Registering food businesses
Information to help territorial authorities (TAs) perform their role as registration authorities. It includes template registration forms that TAs can adapt or use to register businesses under the Food Act, the scope of operations document, a MAPS (Multiple Approvals Processing System) user guide and a form to apply for access to MAPS.
Registration authorities
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and all territorial authorities are registration authorities under the Food Act 2014. Their regulatory functions include the registration of:
- food control plans (FCPs)
- food businesses subject to a national programme.
Who does what?
Food control plans and national programmes are also known as risk-based measures. The table below outlines who will register businesses under each risk-based measure (RBMs).
Risk-based measure | Registration authority |
Custom Food Control Plan | MPI |
Template Food Control Plan – single territorial authority region | Relevant territorial authority |
Section 39 template Food Control Plan – multiple territorial authority regions | MPI or individual sites registered with the relevant territorial authorities (businesses choose which option works best for them) |
Section 40 template Food Control Plan – single territorial authority region | MPI |
Section 40 template Food Control Plan – multiple territorial authority regions | MPI |
National Programme – single territorial authority region | Relevant territorial authority |
National Programme – multiple territorial authority regions | MPI or individual sites registered with the relevant territorial authorities (businesses choose which option works best for them) |
Find out more
- Download frequently asked questions from food businesses [PDF, 210 KB]
- Where do businesses fit? - hard questions answered [PDF, 281 KB]
- Section 39 of the Food Act 2014 – NZ Legislation website
- Section 40 of the Food Act 2014 – NZ Legislation website
Applications to extend the verification timeframe
A template FCP or national programme business must be verified within 6 weeks. You can extend the verification by a further 6 weeks if:
- you've received a written application (email is fine) from the business 2 weeks before the due date for verification
- the business has provided a genuine and reasonable reason.
Examples of reasons are:
- the business won’t be trading by the verification due date
- unplanned, special circumstances make the verification impractical or impossible for the business or the verifier
- the business couldn’t find an available verifier (despite making all reasonable efforts).
The decision is up to you. You must reply to the business at least 5 working days before the verification due date.
Registration data and MAPS
MPI expects that each territorial registration authority will use its own systems to manage their registration processes.
However, the Act requires MPI to maintain a public register of risk-based measures. The public register will include details of all food control plan and national programme registrations in New Zealand.
Territorial authorities are responsible for transferring details of their registrations to MPI.
MPI has developed an online system which will hold all registered risk-based measures and enable territorial authorities to transfer their registration data. This system is known as MAPS (Multiple Approvals Processing System).
MAPS documents
- MAPS user guide [PDF, 1.5 MB]
- Application form to access MAPS [PDF, 437 KB]
- MAPS terms and conditions of use and privacy [PDF, 271 KB]
- Guideline for Transferring Registration Data to MPI [PDF, 431 KB]
- MAPS frequently asked questions
- Scope of operations – sector mapping [PDF, 410 KB]
Template registration forms
MPI has developed templates containing all the registration information required to be included in MAPS. Territorial authorities can use these templates or develop their own registration forms that will provide at least the same information. Once you have adopted or adapted these forms, provide MPI with links to the registration forms on your council website, or a copy of the form you would like businesses to use to register with you.
- Registering a single site business template form for use by territorial authorities [DOC, 248 KB]
- Registering a business with more than one site template form for use by territorial authorities [DOC, 270 KB]
- Scope of Operations form [PDF, 511 KB]
- Registration decision matrix [PDF, 75 KB]
- FA11NP - Change to registration information of multi-site food business subject to a National Programme [PDF, 2.2 MB]
Food control plans – documents suitable for commercial printing
If you want to print multiple versions of the March 2017 food control plan templates to give to food businesses, download the documents suitable for commercial printing.
- Food Control Plan Introduction print [PDF, 1 MB]
- Food Control Plan Management full colour print [PDF, 475 KB]
- Food Control Plan The Basics full colour print [PDF, 7.8 MB]
- Food Control Plan Retail Basics print [PDF, 2.7 MB]
- Food Control Plan Diary print [PDF, 2.3 MB]
Specialist sections
- Food Control Plan Serve Safe print [PDF, 6.4 MB]
- Food Control Plan Baking Safe print [PDF, 3.2 MB]
- Food Control Plan Fish Safe print [PDF, 3.6 MB]
- Food Control Plan Butchery Safe print [PDF, 4.8 MB]
- Food Control Plan Deli Safe print [PDF, 4.3 MB]
Registered food businesses
Register of food control plans and food businesses subject to a national programme