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Food trucks and market stalls

Temporary and mobile premises

Under the Victorian Food Act 1984 (Food Act), all food premises are required to acquire registration from or provide notification to their registering council before selling food. This includes fixed premises, such as cafes and restaurants, and all temporary and mobile food premises, such as market stalls or food vans.

You can register your temporary or mobile food premises with your local council using FoodTrader. FoodTrader will allow you to:

  • apply for registration or notification under the Food Act with your registering council
  • manage your registrations and associated documents
  • lodge Statements of Trade (SOTs) for attendance at food events.

Mobile food premises are vehicles, such as vans, trailers or carts, from which food is sold.

Temporary food premises are:

  • stalls, tents or marquees (or any other structure that is not permanently fixed to a site) from which food is sold or handled for sale, such as at a market, school fete or festival
  • halls or similar buildings that you don’t own or lease, but which you use occasionally and from which you sell food or handle food for sale.

A SOT is a statement of intent to trade at a particular event. It lets all relevant councils know when you will be operating your temporary or mobile food premises, and where.

Other council permits

The statewide single registration scheme only provides registration or notification relevant to the Food Act.

You will need separate council approval to operate in a public place. The Town Planning and Local Laws departments of the council districts in which you plan to trade can advise you about this.

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