Environmental Health certificates for food businesses

Section 50 Certificate for Food Hygiene

You will require section 50 certificates from the council’s Planning, Building Standards, and Environmental Health functions to accompany your application for a premises alcohol licence.

Environmental Health need to inspect the premises to check that it complies with the food safety legislation.

We will not issue a certificate if it does not comply with this legislation.

New build or conversion from non-food business premises

We advise you not to apply for a section 50 food certificate until the building work is nearing completion.

This is because we need to inspect the finished premises.

However, do contact Environmental Health as early as possible about the premises.

We can provide guidance about the layout, fixtures and fittings of the premises and about the laws relating to food safety and health and safety.

You will need to register the premises with Environmental Health as a food business 28 days before it begins trading.

Existing food premises

Send your application to us so that we can to inspect the premises to check that it complies with the food hygiene legislation.

Cost

A fee of £108 is payable on application.

If the premises does not meet the standards required a certificate will not be issued and there will be no refund.

Apply for a Section 50 Certificate for Food Hygiene

Your certificate

If everything is satisfactory we will issue a certificate which must accompany your application for an alcohol licence.

You can apply for a provisional alcohol licence without a section 50 certificate from Environmental Health or Building Standards but you must have a section 50 certificate from the Planning department.