Which kind of food business are you starting?

Pick the one closest to yours. Each page lists what you need, in the order you need it, with what each step costs and the rule behind it.

Restaurants, cafés & food service

Restaurants & cafésOpening or running a restaurant, café, take-out or coffee shop.BakeriesA commercial bakery, with or without a counter.Caterers & personal chefsCooking for events, offices or private clients.Food trucks & cartsSelling from a truck, trailer or cart.Delivery-only & ghost kitchensCooking for delivery and pickup only, with no dining room.

Food & drink makers

Home-based food makersBaking or making food in your own kitchen to sell.Packaged food makersMaking sauces, preserves, snacks, frozen meals or other packaged food to sell.Kombucha, juice & coffee makersMaking non-alcoholic drinks, or roasting coffee.Breweries, wineries, cideries & distilleriesMaking beer, wine, cider, mead or spirits.

Food shops

Grocers & specialty food shopsRunning a grocery, market store, deli counter or specialty food shop.Butchers, delis & fishmongersCutting and selling meat, fish or deli foods.

Farms, fishers & beekeepers

Farms & market gardensGrowing fruit, vegetables, grains or microgreens.Meat, poultry & egg producersRaising animals for meat, or hens for eggs.Fishers & seafood sellersCommercial fishers selling their catch. (Shellfish farms follow separate aquaculture rules this page doesn’t cover.)BeekeepersSelling honey and other bee products.

Markets & events

Farmers’ market vendorsSelling at farmers’ markets, Christmas markets and craft fairs.Festival, event & fundraiser foodServing food at festivals, fairs, sports events or fundraisers.