Food service licence
Anyone wishing to establish and run a restaurant or café serving food and/or beverages must first apply for a licence from the relevant municipal authority.
About this form
Please submit your application to the municipality in question.
Anyone wishing to establish and run a food and/or beverage serving establishment must apply for and obtain a food service permit from the respective municipality before commencing operations.
Requirements for the submission of attachments may vary from one municipality to the next. The requirements are stated in the Serving of Food Act Section 8. It is a good idea to get an overview of the various requirements before you start completing the form.
The application must include:
Name and address of the person for whose account the establishment will be run, and, if it is operated by a legal person, information about organisation number and ownership. An indication of the place where the food-serving establishment will be operated.
Documentation of passed Food Services Act knowledge test.
A tax certificate for the person for whose account the establishment will be run.
If the municipality deems it necessary, the following additional documentation may be required:
Lease
Financing plan
Operating budget
Liquidity budget.
The licence applies to the establishment and running of establishments that serve food and/or beverages, and where the conditions are such that food and beverages can be consumed on the premises.
Criteria/conditions:
The general manager of the establishment must pass a Food Services Act knowledge test in order to document that he/she has necessary knowledge of financial management and of legislation applicable to the running of a food-serving establishment.
The applicant, general manager and persons who have a significant influence on the business must have a record of unblemished conduct.
Remarks:
A licence is required prior to starting up an establishment serving food and/or beverages. (On transfer of the establishment, the licence will lapse unless the new owner applies for a licence within 30 days of the transfer being agreed.)
In order to run a food-serving establishment, the applicant must also register the establishment with the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, and the premises must be approved by the municipal building authorities. For example, change of use must be approved if the building is regulated for other purposes, and the requirement for sufficient parking space must be met.
The use of a form is not mandatory, but the municipality must be informed in the event of:
• A change of general manager.
• A change in the circle of people: general manager, licence holder, persons with significant influence on the business pursuant to Section 6 cf. Section 7.
• Winding up of the establishment.
Case processing deadlines:
The rules on processing time are stated in § 10. The municipalities must make a decision on the permit application as quickly as possible and no later than 60 days. The municipality must provide the applicant with a preliminary response as soon as possible, stating the deadline for processing the case and the right to appeal. The processing time is calculated from the point at which the applicant has provided the municipality with all the necessary documentation.
Fees:
The Serving of Food Act does not specify any fees related to handling the application.
According to the regulations on the establishment test for the daily manager of a eating and drinking establishment (FOR-2000-01-18-46) § 7, cf. The Serving of Food Act § 5, the municipality may charge an advance fee of up to NOK 400 for the establishment test, including attempts to take the test.
Right of appeal:
Decisions made by the municipality can be appealed to the County Governor, cf. § 27. The rules of the Public Administration Act (Chapter 6) apply to the appeals process.
