Operating permit catering industry

What do you need to know

• A permit is only required if visitors can eat and drink in your business. You do not need an operating permit for a takeaway business. You may not place tables, bar or chairs and you may not have a terrace!
• You do not need an operating permit for company canteens, liquor stores, healthcare institutions, crematoria, funeral centers, cemeteries, among others.
• You do apply for an operating license if:  
  • You start or take over a catering business
  • The legal form of the catering business changes (for example from eg to sole proprietorship)
  • You expand or renovate the company
  • You start or expand a terrace

Terms & conditions

• An operating license is personal and cannot be passed on to others
• Every manager is at least:  
• 18 years if the company does not sell alcohol
• 21 years if the company sells alcohol or is a coffee shop
• The manager has good conduct and is not under guardianship
• Every entrepreneur is automatically a manager
• At a company that sells alcohol, every manager needs the Social Hygiene Declaration  
• At least 1 manager listed on the certificate must be present during opening hours
• You also have to for a catering company make an environmental report† You need your DigiD or eHerkenning for this
• You may have a environmental permit for fire-safe use must apply
• If you have gambling machines, you must apply for a presence permit. You must then also have one alcohol law license to have

Contact

If you have any questions, please call 14 035 (you ask for the Hospitality team). Or you can contact us via the contact form..

What do you have to do

Send along

• Copy of valid passport or ID card (not driver's license) of applicant, all entrepreneurs, executives and lenders
• Employment contracts between entrepreneur and managers on the appendix  
• Rental, purchase and/or lease agreement for the building and/or the company
• Situation drawing and/or construction drawing of the catering business with any terraces (scale 1:100, also clearly indicate the dimensions and the names of the premises)  
• Bibob Act form. You can request this, complete it and upload it signed with requested attachments to your permit application

After your request

• We will only process your application once you have submitted all documents and data
• The municipality has 8 weeks to decide on your application and may extend this period by 8 weeks

What does it cost

• The costs for applying for an operating permit depend on the number of activities and what type of company it is. See Chapter 3 of the Fees Regulation.

also look at

• Alcohol Act permit for catering and liquor stores
• Alcohol Act license for associations and foundations
• Horeca regulation
• Change manager of the catering framework. Cozy and Hospitable: Horeca makes Hilversum!
• Sign up for the Hospitality Newsletter