Temporary food premises

Temporary food businesses are temporary structures that are:

used to prepare and sell food at occasional events such as a fete, market or show; AND
dismantled after the event, like a stall, tent or barbeque stand.

They can also include parts of structures or land, and permanent structures not owned or leased by the business and used occasionally (eg, a community hall).

A Temporary Food Business operator must comply with the Food Act and Food Safety Standards in order to protect consumers.

Note: different rules apply for non-profit organisations running a sausage sizzle or barbecue.

If you want to prepare or handle unpackaged food for retail sale from a temporary structure, you will generally need a Temporary Food Business Licence. (Different rules apply for non-profit organisations and market stalls selling only fresh fruit and vegetables.)

If you prepare ingredients or food at another location (eg, fixed premises, manufacturing facility or home-based kitchen) to sell from the temporary structure, you will need a separate food licence.

Licence required	Licence not required
Unpackaged food or handled food including: cutting fruit or vegetables (* use Market Food Stall application ( PDF, 0.4 MB )) fruit or vegetable juice processed at the place of sale sausage sizzle or barbecue (* except for non-profit organisations) cakes or biscuits with dairy fillings or icings unpackaged takeaway foods such as hamburgers, hot dogs, pizzas, hot chips or curry unpackaged cooked pasta or lasagne unpackaged yoghurt unpackaged food for taste testing any other unpackaged food, unless included in the exemptions.	Note: even though a licence may not be required, these types of businesses must ensure the sale of safe and suitable food, and comply with the Food Standards Code. Only packaged food is handled Only unpackaged snack food is sold, including: Croissants, friands, doughnuts, muffins, churros, biscuits or cakes without dairy fillings or dairy icings carob, chocolates, chocolate bars, confectionery or muesli bars dried vegetable chips, corn chips, potato chips, popcorn, crackers or nuts Pretzels, puffed rice, soy chips or toasted corn meat jerky, dried or glazed fruit Only whole fruit or vegetables are sold
Food preparation at another location including preparing ingredients for use at the stall, eg: cutting vegetables and meat making dough or batter	The sale of the following takes place, unless it forms a potentially hazardous food: whole, crushed, puffed or toasted nuts, grains and seeds quinoa, spices, dried herbs, tea leaves, coffee beans, cereals or cocoa coconut, couscous, edible oil, flour, legumes, lentils, noodles, oats or pasta preparations for spreading on bread such as honey, peanut butter, hazelnut spread, vegemite, marmalade and jam sugar and syrups such as golden syrup, maple syrup, rice syrup, malt syrup glucose syrup and coconut syrup
Preparing food for sale at the stall, eg: baking cakes making fudge making jam or chutney	The only preparation carried out involves the grinding of coffee beans Only drinks are sold (other than fruit or vegetable juice processed at the place of sale), including: tea or coffee soft drinks alcoholic drinks Only ice or flavoured ice is sold, for example: shaved ice or snow cones slurpees
Repackaging food for sale at the stall, eg: packing bulk coffee, herbs, spices or nuts into packages for sale.	Primary produce such as seafood not sold by retail; meat and dairy is produced under an accreditation granted under the Food Production (Safety) Act 2000, part 5.
	If you are selling pre-packaged food, you must make sure the labelling complies with Queensland Health food labelling requirements

Licence required

Licence not required

Unpackaged food or handled food including:

cutting fruit or vegetables (* use Market Food Stall application ( PDF, 0.4 MB ))
fruit or vegetable juice processed at the place of sale
sausage sizzle or barbecue (* except for non-profit organisations)
cakes or biscuits with dairy fillings or icings
unpackaged takeaway foods such as hamburgers, hot dogs, pizzas, hot chips or curry
unpackaged cooked pasta or lasagne
unpackaged yoghurt
unpackaged food for taste testing
any other unpackaged food, unless included in the exemptions.

Note: even though a licence may not be required, these types of businesses must ensure the sale of safe and suitable food, and comply with the Food Standards Code.

Only packaged food is handled

Only unpackaged snack food is sold, including:

Croissants, friands, doughnuts, muffins, churros, biscuits or cakes without dairy fillings or dairy icings
carob, chocolates, chocolate bars, confectionery or muesli bars
dried vegetable chips, corn chips, potato chips, popcorn, crackers or nuts
Pretzels, puffed rice, soy chips or toasted corn
meat jerky, dried or glazed fruit

Only whole fruit or vegetables are sold

Food preparation at another location including preparing ingredients for use at the stall, eg:

cutting vegetables and meat
making dough or batter

The sale of the following takes place, unless it forms a potentially hazardous food:

whole, crushed, puffed or toasted nuts, grains and seeds
quinoa, spices, dried herbs, tea leaves, coffee beans, cereals or cocoa
coconut, couscous, edible oil, flour, legumes, lentils, noodles, oats or pasta
preparations for spreading on bread such as honey, peanut butter, hazelnut spread, vegemite, marmalade and jam
sugar and syrups such as golden syrup, maple syrup, rice syrup, malt syrup glucose syrup and coconut syrup

Preparing food for sale at the stall, eg:

baking cakes
making fudge
making jam or chutney

The only preparation carried out involves the grinding of coffee beans

Only drinks are sold (other than fruit or vegetable juice processed at the place of sale), including:

tea or coffee
soft drinks
alcoholic drinks

Only ice or flavoured ice is sold, for example:

shaved ice or snow cones
slurpees

Repackaging food for sale at the stall, eg:

packing bulk coffee, herbs, spices or nuts into packages for sale.

Primary produce such as seafood not sold by retail; meat and dairy is produced under an accreditation granted under the Food Production (Safety) Act 2000, part 5.

If you are selling pre-packaged food, you must make sure the labelling complies with Queensland Health food labelling requirements

Your Temporary Food Business must be suitable for preparing, storing, handling and selling food. The Food Safety Standards set out minimum standards for stall construction.

Premises design

Your stall should have a roof and 3 sides/walls. These should be made from plastic sheeting, vinyl or other material that is non-absorbent, easily cleaned and suitably fire retardant (where relevant). This will help to protect the food from contamination.
If you intend to erect your stall on unsealed ground, you will need to lay and secure a floor covering (eg. non-slip vinyl secured with pegs) to provide a smooth, non-absorbent and easily cleaned floor surface. In some instances, if the ground will not pose a risk to food safety, such as concrete or paving, then no additional flooring will be necessary, and;
Tables and benches must have good support and be covered with a material that is easy to keep clean.

Washing facilities

Your stall must have separate hand washing and utensil washing facilities. Set up two containers (around 20 litres by volume) fitted with taps. Label each container, one ‘Hand washing only’ and the other ‘Utensil washing only’;
Hot water is to be available for utensil cleaning;
Warm running water, liquid soap and paper towels are to be provided for hand washing; and
Remove all cooking utensils from the site at the end of the day and thoroughly clean and sanitise these in dishwashing facilities connected to hot water, or by using the double bowl sink method.

Cooking

All cooking and hot food storage equipment is to be located under cover;
If cooking equipment is located at the front of the stall, provide a sneeze barrier to protect the food. Locate barbeques well away from the public (at the back of the stall) for safety, but allow for adequate ventilation. Remember, a barbeque can pose a danger to the public, especially young children; and
A dry chemical fire extinguisher of suitable capacity must be placed in the stall if cooking is conducted within the stall.

Waste

Provide a refuse container with a fitted lid and bin liner to dispose of waste. Label this container ‘refuse only’. Clean and empty it daily or when full;
All waste oil must be placed into a suitable container and removed at the end of the event. Do not tip waste oil, fats or grease down any sinks, drains or toilets; this can cause expensive blockages and pollution. You can take small amounts of waste oils to one of Council’s Transfer Stations (fees apply); larger quantities should be removed by a licensed waste contractor; and
Waste water must be stored in a container and labelled ‘Waste water only’. Dispose of waste water into a sewer under a trade waste approval.

Equipment

You must have suitable refrigeration;
Insulated containers such as eskies packed with ice can be used for storing small amounts of food waiting to be cooked;
A probe thermometer must be kept on site. Use it regularly to check the temperature of your hot and cold foods. Electricity supplies at temporary events can be unstable and cut out without the knowledge of operators. Checking the thermometer regularly and recording temperatures will alert you to any potential problems.

Useful documents for Temporary food businesses

Temporary food premises - Guidelines (3.4 MB)

This guide outlines what you need to do to operate a temporary food premises such as a stall, tent and other temporary structure used to prepare and sell food at occasional events (eg fete, festival, market or show).
Market food stall fact sheet (237.9 KB)

This guide sheet provides helpful information about operating a temporary food premises at a market site (market food stall). Preparation of food at a market food stall is restricted to the preparation of non-alcoholic drinks and the cutting up of fruit and vegetables. All other food preparation must be done in a licensed kitchen. This guide sheet provides helpful information about operating a temporary food premises at a market site (market food stall). Preparation of food at a market food stall is restricted to the preparation of non-alcoholic drinks and the cutting up of fruit and vegetables. All other food preparation must be done in a licensed kitchen.
Market Food Stall licence application (412.1 KB)

This form is to be used when applying for a market food stall.
Temporary Food Premises application including Notification by Non-profit Organisation (407.9 KB)

This form is to be used for temporary food premises, one-off events, annual temporary licences and eligible non-profit organisations (charitable, cultural, educational, political, social welfare, sporting or recreational). The sale of meals on more than 11 occasions per year requires a Food Licence.

Last Updated: 29 May 2025

Latest News > All News

Experience Cairns

About Council

Property & Business

Water, Waste & Roads

Community & Environment

Pay, Report, Apply