Your first food hygiene inspection: a checklist

Updated 6 November 2026 · By Everlong, the maker of Cheflog

In shortRegister with your local authority at least 28 days before you start trading. The first inspection can come any time after that, usually without notice. Have your food safety system (Safer food, better business or your own HACCP plan) in use with a few weeks of records, plus staff training records, an allergen matrix, a supplier list, a cleaning schedule and pest control. The officer scores food handling, the building and confidence in management.

Before you open

Registered with the local authority at least 28 days before trading
Safer food, better business filled in for your menu, or your own HACCP plan
Fridges, freezers and hot holding working and checked every day
A probe thermometer, checked in iced and boiling water
Handwashing basins with hot water, soap and paper towels
A cleaning schedule and the right disinfectant
Pest control: a contract or your own regular checks
Staff trained, with a record for each person
An allergen matrix that matches the menu, and a notice for customers
A list of suppliers

What the officer looks at

Hygienic food handling: how food is stored, prepared, cooked, cooled and kept apart.
The building: cleanliness, layout, lighting, ventilation, pest control and the state of repair.
Confidence in management: your food safety system, your records, training and how you deal with problems.

Expect a walk through the kitchen, questions to you and your staff, a look at your records and probes of food in the fridges and on the pass. Answer honestly; showing how you found and fixed a problem counts in your favour.

Records to have ready

The fridge log, cooking and cooling logs, deliveries, the cleaning schedule, training records, the allergen matrix and your probe checks. A few weeks of complete records say more than a perfect folder filled in the night before.

After the visit

You get a report and a rating from 0 to 5. A 5 is published at once; a lower rating is published after 3 to 5 weeks, and you can appeal within 21 days, publish a right to reply and ask for a re-visit once you have made the improvements. See how the rating is worked out.

Questions

When will my first food hygiene inspection be?

Any time after you register; councils set their own timing and visits are usually unannounced. Have your system and records in use from the first day you trade.

Is registering a food business free?

Registration is done with your local authority, which you must do at least 28 days before trading. Councils don't charge for food business registration.

Can I get a 5 on my first inspection?

Yes, if all three scores are 5 or below. Complete records from day one are what new businesses most often miss.

Or let Cheflog keep this record for you

Cheflog is a food safety app for the kitchen tablet. It reminds you what is due, takes the reading with big keys, asks for the corrective action when a value is out of range and keeps signed records an inspector can read. Try it free for 30 days, then pay once (€49.99), no subscription.

See how Cheflog works

Sources

Sources checked on 6 November 2026.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Limits in the templates are a starting point: check them against your own food safety plan and ask your local authority if you are unsure. Cheflog and Everlong are not connected to the Food Standards Agency, Food Standards Scotland or any other authority, and nothing here is approved by them.