temporary stalls, fetes or sausage sizzles (in Victoria), you must:

                    • register or notify your temporary and mobile food premises with one council in order to operate anywhere in Victoria
                    • lodge a statement of trade (SOT) to let all relevant councils know where and when you will be trading in their districts.

                    This also includes promotional sampling activities such as giveaways at exhibitions, train stations and on public streets and trade shows. Temporary food premises need to be registered (or notified) regardless of whether they are profitable, non-profitable or charity organisations.​​

                    Depending on your food handling activities, you will only need to register with, or notify, the one council. Under this new system, this will be with your 'principal council'.  

                    What are temporary or mobile food premises?

                    Temporary food premises are temporary sites or stalls where food is sold. This includes stalls and tents at school fetes, markets, festivals and other short-term events.

                    Mobile food premises are vehicles such as vans, trailers or carts from which food is sold.

                    Applying for registration or notifying your principal council

                    Your principal council is:

                    • the council in which your business routinely prepares or stores food that is to be sold from a van or stall
                    • the district in which you usually store the equipment for a stall, or garage your food van (if food is not usually prepared or stored prior to its sale by your business).

                    If neither of the above apply, your principal council is:

                    • the district in which your usual business address is located
                    • the district in which the food van or stall will first operate.

                    To make it easy to use the state-wide registration or notification scheme, a website for temporary and mobile food premises, FoodTrader, has been set up by the Department of Health in partnership with local government.

                    FoodTrader is an online system for traders to register and notify temporary and mobile food premises in Victoria.

                    Registering wih FoodTrader

                    On FoodTr​ader, follow the instructions and answer the questions. Ensure you take into account all the food and beverage that you will be selling or giving away.

                    To get started on FoodTrader​, please follow these steps:
                    1. Go to FoodTrader and create an account.
                    2. Complete your forms and lodge your application.

                    Once you lodge your registration application online, your principal council will contact you directly regarding any requirements and fees. Your submission will be assessed, to ensure your premises complies with the Food Act 1984.

                    Some councils also accept payments online via FoodTrader. The City of Melbourne does not currently accept payments via FoodTrader.

                    To obtain approval, your application must be completed in full and with the relevant fee (if applicable) and then submitted to council.

                    You should allow 21 days for the registration and notification to be processed. You cannot trade until your premises has been registered or notified.

                    Lodging a statement of trade (SOT)

                    Once registered or notified under the state-wide system, you must let all relevant councils know where and when you will be trading in their districts by lodging a statement of trade at least one business day before the event. This can be done online in FoodTrader.

                    You can only lodge a SOT once you the temporary or mobile food premises has been registered or notified on FoodTrader. 

                    ​Note:
                    • You risk a fine if you fail to lodge a SOT.
                    • There is no charge for lodging a SOT with any council.
                    • You do not need to lodge a SOT if you are operating a temporary or mobile premises and are catering at a function or location that is not open to members of the public (such as catering for a wedding reception, work function or members dinner).

                    Other laws

                    Lodging a statement of trade ensures that you have complied with the Food Act 1984, however, other laws may also apply to your trading. For example, you may also need:

                    • permission from a council to operate on council land
                    • planning approval from the council if you will be trading in a street
                    • permission from the land owner if you intend to operate on private land.
                    • other required licences, such as a liquor licence (if applicable).

                    ​Need help?

                    If you need help logging into your FoodTrader account, forgotten your password or need to change your log in details, please contact FoodTrade​r Support.

                    For queries relating to your business application or how to operate at an event please contact City of Melbourne Health Team on hsevents@melbourne.vi​c.gov.au.​

                    Contact us

                    Contact name
                    Health and Wellbeing
                    Telephone number
                    03 9658 905803 9658 9058
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