Food Licensing
If you’re planning on selling or supplying food, you need to register a Food Control Plan or National Programme with Council or the Ministry for Primary Industries.
Registering a Food Business
You have two options to register a new or renewing food business:
- online through Business Connect (see Online registration below – part of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE)
- manually using our downloadable form (see Manual registration below).
If you need help, or are not sure what sort of food business you should be registering, contact us and ask to speak to a food officer. We can also make an appointment to discuss your application.
Online registration
To register your new food business online through Business Connect:
- Go to My food rules to understand the food safety rules for your business.
- Complete the appropriate Scope of Operations form for your business type (National Programme, Simply Safe & Suitable, or Custom Food Control Plan) from the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Forms & Templates.
- Go to Business Connect.
- Determine the appropriate action to take.
| If you... | Then... |
|---|---|
have a RealMe logon |
|
| don't have a RealMe logon |
|
5. Determine if this is your first time logging into Business Connect
| IF... | Then... |
|---|---|
| This is your first time logging onto Business Connect |
|
| this is not your first time logging on to Business Connect | log on using your account details |
6. Go to the Business Connect dashboard.
7. Click Register a food business.
8. Click Check eligibility.
9. Select Tararua District Council in the Your council field.
10. Complete the form.
Result: We'll be in touch with an invoice for your Environmental health and food premises fee,
or if we have any further questions regarding your application. You can pay your fee in person
at one of our service centres, or online, using the details provided with your invoice.
Note: The online form is administered by Business Connect; you can find their Privacy Statement online.
View the Business Connect video on: https://youtu.be/gZ-gnDBBN5M
Manual registration
To register your new food business manually:
1. Go to at My food rules to understand the food safety rules for your business.
2. Complete the appropriate Scope of Operations form for your business type (National
Programme, Simply Safe & Suitable, or Custom Food Control Plan) from the Ministry for Primary
Industries’ Forms & Templates.
3. Complete the appropriate form, depending on whether your business will operate from a
single site, or more than one site:
4. Lodge these forms with the Council. You can do this by email
(to info@tararuadc.govt.nz), post, or in person at one of our service centres.
5. Pay the appropriate fees
If you require more information, please contact:
Environmental Health Officer
Phone: 06 374 4080 or 06 376 0110
Email: info@tararuadc.govt.nz
Address: 26 Gordon Street, Dannevirke
Postal: PO Box 115, Dannevirke 4942
Additional Contacts and Information
If you’re thinking of opening a food business or taking over an existing food business, you may need to consult with other Council departments in addition to Environmental Health, such as:
Contact Council’s Duty Planner to ensure that you can set up a food business in your chosen area. The zoning of some areas exclude commercial activity and you may need to apply for Resource Consent to operate in some areas. The Duty Planner can also tell you if there is any parking or other planning requirements in your area. You can contact the Duty Planner by email, or phone 06 374 4080 or 06 376 0110.
If you are building new premises or altering an existing premise, you may require Building Consent. Council's Building Control Team will be able to advise you whether or not the work you intend to do requires a Building Consent. They will also be able to provide advice on public toilet requirements for your premises. Depending on the type and volume of food you are preparing, you may also require a grease trap. You can contact the Building Control Team by email, or phone 06 374 4080 or 06 376 0110.
If you intend to sell liquor on your premises, or have patrons bring liquor for consumption on the premises while dining, you will need to apply for the appropriate licence under the Sale and Supply of Liquor Act 2012. It is recommended that application for a liquor licence is made as early as possible as issuing licences takes time. You can contact the Licensing Inspector by email, or phone 06 374 4080 or 06 376 0110.