Selling from home
Food hygiene certificate for home bakers and people selling food from home
Selling cakes, meals or treats from your kitchen? Do the training, register with your council and get ready for your hygiene rating.
Level 2, UK version: £12 per person, online 24 hours a day. Module 1 is free before you pay.
What the rules say
For home bakers, cake makers, home caterers, meal prep and people selling food online or at markets from a home kitchen. Each point links to the page it comes from.
- Selling food made at home is a food business, and the FSA has its own guidance for starting one.[1]
- Food businesses must register with their local council at least 28 days before they start trading. Registration is free.[2]
- UK food law says food handlers must be supervised and instructed and/or trained in food hygiene in line with their work. It does not require a certificate or a particular training provider.[3][4]
- Councils inspect food businesses and give them a food hygiene rating, which is published online.[5]
- You must give customers allergen information for the 14 allergens, and food that is packed before it is ordered has its own labelling rules.[6]
What the course covers for your work
- What inspectors check and how food hygiene ratings work
- The 14 allergens, cross-contact and Natasha's Law labelling
- Cooling and storing food, and keeping it hot or cold on deliveries
- Cleaning, disinfecting and keeping pests out
7 modules with a short video and a quiz each, about 2 to 3 hours in total. The final exam has 30 questions in 45 minutes. Pass and download a PDF certificate with a QR code that anyone can check.
Which course and how much
| Course | Price |
|---|---|
| Level 2 food hygiene | £12 (£10 + VAT) |
| Level 2 + allergen awareness | £18 |
| Level 3 supervision, if you run the business | £30 (£25 + VAT) |
Training a team? Team packs cost less per person and come with a dashboard and training records.
Sources
- Starting a food business from your home (Food Standards Agency, no date shown)
- Food business registration (Food Standards Agency on GOV.UK, no date shown)
- Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter XII (Training) (legislation.gov.uk, revised version, last amended 31 December 2020)
- Running a food business: Staff training, illness and hygiene (GOV.UK, updated 30 January 2025)
- Food hygiene rating scheme (GOV.UK, no date shown)
- Allergen guidance for food businesses (Food Standards Agency on GOV.UK, updated 17 July 2026)
The certificate confirms completion of training. It is not a regulated qualification, and HygieneReady is not approved or endorsed by the FSA or Food Standards Scotland.
Other jobs
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a food hygiene certificate to sell food from home in the UK?
No law requires a certificate, but you must be trained in food hygiene for what you do, register with your council at least 28 days before you start, and follow food hygiene law. A course with a certificate helps you show the inspector you are trained.
Which course should a home baker take?
Level 2 food hygiene covers the basics for anyone who makes food. Add allergen awareness, because cakes and bakes often contain several of the 14 allergens. If you run the business and write your own food safety plan, Level 3 supervision goes further.
Is an online food hygiene course enough?
UK law asks for training in food hygiene in line with the work, and the FSA lists self-study among the ways to train. It does not require a classroom course or a particular provider. Our certificate confirms you completed the training and passed the exam; it is not a regulated qualification, and HygieneReady is not approved by the FSA.
How much does it cost and how long does it take?
Level 2 costs £12 per person (£10 + VAT), with the certificate included, or £18 with allergen awareness. The course takes about 2 to 3 hours. The final exam has 30 questions and you pass with 21; retakes are free.