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The Food Act 1984 (the Act) separates food premises into 5 classes based on the food safety risks of their highest risk food handling activity.
- A premises with high-risk food handling activities (like hospitals, childcare centres and aged care facilities for vulnerable groups) falls within class 1.
- A low-risk food handling activity like a business selling pre-packaged lollies or simple, pre-packaged cakes at a community fete is class 4.
We determine your class when you register your food business with us.
You must comply with the food safety responsibilities of your class. As you would expect, the higher your risk, the more care you will need to take.
Temporary food premises (like food trucks) and food premises for community and not-for-profit groups fall under class 2, 3 or 4. Class 4 businesses must notify us but do not need to register with us. Find out more on our Temporary or mobile food business page.
About the 5 food business classes
Class 1
Class 1 premises are where the food being handled or served is to vulnerable people within:
- a hospital
- an aged care service like a nursing home or hostel
- childcare settings like kindergartens and childcare centres
- home delivery services that provide meals to people who are unable to prepare meals for themselves, such as Meals on Wheels.
Class 2
Class 2 premises handle potentially hazardous foods.
Class 3A
Class 3A includes:
- home-based businesses and accommodation getaway premises that undertake specific food handling activities
- premises using a hot fill process to make food such as chutney, salsa, relish or sauce
- premises that are home-based or temporary, for example a hired kitchen.
Class 3
Class 3 premises mainly handle low-risk foods or pre-packaged, potentially hazardous foods.
Class 4
Class 4 premises mainly handle pre-packaged, low-risk foods.
Find out more
The Victorian Department of Health is the definitive source of information on food business classifications.
- Identify which class your temporary or permanent food premises falls into by visiting the Food business classification page on the Victorian Department of Health website.
- From 'catering event' to 'potentially hazardous food', certain key words recur in food safety regulation. Learn what these words mean on the Food business definitions page on the Victorian Department of Health website.