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IMPORTANT: Select a location.To obtain application forms, location-specific information and contacts, select a town or zip code.

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Which place to enter?

The location is used to determine the responsible office for the selected administrative service. In most cases you can enter your place of residence to find the competent authority. However, there are also cases in which a different location must be specified. Here are some examples:

Birth certificateYou want to get married and need a birth certificate. You live in Hanover, but you were born in Celle. You must therefore state your place of birth, i.e. Celle.

Business registrationYou would like to register a business in Braunschweig. Your place of residence is Hanover. You must therefore state the location of your future business, i.e. Braunschweig.

Apply for a building permitYou would like to build a house in Wunstorf and therefore apply for a building permit. Her place of residence is currently Hanover. You must indicate the place where the house is to be built. In this case it is Wunstorf.

Register food businesses

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Food businesses are obliged to register and report any significant changes to their work processes or conversions. This applies to every facility you manage or operate. It does not matter whether it is the processing, production or distribution of food. Food businesses are all businesses that produce, process, market directly or via the internet, transport, etc. food, regardless of whether they are profit-oriented or not.

Food businesses are, for example

  • Businesses that produce food or food supplements only marginally in the product range, such as petrol stations, pharmacies, drugstores and fitness studios
  • Schools, kindergartens, retirement homes, clubhouses that regularly serve food (canteens, kitchens, canteens)
  • Operators of food vending machines
  • Bakeries, cafés, Ice cream parlors, pastry shops, kiosks, snack bars, mini-markets
  • Producers of food of animal origin
  • Fishing, crustacean, shellfish and mollusc businesses
  • Restaurants
  • Wholesalers, transporters, importers and exporters of foodstuffs
  • Agricultural businesses and winegrowers
  • farms for the rearing or keeping of food-producing animals
  • Food brokers (e.g. via the Internet)
  • Milk processing and milk processing companies
  • Mobile food trade including sales vehicles
  • Primary producers of plant-based foods, such as fruit, vegetables, cereals, herbs
  • Companies that distribute food free of charge, such as food banks
  • Events with catering, Party service and catering
  • Entrepreneurs who offer food on the Internet. It does not matter whether they sell the food
    • on their own homepage,
    • via other providers or
    • on marketplaces such as eBay or Amazon.

Who should I contact?

Responsibility lies with the district, the independent city, the Hanover region and the JadeWeser Veterinary Office (Zweckverband Veterinäramt JadeWeser)

Requirements

  • You have a business that produces, processes or sells food.
  • You have not yet started operations or there have been changes to the working procedures or modifications to the information or data already recorded or you wish to deregister your food business.

Applications / forms

  • Forms: no
  • Written form required: yes
  • Personal appearance on site for application: no
  • Online service: no

Which documents are required?

  • Application for registration: with form or informally
  • Details of the name, address and legal form of the food business
  • Legal form, name and address of the business premises belonging to the company
    • to be stated separately for each establishment
  • Information on the respective activity and type of business
    • to be stated separately for each establishment

What are the fees?

Fee: free of charge

Process flow

  • Send your written application (informal) to the competent food control authority Food control authority.
  • In any case, the required information on the food business must be available for registration before the start of operations; in case of doubt, send the required information in writing to the competent food monitoring authority
  • The competent food monitoring authority records the operating data.
  • If there are any changes to the information or data already recorded, in particular in the working procedures or conversions, or if you wish to deregister your food business, please also contact the competent food monitoring authority.

What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?

  • The data and registration details must be reported before commencing work.
  • Significant changes to the work process or modifications must be reported immediately.

Legal basis

Source: Serviceportal Niedersachsen (Portalverbund des Bundes und der Länder)

Further Links

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Single points of contact of the state of Lower Saxony, Single points of contact of the countries of Europe, advice and assistance for EU citizens and their families.
Access information on the single point of contact for the state of Lower Saxonyvisit Website Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEsVisit advice and assistance for EU citizens and their families