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What Licences Do I Need to Start a Burger Trailer Business?

by Andris Pelcis
(stoke on trent)

Burger catering trailer with serving hatch open in a UK layby

Burger catering trailer with serving hatch open in a UK layby

Do I need a license to start a burger business on trailer?
If I do where can I get them?

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Jun 05, 2026
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by: MobCater

Hello Andris, this is one of the most common questions I get, and the answer is more straightforward than it first looks.

There is no single licence called a burger trailer licence. What you actually need is a mix of registrations and permissions, and almost all of them come from your local council. The first and most important step is registering your trailer as a food business with the environmental health department at your council, in your case Stoke-on-Trent City Council. It is completely free, you can do it on the council website in about ten minutes, and the law says you must do it at least 28 days before you start trading. Once you are registered an EHO will come and inspect your trailer, and in my experience they genuinely want to help you get set up properly rather than catch you out.

Next, get yourself a Food Hygiene Level 2 certificate. You can do the course online in an afternoon for around £15 to £25, and every EHO I've ever dealt with likes to see it.

Where you trade decides the rest. If you want to pitch on a public road or street, you will need street trading consent from the council that covers that spot. Costs vary wildly between councils, anywhere from £50 to a few hundred pounds a year, sometimes more in city centres. If you trade on private land instead, like a pub car park, building site or events, you do not usually need street trading consent, just the landowner's written permission, although it is worth a quick check with the council as some areas have their own rules.

Two more pieces of paper to sort before you open the hatch: a Gas Safe certificate for your propane setup, which must be issued by a Gas Safe registered engineer who works on catering trailers, and public liability insurance, which starts from about £150 a year. Most event organisers and councils will ask to see both.

Start with the council registration today since the 28 day clock only starts when you submit it, and the rest will fall into place while you wait.

All the best

David

Disclaimer: This is general advice for UK mobile catering. Licensing rules vary between councils, so always check with your local authority before you start trading.

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