Food Vendors

Yes, you can prepare food at home prior to an event, but you must first obtain development consent from your local council. Once this consent is granted, you’ll need to provide supporting documentation (Occupation Certificate/Compliance Certificate) when applying to trade at events or operate a mobile food vending vehicle within our local government area. Home Based Business Factsheet.​

Please refer to Guide for design and operation of a temporary food premises (stall)​

Yes, even if your food stall does not have cooking equipment. The fire extinguisher and blanket are required to protect your stall from neighbouring food vendors.​

Please refer to the decision tree on Application Questions page ​

You can discover upcoming events in Penrith by visiting the Visit Penrith website. The site provides details about each event, including the date, time, type of event, and organiser contact information.​

No, you cannot connect your mobile food vending vehicle to a private sewer connection or a rural on-site sewage system. Under the State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008, mobile food vending is permitted without consent as long as the vehicle remains mobile and is not permanently connected to property services.​

You must comply with the development standards specified in State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008, under Subdivision 27A Mobile Food and Drink Outlets. State Environment Planning Policy.​

The SEPP only provides consent for the operation of the Mobile food Vending Vehicle ​

• if carried out on land in a residential zone—only be carried out between 7am and 7pm, and​
• if carried out on land immediately adjacent to a residential zone—only be carried out between 7am and 10pm​

The SEPP does not provide consent for the following; ​

• Seating or tables ​
• Any additional structures or hardstands (Cool rooms, Storerooms etc)​
• Connection to Existing grease traps, sewer or on-site wastewater management Systems​
• Roadside signage​
• Additional Lighting (i.e. festoon lighting)​

All mobile food vending vehicles require an annual inspection from their home council. If your mobile food vending vehicle is already registered with Penrith City Council, an Environmental Health Officer will contact you at the beginning of every financial year to arrange the inspection.​

Please refer to the Equipment and Handwashing Sanitising Station set up image.​

All retail, hospitality and food service businesses need to appoint at least one Food Safety Supervisor (FSS) per premises if food they prepare and serve is:​

• ready-to-eat,​
• potentially hazardous, that is, needs temperature control, and​
• NOT sold and served in the supplier's original package.​

Broadly, this includes all businesses selling potentially hazardous food to the public that are not licensed by the Food Authority, such as: cafes, restaurants, quick service venues, takeaway shops, pubs and clubs with food service areas, temporary food stall vendors, mobile vendors, home-based businesses, caterers, motels, supermarkets selling potentially hazardous food (such as hot-chickens) and outlets that sell food through third party ordering apps.​

To view fees and charges for the current financial year see the Rates, Payments & Fees page.​

Please refer to Organising an event in Penrith

Please refer to Organising an event in Penrith 

Additionally further information can be found on our Event Organiser page​