What is a home-based food business?
Home-based food businesses are kitchens that operate from residential dwellings. A home-based food business uses a domestic kitchen to prepare food for sale. Domestic kitchens are normally not designed for commercial operations, as a result business activities undertaken in home-based food businesses must follow strict food handling practices and kitchen fit-out requirements.
What rules must I follow to set up a home-based food business?
To obtain a food business licence to handle and sell food from your home kitchen, you must satisfy the requirements specific to the business’s food handling activities. There are three risk categories for home-based food businesses.
The risk categories are called tier 1, 2 or 3 home-based food businesses
Tier 1 - Higher Risk
For more information see Tier 1, higher risk home-based food business.
Tier 2 - Medium Risk
For more information see Tier 2, medium risk home-based food business.
Tier 3 - Lower Risk
For more information see Tier 3, lower risk home-based food business.
Each home-based food business tier has its own specific rules around food handling practices and food business fit-out.
If you are already somewhat familiar with the requirements and want to undertake a quick check, refer to home-based food businesses at a glance.
The table below provides an overview of actions and practices permitted within each tier.
| Actions and practices permitted within each tier |
Tier 1 |
Tier 2 |
Tier 3 |
| A separate purpose-built commercial kitchen is required |
X |
|
|
| May provide wholesale |
X |
|
|
| May prepare potentially hazardous food |
X |
X |
|
| May provide limited wholesale (only certain foods) |
|
|
X |
| May prepare non-potentially hazardous food |
X |
X |
X |