Temporary and 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.

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 your principal council
• 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.

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.

Registering with FoodTrader

To register your temporary and mobile food premises on FoodTraderOpens in new tab, please follow these steps:

1. Create your account on FoodTraderOpens in new tab.
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.

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

Once registered or notified under FoodTraderOpens in new tab, you must let all relevant councils know where and when you will be trading in their districts by lodging a statement of trade (SOT) online on FoodTraderOpens in new tab at least one business day before the event.

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 SOT ensures that you have complied with the Food Act 1984Opens in new tab, however, other laws may also apply to your trading.

For example, you may also need:

• permission from a council to operate on council-owned or managed 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 SupportOpens in new tab.

For queries relating to your business application or how to operate at an event please contact our Health and Wellbeing team: