Food hygiene certificate in Southampton
Last updated: 21 October 2026
Short answer
You can take our Level 2 food hygiene course online from anywhere in Southampton and get your certificate the same day, for £12 per person. Food handlers do not have to hold a food hygiene certificate.[1] The food business must make sure its food handlers are supervised and instructed and/or trained in food hygiene in line with their work.[2]
Who inspects food businesses in Southampton?
Food hygiene inspections in Southampton are carried out by the environmental health (food safety) team of Southampton City Council.
- Southampton City Council says you need to register with it at least 28 days before starting to operate, including when taking over a premises.[3]
- Registering is free of charge.[3]
Which food hygiene rating applies in Southampton?
England uses the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme, which councils run with the FSA and which rates each business from 0 (urgent improvement is required) to 5 (very good).[4][5] Displaying the rating sticker is voluntary in England, though businesses are encouraged to do so.[4]
The FSA's open data lists 1,701 food businesses for Southampton City Council.[6]
Do food handlers in Southampton need a food hygiene certificate?
No certificate is required by law, but training is. The business must make sure each person who handles food is supervised and instructed or trained for the work they do, and be able to show it. A certificate and a training record are the simplest way to show this at an inspection. Read our UK training guide for the full rules.
How do you register a new food business in Southampton?
Food businesses must register with their local council at least 28 days before trading or before food operations start, including when they take over an existing business.[7] In Southampton, you register with Southampton City Council.
What does the course cover for England?
The UK version of the course covers the law in England, the 0 to 5 hygiene rating and Safer Food Better Business, the FSA's food safety pack for small businesses.
The course has seven short modules with a quiz after each one, then a 30-question final exam (pass mark 21) with free retakes. The PDF certificate has a QR code so an employer or inspector can check it online. It confirms completion of training; it is not a regulated qualification.
How much does a food hygiene certificate cost in Southampton?
£12 per person (£10 + VAT per person). Team packs for Southampton cafés, restaurants and kitchens: 10 learners £95, 25 learners £225, 50 learners £400 + VAT, with a manager dashboard and training records.
Other places in South East England
See every council in South East England or all UK locations.
Sources
- Running a food business: Staff training, illness and hygiene (GOV.UK, updated 30 January 2025)
- Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter XII (Training) (legislation.gov.uk, revised version, last amended 31 December 2020)
- Register a food business (Southampton City Council, checked 21 October 2026)
- Food hygiene rating scheme (Food Standards Agency, no date shown)
- Food hygiene rating scheme (GOV.UK, no date shown)
- Food hygiene rating scheme open data (Food Standards Agency, data file dated 21 October 2026)
- Register a food business (Food Standards Agency, no date shown)
Train your staff in 2–3 hours
Our Food Safety & Hygiene Level 2 course has seven short modules, a final exam and an instant certificate with QR verification.