Food Act Application for Registration or Notification

There are four classes of food premises – class 1, class 2, class 3 and class 4. The classification system means that regulatory requirements are better matched to the level of food safety risk associated with the food handling activities at different types of premises. Class 1 has the highest and class 4 the lowest level of legal requirements.

In summary, the classes are:

• Class 1 – hospitals, child care centres and aged care services which serve high risk food.
• Class 2 – other premises that handle high risk food unpackaged food.
• Class 3a – Home prepared preserves.
• Class 3 – premises that handle unpackaged low risk food or high risk pre-packaged food, and warehouses and distributors.
• Class 4 – as described below.

Classes 1, 2, 3a and 3 premises must register with the Council. Class 4 premises must notify the Council.

You will be a class 4 premises and only need to notify if your only food handling activities are:

• The sale of shelf stable pre-packaged low risk food such as confectionery, crisps, frozen ice cream, milk, bottled drinks – for example, newsagents, pharmacies, video stores and some milk bars.
• The sale of packaged alcohol – for example, bottle shops.
• The sale of uncut fruit and vegetables – for example, farmers markets, green grocers and wholesalers.
• Wine tasting (which can include serving low risk food or cheese).
• The sale of packaged cakes (excluding cream cakes).
• The supply of low risk food, including cut fruit, at sessional kindergarten or child care.
• Simple sausage sizzles at stalls, where the sausages are cooked and served immediately. This means sausages, sauce, onions and bread. (This does not include hamburgers or other high risk foods).

For a full list of class 4 activities, go to www.health.vic.gov.au/foodsafety

Please contact the Council to discuss:

• the process for registering your premises using the Application to Register Food Premises form; and
• when your premises is a class 1, 2 or 3. This will decide whether you require a food safety program and/or a food safety supervisor.

If you operate a supported residential service, you will need to inform the council whether the majority of your residents are aged persons.

Council will ask if you handle or intend to handle high risk foods, which are foods that require temperature control (refrigeration or heating). For example meats, chickens, fish, smallgoods, custard, cream, salads, cooked pasta, eggs and sandwiches.

Note: transfer of registration processes have now changed so Councils are in effect registering a new food premises instead of transferring the details of the old business. In the event one established registered food business is finishing up at an address and a new food business is proposed to start then the current food business operator needs to consent on the final page of this form.

If none of the above applies to your premises, the classification of your premises will depend upon the risk associated with your food handling activities such as refrigeration and cooking. Please answer the following questions to assist the Council in determining whether your premises is a Class 2 or 3.