What Certificates Do I Need for a Mobile Food Cart?

by Alex
(Manchester)

Certificates for a Mobile Food Cart - Header

Alex asked: "I am starting a sweet cart business providing sweets only. Do I need certificates as I am handling the food?"

Hiya Alex, good question — and don't worry, it's simpler than you think.

Whether you're running a coffee cart, a hot dog cart, or a sweet cart, you basically need the same set of certificates. Here's the list:

1. Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate

This is the main one. You can do it online in a couple of hours. It costs about £15-£25 and covers the basics — food safety, hand washing, temperature control. Pretty much common sense stuff once you read through it.

2. Food Business Registration

This is free. You register with your local council at least 28 days before you start trading. You can do it online through the gov.uk website. It takes about 10 minutes.

3. Street Trading Licence or Consent

You get this from the council where you want to trade. The cost varies — some councils charge £100-£200 a year, others more. If you're trading on private land with the owner's permission, you might not need one.

4. Gas Safety Certificate

Only needed if your cart uses LPG gas (for example, a hot dog steamer or a crepe maker). For a sweet cart you probably won't need this, but worth knowing about if you ever expand.

5. Public Liability Insurance

Not a certificate exactly, but most councils and event organisers won't let you trade without it. It protects you if a customer gets hurt or ill. Most people get £5 million cover — it's usually around £150-£300 a year.

That's basically it. Five things. Start with the food hygiene certificate and the food business registration — those are the quickest and cheapest to sort out.

Disclaimer: This is general advice for UK mobile catering. Requirements can vary between councils, so always check locally.

Try the free MobCater App — our interactive startup checklist walks you through every certificate and licence you need, step by step. Get started here: https://www.mobcater.co.uk/mobile-catering.html