Guides

11 October 2026

There is no licence called a street food licence. What you need depends on where you trade — street, market, private land or event — plus a food permission set.

4 October 2026

Trading in a market held by charter, long use or statutory right is not street trading, so a stall goes through the market operator rather than council licensing.

27 September 2026

The SFBB caterers pack is a free government download that meets your legal duty to manage food safety. How to make it work from a van, not a kitchen.

20 September 2026

Renew before your street trading licence expires and it stays valid while the council decides. Miss the date and you are a new applicant who cannot trade.

13 September 2026

What licences an ice cream van needs in the UK, plus the chime rules — which part is an offence (the noon-to-7pm window) and which parts are code-of-practice recommendations.

6 September 2026

If you sell hot food after 11pm you may need a premises licence on top of your street trading licence — unless your van keeps moving. The exemption explained.

30 August 2026

Food business registration is free, takes about 10 minutes to complete online, and must be done at least 28 days before you start trading. Here's exactly how to do it — and what happens after you register.

23 August 2026

Mobile catering in the UK is governed by multiple overlapping regulatory regimes — food safety, street trading, gas safety, planning, and insurance. Here's what applies to mobile food businesses and where each rule comes from.

16 August 2026

Brighton & Hove uses a two-zone street trading system — Zone A (city centre static pitches) and Zone B (mobile traders outside the centre). Here's how the system works, current fees, and the reality of waiting lists.

9 August 2026

You can't just pull up and trade wherever you like — UK law draws a clear line between where you can park a food truck and where you can legally trade from it. Here's what the rules actually say.

2 August 2026

Cardiff prohibits street trading on the majority of its streets — and only issues consents for specific major events. Here's what Cardiff's licensing system means for food truck operators and how to approach it.

26 July 2026

There's no single 'food van licence' in the UK — it's a stack of separate permits, registrations, and certificates. Here's exactly what you need, who issues it, and how to get it.

19 July 2026

Camden operates street trading under the London Local Authorities Act 1990 — a more restrictive framework than other councils. Here's how Camden's scheme works, what you need to apply, and where to get current fees.

12 July 2026

Street trading consent and street trading licences are different permissions — who grants them, who gets discretion, and what traders can actually use differ significantly. Here's how consent works in the UK.

5 July 2026

How to get a street trading consent in Nottingham — how the consent/prohibited street system works in the city centre, the £150 fine for trading without authorisation, who to apply to, and what food trucks need.

28 June 2026

Edinburgh street trader licence fees for 2026/27 — £447 food, £304 non-food, £316 temporary. How the Civic Government (Scotland) Act works, the city-centre restriction, and how to apply to the City of Edinburgh Council.

21 June 2026

Liverpool street trading consent fees — £70 admin fee, daily consent from £66.24, long-term static £956.03. How the licensed/consent street split works, why new licences are paused, and how to apply.

14 June 2026

Street trading in Scotland runs under a different law from England and Wales — the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982. Who needs a licence, how to apply to your council, how long it lasts, and the fines for trading without one.

7 June 2026

Bristol street trading fees from £13/day in outer areas to £1,919/quarter in the central zone, plus the £556/year mobile trader rate. Application process, designated streets, and tips for food truck operators.

31 May 2026

Every regulation that applies to a UK food truck — street trading law, food hygiene, gas safety, electrical safety, food labelling, and waste — with the actual Acts and authorities behind each one.

24 May 2026

Manchester street trader licence £720, street trader consent £420 — the difference, who covers which areas, the 8-week application process, and tips for food truck operators trading in the city.

17 May 2026

How to get a street trading licence in Westminster — markets application fees from £96 to £260, the 50% start-up business discount, what the council requires, and tips for food truck operators.

10 May 2026

How temporary street trading licences work in the UK — one-day and short-term consents for events, markets, and seasonal trading. Application timelines, costs, and what you need.

3 May 2026

A realistic guide to starting a food truck business in the UK — startup costs from £5,000 to £50,000+, every licence you need, and the order to do things in.

26 April 2026

What food truck insurance costs in the UK — public liability, employer's liability, vehicle insurance, and how much to budget as a mobile food vendor.

19 April 2026

How to get a street trading licence in Birmingham — application windows, consent fees, where to apply, and what Birmingham City Council requires from food truck operators.

12 April 2026

Practical food safety checklists for UK food truck operators — daily opening checks, HACCP essentials, and what environmental health officers look for during inspections.

5 April 2026

What licences and certificates you need for a mobile catering business in the UK — covering catering trailers, food vans, and mobile catering units.

29 March 2026

London street trading licence fees by borough — Westminster, Camden, Greenwich, Merton, Richmond, and more. Real fees from council websites, updated for 2026.

22 March 2026

Everything UK food truck operators need to know about LPG gas safety certificates — CP44 inspections, costs, who can issue them, and what happens if yours expires.

15 March 2026

Whether you need a street trading licence to sell from private land in the UK — the 7-metre rule, council interpretations, and what counts as a 'street' under the 1982 Act.

8 March 2026

Real 2026 street trading licence costs across UK councils — Manchester £720, Bristol mobile trader £556/yr, Greenwich up to ~£8,160/yr, Westminster £260 + pitch fees. Full council-by-council fee table for food truck operators.

1 March 2026

Step-by-step guide to applying for a street trading licence in England and Wales — what you need, where to apply, how long it takes, and what to do if you trade across multiple councils.

22 February 2026

Every licence, registration, and certificate you need to run a food truck in the UK — including per-council street trading licences, food business registration, gas safety, and insurance.